Posted in: Cobra Kai, Netflix, TV | Tagged: cobra kai, Courtney Henggeler, exclusive, Griffin Santopietro, interview, Mary Mouser, Ralph Macchio, the karate kid

Cobra Kai: Griffin Santopietro on Series Growth, Fight Training & More

Cobra Kai star Griffin Santopietro spoke with us about Anthony joining Miyagi-Do training, growing with the LaRusso family, and much more.

Griffin Santopietro earned the distinction as the only young main cast member of Cobra Kai, as Anthony LaRusso, not to regularly train for a dojo until now. Forgoing repeated offers by his father, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), Anthony prefers to manipulate others to get his way, and his sociopathic ways ultimately catch up to him getting caught up in the karate turf war between his father's Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai. The rival dojo rotated between sensei with Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) to John Kreese (Martin Kove) to Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) in season five. Santopietro spoke with Bleeding Cool about finally joining his peers to train at Miyagi-Do as they prepare for season six's Sekai Taikai, the international karate tournament; growing up on set, what he's learned from being around his TV family, and if he knows anything about Anthony's future beyond the series.

Cobra Kai: Griffin Santopietro on Anthony's Evolution & Family Bonding with the LaRussos

Bleeding Cool: What's it like to train with the cast?

It was great. These last two or three seasons were the first time I was even close to the action, so it was cool to finally see what it was like training because I had heard about it all this time. It was a great way to bond and see where my character would fit into the 'Karate' world.

After six seasons, what has your time on the show taught you most as an actor?

The biggest thing I learned having to grow up on this show was important ideas of professionalism – I learned a lot from Ralph. Watching him work since I was 11 and then getting to work heavily with him for someone so important to the zeitgeisty of the media, he's so down to earth and kind. It was an important lesson to learn, keeping your head level no matter what happens.

What was Anthony's biggest change from season five to six going into the final season?

What I found to be the most fun or the most exciting was even in season five when you saw Anthony was finally starting to join the karate world, he was still the new guy in many ways. That and the point of him being in this dojo was the point of his character to be like, "Wow! I'm someplace new." What I liked about this transition over the seasons is now he's in the dojo and it's normal. He's finally a part of the dojo and doesn't have to be the new guy. Filming those scenes where I was with everyone that my character never interacted with before, we're all in this dojo. It was cool to see Anthony fully and naturally a part of it.

How did you feel you've bonded with your TV family in Ralph, Courtney [Henggeler], and Mary [Mouser] and how's it grown throughout the series?

We've all perfectly fit the roles we play. Even this season, I always talk about myself growing up on the show because I was so little, but someone like Mary went through some important adult years on the show. We all naturally bonded a lot and filled in those roles with each other. Mary and I were always messing with each other like siblings. Ralph and Courtney always taught me something whenever we were doing scenes and were people I could always learn from. A lot of our relationships on screen are like in real life.

Did [showrunners] Hayden [Schlossberg], Josh [Heald], and Jon [Hurwitz] tell you anything about your character's future of your character beyond 'Cobra Kai?' Perhaps a spinoff or involvement with the movie?

There's a bit of that. My favorite thing with John, Josh, and Hayden is they always have an idea. There's always been thrown around, and stuff that's been set up. In terms of what's happening, I have no idea.

Part one of Cobra Kai, which also stars Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Peyton List, Yuji Okumoto, Gianni DeCenzo, Vanessa Rubio, Dallas Dupree Young, Joe Seo, Alicia Hannah-Kim, and Sean Kanan, premieres July 18th, with part two on November 28th, and part three in 2025, on Netflix.

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