Cobra Kai guest stars have been a major part of the show since it began.
Fans of The Karate Kid, naturally, tuned in at first to see Daniel, Johnny, Kreese and other “legacy characters” decades later.
Viewers have since become invested in Miguel, Sam, Robby, Hawk, Tory and the rest across six seasons.
That being said, what about the characters – and cast members who play them – who’ve been around for a long time, but were never considered “main cast”?
Let’s take a look at some examples.
Griffin Santopietro
Portrays: Anthony LaRusso
Griffin Santopietro debuted as Anthony back in season one – although he’s had quite a glow-up since then.
Throughout the show’s six seasons, the young actor has taken Anthony on a satisfying character arc. Starting off as a spoiled, potty-mouthed kid with no interest in karate, he is later humbled into becoming a much nicer person.
Following in the footsteps of his father and sister, Anthony later becomes a student of Miyagi-Do Karate.
With only part 1 of season 6 having aired (at time of writing), who knows what the remaining episodes have in the store for the youngest LaRusso?
In an interview with ScreenRant, Santopietro discussed his bond with on-screen father Ralph Macchio.
The younger actor revealed: “Just getting to work with [Ralph] for the last five years has been—mostly from an acting standpoint; I can’t speak too much to the karate yet.
“But from the professional standpoint, he’s been really helpful in teaching me things; I’m just getting to watch him and learn. He’s like my TV dad, and I feel like I can come to him with any problem.
Owen Morgan
Portrays: Bert
Owen Morgan is also one of the longest-standing Cobra Kai guest stars. He made his debut appearance as Bert mid-way though the first season and was introduced as the youngest Cobra Kai member.
Like many characters, Bert has switched dojos throughout the series but is a solid recurring character and martial artist.
Previously, Owen spoke to Courageous Nerd about his experience as a cast member on the beloved show.
He said: “I’d say the first 2 seasons were definitely just me trying to get comfortable in the role and in the show. Around Season 3, I had the opportunity to start digging into the character a little more. Figuring out exactly who he really was, what his motivations were. Lately, I’ve been having a lot more opportunities for that which I’ve absolutely loved.
“Getting used to him wasn’t that difficult. I’d say we have similar traits. Over time, I was able to give him these minor characteristics that made us split apart.”
Read our interview with Owen HERE
Aedin Mincks
Portrays: Mitch
Aedin Mincks was one of several new Cobra Kai guest stars to join the show in season two. He took on the role of Mitch, a WWE fan who joined Cobra Kai with his buddy Chris.
Fans might have been left divided regarding Mitch after season four… but he remains a solid recurring character.
Before this role, Aedin starred in ANT Farm for Disney Channel, as well as hit 2012 comedy Ted.
Speaking to Courageous Nerd, the actor discussed how he came to be part of Cobra Kai,
Mincks said: “I feel like every kid did karate when they were little. Did a couple of belts or whatever. It was more of a lucky coincidence that I was doing kickboxing at the time I got the audition.
“I booked it and then we went there.
“When I came back, I got my own punching bag and speed bag, so I could do it all the time in my garage. After [his] first season, I also took a couple of private Jujutsu classes so I could get the flow and moves down.”
Read our interview with Aedin HERE
Nate Oh
Portrays: Nate
Nathaniel “Nate” Oh joined the cast in season two, playing a character also named Nate.
Originally a member of Cobra Kai, Nate later instead joined Miyagi-Do and further down the line, became close friends with fellow recurring guest star Bert.
Much like his co-star Owen Morgan (Bert), Oh had significantly more martial arts experience than his character and, indeed, most castmates.
He previously told Courageous Nerd: “I didn’t do Karate specifically but I did a Korean martial art called Tae-Kwon-Do. It’s pretty similar to Karate, I guess. I’ve been doing that for a long time. I can’t remember when I started, but it’s been a really long time. I’m a black belt 2nd degree right now.
Oh added “It’s really fun to learn Karate with them. It’s like the same thing, kind of, but they call it something different. The way we do Karate on the show is more like dancing. You’re not actually hitting the other person. It’s all choreographed and we have an excellent stunt team who plans out all the fights.”
Read our interview with Nate HERE
Khalil Everage
Portrays: Chris
Khalil Everage joined Cobra Kai in the second season, debuting as Chris alongside Aedin Mincks as Mitch.
Chris was notably among the first Cobra Kai dojo members to defect to Miyagi-Do. In turn, he became a close friend of Demetri (Gianni DeCenzo), whom he’d formerly helped Hawk (Jacob Bertrand) bully.
In an interview with CinemaBlend (promoting his movie Shooting Stars), Everage discussed his experience on the beloved Netflix series.
He said: “I think my work ethic, I have a great work ethic. Like, you know, I’m not a guy that ever gives up being competitive. So just like [on] Cobra Kai, we all are trying to get better.
“All of my cast members from Cobra Kai, we’re very passionate about making sure that this s**t look raw.”
Oona O’Brien
Portrays: Devon
Oona O’Brien is a recent addition to Cobra Kai, playing the role of Devon Lee.
Having first appeared in season four, Devon has evolved considerably as a character. At time of writing, the character is among just six from Miyagi-Do/Eagle Fang competing in the prestigious Sekai Taikai tournament in Barcelona.
Both actress and character are now firmly established in the cast – so, who knows what could happen next?
Devon has been part of four dojos: Cobra Kai, Eagle Fang, Miyagi Do and, briefly, Topanga Karate.
Since joining the cast, O’Brien’s co-stars praised her ability at picking up karate, despite limited experience.
In an interview with Seventeen Magazine, Xolo Maridueña (who plays Miguel Diaz) said: “Oona is really, really good.”
Maridueña added: “She said she took one class. It was like an online class or something like that.”
Cobra Kai is streaming on Netflix.
Follow writer Conor O’Brien on Twitter/X
A lifelong TV and Film buff, Conor founded Courageous Nerd in 2019. He has conducted hundreds of interviews for the site, as well as written comprehensive feature articles on a variety of topics. You can find him on X: @conorrcn.
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