Warning: This post contains spoilers for season 5 ofCobra Kai.
It’s no joke, LaRusso: The “bad boy of karate” is a changed man.
And I can’t say anything!"
Sean Kanan in ‘Cobra Kai’.Netflix
SEAN KANAN:I became aware of it as soon as it premiered.
It’s been a little bit of a long haul, but well worth it.
When did the creators first reach out to you?
I think it was June or July of last year, and they were so gracious.
They asked me to have a Zoom conversation with them.
I just was blown away that they did that.
I think we talked in June or July and then I was filming in September.
And it’s a line from my book,Way of the Cobra.
I would say, “Keep the faith and we shall see.”
What else can I say?
You study martial arts, but what kind of training did you have to do to get inCobra Kaishape?
Not really a whole lot, to be honest.
I’ve been training fairly regularly prior to that.
The training that was involved was more relegated to the choreography that we had to do.
Fortunately, it’s something that I’ve kept up with over the years.
You have to understand something: That was very much by design.
That was what [Karate Kid IIIdirector] John Avildsen wanted.
They had an idea for the character.
It was very vague.
Even when we were on set, they were receptive and open to suggestions I had.
It was an amazing work experience.
It was wonderful to reengage with Ralph and Billy and everybody.
And I’d like to say thanks so much to the fans for wanting this for so long.
Did you improvise any lines that you were particularly proud of?
I did a fair amount of improv.
I would run my line suggestions by the guys and they were really great about it.
I had this one great line it didn’t make it in.
That one didn’t make it in, but a couple of them did.
It was a really, really supportive work environment.
When you were on set, were there precautions in place to keep paparazzi and nosy fans at bay?
There were little holes in the dyke, so to speak, but fortunately nothing overflowed.
Mike Barnes is a master furniture craftsman.
Do you know anything about making furniture?
I think I got a B in wood shop, and I got a D in metal shop.
I’m definitely a better woodworker than welder and metal worker.
But no, I’m not real handy with the carpentry.
But I really liked that [about Mike Barnes], that humanizing detail.
Had life kept going that way, Mike probably would’ve kept being a responsible, good citizen.
But when Terry Silver burned down his furniture store, the switch got flipped.
Mike had lost everything, and he drew back on the instincts he had.
What conversations have you had with the big three about a possible return for Mike Barnes in season 6?
I can’t really talk about that.
That’s something for them to discuss or not discuss.
But I do certainly think that the table is set for, hopefully, Mike to continue.
So, I hope [he returns].
I just thought that was so funny.
But it was fun that Mike and Johnny very quickly became unlikely compatriots and buddies.
And technically, if you think about it, Mike Barnes saved Johnny’s life.
