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Posted in: Netflix, TV | Tagged: cobra kai, hilary swank, karate kid
Cobra Kai EP: Hilary Swank Not Appearing "Wasn't for Lack of Trying"
Cobra Kai Co-Creator and EP Jon Hurwitz addressed the show's efforts to contact Hilary Swank regarding a possible Julie Pierce return.
Article Summary
- Cobra Kai creators tried hard to bring Hilary Swank (Julie Pierce) onto the show, but it didn't happen.
- Cobra Kai EP Jon Hurwitz confirms attempts but acknowledges not being able to speak to Swank directly.
- Fans hoped for Swank's return in Season 6 before the series finale, but it wasn't to be.
- Swank's absence still leaves the door open for future Karate Kid projects.
No one will ever take away from what Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg have done to expand The Karate Kid franchise with the Netflix legacy series sequel. While the bulk of the cast from the first three films returned, the star of Pat Morita's final outing as Nariyoshi Miyagi in 1994's The Next Karate Kid, Hilary Swank, became the elusive white whale for fans waiting with anticipated breath, hoping she finally makes an appearance in season six. Alas, it wasn't to be, and it wasn't for the lack of trying, according to Hurwitz, who did a fan Q&A on social media, when one asked about her absence.
Cobra Kai EP/Showrunner Jon Hurwitz Addresses Attempt to Get Hilary Swank in the Final Season
"It wasn't for lack of trying. We always loved the idea of Hilary Swank's Julie Pierce showing up in Cobra Kai's final episodes, but it wasn't meant to be. We spoke with her reps several times but never actually had the opportunity to speak directly with her," Hurwitz wrote. "At the end of the day, she wasn't interested in engaging at this time. We respect her wishes and remain huge fans. For what it's worth, I'm a firm believer that these things happen or don't happen for a reason. Perhaps one day, she'll return to the Miyagiverse. #CobraKai"
There were hopes before season six's release, but the two-time Oscar-winner was asked about any involvement in February 2024 and responded, "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?'" Directed by Christopher Cain, The Next Karate Kid was the first film in the franchise without star Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso and Miyagi taking on another student, Julie, who had difficulty sorting her anger following the tragic death of her parents.
Macchio would return to The Karate Kid franchise in Cobra Kai with a far greater emphasis on the ensemble cast, including the films' co-stars William Zabka, Martin Kove, Thomas Ian Griffith, and Yuji Okumoto with the equally dynamic young cast in Xolo Maridueña, Mary Mouser, Peyton List, and Tanner Buchanan. All six seasons of Cobra Kai, along with the first three Karate Kid films, are on Netflix. Will we see Swank in Karate Kid Legends opposite Macchio and Jackie Chan? We'll find out when the film releases on May 30th.
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