"There was nothing that could have prepared me for the amount of stretching and body contorting martial arts requires."
The Karate Kid saga continues on Netflix's Cobra Kai, starting its third season on January 1. The first two seasons started as YouTube Originals. For 19-year-old actor Xolo Maridueña, who plays Miguel, the show is successful because it "caters to both the fans of the original Karate Kid and anyone younger." For this new season, Maridueña says "we're gonna see some really tough times. I think it's definitely going to get worse before it can get better" and that "we'll see if Miguel survives getting kicked off of a balcony." Besides "two years of karate training in like the first grade [laughs]," martial arts was new to the young actor. "There was nothing that could have prepared me for the amount of stretching and body contorting martial arts requires." With season three shot before COVID-19, Maridueña is gearing up to shoot season four under a whole new set of rules. "We've been able to see how different sets are dealing with the pandemic, so hopefully, we can learn from their successes and their failures and make the shoot as safe as possible."
Cobra Kai is so popular, the fourth season was renewed even before the third season premiered, which is so rare for a show. What do you think makes it so popular?
The fact that it caters to both the fans of the original Karate Kid and anyone younger. I feel like our show initially got a big pull because obviously we have the original Karate Kid, and then they stay because they realize that the show is actually pretty good. It's not just drama, there's also romance and comedy. The show stands the test of time in terms of giving you the same feeling that the original Karate Kid did while still finding ways to incorporate that 2021 kind of feeling.
The end of season 2 left your character in a precarious situation. What can we expect from the new season of Cobra Kai?
We'll see if Miguel survives getting kicked off of a balcony [laughs]. Outside my character, I think we're gonna see some really tough times. I think it's definitely going to get worse before it can get better. The events that took place during the school fight really affected everyone, not even just the people in the fight. So I think at the beginning of season three we're going to see how those events take effect on everyone else.
Before Cobra Kai, did you have any martial arts experience?
To be completely transparent, I had two years of karate training in like the first grade [laughs]. But needless to say, going into filming my body was not prepared for all of the training that we had to do. I play tennis and basketball here and there, but there was nothing that could have prepared me for the amount of stretching and body contorting that doing martial arts requires. The very first couple of weeks that we were filming season one, my body was like crying. But now I know 99 percent of the battle is stretching. As long as you are allowing your body the flexibility that you need, you're not going to get hurt, and you'll feel so much more comfortable doing all the steps that you need to do.
Were you a fan of the original films before starting Cobra Kai?
I wouldn't say I knew of the original films and I had seen them as a kid, but when I got the audition I was like, 'Cobra Kai? This sounds familiar.' It wasn't until I booked the projects that I sat down and watched.
You've been working in entertainment since you were a little kid. Of your past work, what stands out as your first big break? Why was it so important?
Cobra Kai is, as a young adult, my biggest break, but I'd say before that it was probably Parenthood. I worked on that show for almost five years. I booked that project at a really young age and I think because of that, it solidified to me acting as a job. Working with people who were so professional and so welcoming really made me realize this isn't just a hobby. Up until that point acting, modeling, doing commercials and whatnot was just kind of a means to pay for college. But once I had booked Parenthood and gotten to work on that show for a couple of years, I realized this is a job.
Are there any other areas of the entertainment industry you're interested in exploring in the future?
In the long term, writing and directing really interests me. I'm not a great writer right now, but I definitely have written a couple of projects here and there and short films. Quarantine has really provided the opportunity for me to watch more movies that are the cornerstones of this industry. So I'm excited to just keep on doing that and finding my own style, my own craft.
We're still in the thick of the pandemic. Did you shoot season 3 during the pandemic? If so, what was that like?
We finished season three at the end of last year, so we were able to finish our whole season before quarantine even started. Going into season four, I think it's going to be interesting seeing how the pandemic affects our shooting schedule. We've been able to see how different sets are dealing with the pandemic, so hopefully, we can learn from their successes or their triumphs and their failures and make the shoot as safe as possible.
How have you been holding up in general during all of this?
I'm fortunate enough to say that I've been able to manage. I feel like the first couple of months were probably some of the laziest of my life. Maybe a month ago, I started to get back into working out because we're gearing up to start filming season four next month. It's going to be a really rough month in terms of trying to get back into shape [laughs]. It's going to be an interesting first couple of weeks on set for sure.
About the writer
A writer/comedian based in Los Angeles. Host of the weekly podcast Parting Shot with H. Alan Scott, ... Read more
