Posted in: Cobra Kai, Netflix, streaming, TV | Tagged: Anthony LaRusso, cobra kai, Dallas Dupree Young, exclusive, Griffin Santopietro, interview, Mary Mouser, netflix

Cobra Kai: Griffin Santopietro on Cast Bonding, Chozen Training & More

One of the top emerging stars of Cobra Kai season five was right under our noses from the beginning in Griffin Santopietro. The actor grew up on the series, initially more in the background as Anthony LaRusso, often scoffing at his father, Daniel (Ralph Macchio), and sister, Samantha's (Mary Mouser) path to martial arts. As his sociopathic behavior turned from middle to high school, he set his sights on bullying Kenny (Dallas Dupree Young) until he trained at Cobra Kai and turned the tables on him. Santopietro spoke to Bleeding Cool about how he became best friends with Young, participating in his first training sequence in season five and developing a bond with his castmates.

Bleeding Cool: At the roundtable, you established you're best friends with Dallas. Do you hang out with anyone else on set?

Santopietro: One thing we've always talked about, it's something I've been asked about a million times because everyone's more experience than me, because I've always wondered, "Is every cast this close? We've always had this dynamic and intricate bond. I've always asked, "Is this something that happens everywhere?" Most of the time, I hear, "No." Everyone says we're pretty lucky to have this group of people that I could see every person hanging out with someone else and it never being the slightest bit awkward. Mostly I'm hanging out with Dallas. Mary, who plays my sister, has always been a really good mentor over the last couple of years. Everyone that I feel like even Xolo [Maridueña] and Jacob [Bertrand], who I've been hanging out with them recently, I really grew to love them. I can hang out with anybody and have a good time.

You got to participate in one of the training sequences this season. What was it like to film that egg sequence with Yuji [Okumoto's Chozen] and everyone?

It was really exciting. It felt like a long time coming, and I really wanted to kind of insert myself into these karate scenes. To finally get not only just to be part of the training but to actually have Anthony have such a role and come up with such a cool plan was really fun and probably my favorite day of shooting. It felt like everything I wanted it to be.

Your role in Cobra Kai came after two years of acting in Hollywood. What was the most invaluable thing you learned that helped your career? How do you feel you handled the fame from the series?

One, from a learning experience, getting to work with people like Ralph and Billy [Zabka], who are these kinds of legends, has been really helpful, not only as an actor but just as a professional. There are certain things about set etiquette and just being there to do a job that I wouldn't have learned without them. In terms of the reaction, really, only since season four have I gotten recognized… asking for pictures and autographs… and that's something that I'm still very new at. I'm still testing the waters on, but so far, it's been really great. I haven't had one bad interaction, but a few awkward ones, not too bad. I've been very lucky to have that be my way in a slow and comfortable way into the spotlight than some other younger actors.

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