The number of actors the Netflix TV series Cobra Kai has brought back to reprise their characters from the Karate Kid films has been very impressive. Not only do you have Ralph Macchio and William Zabka back as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, but there’s also Martin Kove and Thomas Ian Griffith as villains John Kreese and Terry Silver, Yuji Okumoto and Sean Kanan as villains-turned-allies Chozen Toguchi and Mike Barnes; Ron Thomas, Rob Garrison, and Tony O’Dell as Johnny’s former Cobra Kai buddies; and appearances by Elisabeth Shue as Ali Mills, Tamlyn Tomita as Kumiko, and Robyn Lively as Jessica Andrews. They even brought Traci Toguchi back as Yuna, the “Girl Bell Ringer” she played in The Karate Kid Part II. But one actor who might not be returning from the films is Hilary Swank, who played Julie Pierce in the 1994 film The Next Karate Kid.
Daniel, Johnny, and the Cobra Kai dojo had nothing to do with what went on in The Next Karate Kid, but since Julie was a student of Daniel’s mentor Mr. Miyagi (played by the late Pat Morita), many fans have been hoping to see her show up on Cobra Kai before it wraps up. Well, the sixth and final season of the show is in production now, and according to Swank, she’s not going to be in it.
While speaking with Collider, Swank was asked if she’s going to be making an appearance on Cobra Kai. She said, “I don’t think I am, unfortunately. I know. It’s, like, the number one question I get right now. Most people usually say, ‘What’s it like working with Clint Eastwood?’ But I think, ‘Are you going to be on Cobra Kai?’ has almost surpassed that.“
Created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, Cobra Kai started out thirty four years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, when a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence sought redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso. A lot has happened, and a lot has changed, since then.
The actors mentioned above are joined in the cast by Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Jacob Bertrand, Gianni DeCenzo, Peyton List, Oona O’Brien, Dallas Dupree Young, Vanessa Rubio, Courtney Henggeler, and Griffin Santopietro. As of seasons 5 and 6, Alicia Hannah-Kim plays the villainous sensei Kim Da-Eun, and we’ve heard that C.S. Lee (Dexter) will be playing her grandfather Master Kim Sun-Young, who taught the type of karate used by the students at the Cobra Kai dojo, in season 6.
This show has become one of my all-time favorites. I grew up on the Karate Kid movies and always enjoyed them, but Cobra Kai has even managed to increase my appreciation for the movies it follows. I really hope Hilary Swank’s quote about not being on the show is a fake-out, because I would love to see her make some kind of appearance in season 6.
Are you a Cobra Kai fan, and are you hoping to see Hilary Swank show up before the series comes to an end? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Ralph Macchio already has more Karate Kid action lined up beyond Cobra Kai: he’s set to share the screen with Ben Wang and The Karate Kid 2010 star Jackie Chan in a new entry in the franchise that’s scheduled to reach theatres on December 13, 2024.