With reboots and spinoffs of old TV shows and movies a go-to strategy, Cobra Kai is an example of it firing on all cylinders.
Cobra Kai season 5 returns to Netflix September 9, as the spinoff/continuation of the classic Karate Kid movies has satisfied original fans and captured new ones with its mix of comedy and action and the blending of new and returning characters.
It’s those characters we’re focusing on here with this rundown of the Cobra Kai season 5 cast.
Many of the familiar players from the Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do dojos are back, facing new challenges. But we’re also getting some brand new players into the epic rivalry, including more with Karate Kid connections. Let’s meet the Cobra Kai season 5 cast:
Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso
Daniel LaRusso was the hero of The Karate Kid movies and in Cobra Kai has taken over the sensei role that Mr. Miyagi had in the movies (RIP Pat Morita). However, Daniel is having a harder time with teaching Miyagi’s style of karate. While he first had to deal with Johnny, the former rivals team up to take on Cobra Kai in the most recent seasons. This season looks to start with Daniel waving the white flag, but not for long, as they know what Cobra Kai and Terry Silver truly stand for.
While Karate Kid is without question the most recognizable role in Ralph Macchio’s career, the actor also appeared in The Outsiders, My Cousin Vinny and The Deuce.
William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence
Johnny Lawrence was The Karate Kid’s villain, but from the start, Cobra Kai has reframed the character to be more of a central part of the story. While Lawrence and LaRusso start off as enemies, they eventually become allies as Cobra Kai goes into dangerous directions. Like LaRusso, Lawrence takes the events of season 4 hard. The trailer for Cobra Kai season 5 shows Johnny has moved on from teaching karate to becoming an rideshare driver, while also trying to mend the relationship between Robby and Miguel. However, we also see that Johnny can’t stay away from the fight for long.
Zabka is best known for this role, though he also appeared in the original The Equalizer TV series, Hot Tub Time Machine and playing himself multiple times on How I Met Your Mother.
Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz
We meet Miguel as Johnny’s neighbor, with Johnny teaching him karate to help him defend himself against bullies. Miguel becomes one of Johnny’s star pupils, but struggles as he is exposed to the differing philosophies of Johnny, Daniel and John Kreese. The relationship with Johnny also becomes complicated, as Johnny must balance what he has with Miguel and his biological son, Robby. At the end of season 4, Miguel went off to Mexico City to find his real dad and get some perspective on who he is. He’ll head back to the valley at some point, but things still don’t look great with Robby, Johnny and the others.
Xolo Maridueña’s biggest role aside from Cobra Kai has been in the TV series Parenthood, but he is also set to star in the upcoming superhero movie Blue Beetle as the titular hero.
Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene
Robby Keene is Johnny Lawrence’s biological son, but Johnny wasn’t too involved in raising him. Because of this, Robby formed a closer relationship with Daniel LaRusso to spite Johnny and eventually began taking karate lessons from LaRusso. However, Robby’s rivalry with Miguel leads to a multitude of problems and eventually has Robby join Cobra Kai. As we head into season 5, Robby and Miguel still aren’t willing to put their differences aside, which looks like it’ll lead to another faceoff.
Outside of Cobra Kai, Tanner Buchanan has appeared in Designated Survivor, The Fosters and He’s All That.
Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso
Samantha "Sam" LaRusso is Daniel LaRusso’s daughter and a student at the Miyagi-Do dojo. She’s in a bit of a love triangle with Miguel and Robby. In season 4, Sam starts to blend LaRusso and Lawrence’s fighting styles and it helps her get into the finals of the All-Valley Tournament against Tory. However, because of some questionable calls by the refs (bribed by Terry Silver), Sam loses.
Mouser has appeared in a multitude of TV shows throughout her career, including multiple episode arcs on NCIS and Body of Proof. She has also appeared in movies like Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
Jacob Bertrand as Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz
Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz has had quite the journey on Cobra Kai. Initially bullied, he takes Johnny’s advice when he joins Cobra Kai to have a more aggressive attitude, earning him his "Hawk" nickname. When Kreese dramatically changes the Cobra Kai that Johnny built, Hawk rejoins Johnny and the combined efforts with Miyagi-Do. Eventually picking Miyagi-Do over Johnny’s Eagle Fang, Eli (dropping his "Hawk" nickname) is able to defeat Robby to win the All-Valley Tournament.
Jacob Bertrand, outside of Cobra Kai, is probably best known for his roles on Kirby Buckets and Marvin Marvin.
Peyton List as Tory Nichols
Tory Nichols has been team Cobra Kai from the start and has had a particular rivalry with Sam LaRusso, instigating the school brawl that happens in season 2. However, in season 4, Tory begins to form a bond with Sam’s mom, Amanda LaRusso. This leads to Tory fighting within the rules when she faces Sam in the All-Valley Tournament finals. Tory wins, however it is revealed that Terry Silver bribed the ref to help her.
Peyton List comes from a Disney Channel background, starring in the TV series Bunk’d and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid live-action movies.
Gianni DeCenzo as Demetri
Demetri began the series as Eli’s best friend but wasn’t a fit with Cobra Kai. He eventually joined Miyagi-Do, which led to a falling out with Eli, who then goes by "Hawk." Demetri beat his friend in a fight at one point, boosting his confidence and his standing. He and Eli eventually reconnect when the latter joins Miyagi-Do.
Gianni DeCenzo’s credits include 100 Things to Do Before High School and Coop and Cami Ask the World.
Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso
Amanda LaRusso is Daniel LaRusso’s wife, business partner and ally in their fight against Cobra Kai. She’s the one who helps him and Johnny eventually reconcile and take on Cobra Kai together. Similarly, she becomes a bit of a bridge for Tory in season 4, forming a bond with the young Cobra Kai student and easing the rivalry between Sam and Tory.
Courtney Henggeler’s past credits include roles on Mom and as Sheldon’s twin sister Missy on The Big Bang Theory.
Martin Kove as John Kreese
The original instructor of Cobra Kai, John Kreese returned to the dojo first to help Johnny Lawrence, but he soon angles his way to overtaking it all and reinstituting his no mercy policy. As LaRusso and Lawrence team up, Kreese turned to his old ally, Terry Silver. However, Kreese is betrayed by Silver in season 4, framed and sent to prison, where he’ll start season 5.
Martin Kove is a veteran of action movies. In addition to the Karate Kid movies, he has starred in Death Race 2000, Rambo: First Blood Part II and more.
Thomas Ian Griffith as Terry Silver
Terry Silver made his comeback to Cobra Kai in season 4, rejoining the dojo with John Kreese. Silver has always thought big and done anything to win, which included bribing the judges at the All-Valley Tournament and framing Kreese so he has sole control over Cobra Kai. In this new season, he looks to take Cobra Kai to a whole new level with a group of new teachers.
Thomas Ian Griffith returned to acting after a long break with Cobra Kai, though he has previously been in One Tree Hill, xXx and Hollow Point.
Yuji Okumoto as Chozen
Another villain turned ally, Chozen was Daniel’s main antagonist in The Karate Kid Part II, but in Cobra Kai season 4 he came to the aid of LaRusso and Lawrence in their fight against Cobra Kai. He’s going to be doing the same in season 5, which looking at the trailer is also going to include some big time fights.
Yuji Okumoto’s most recognizable credits are The Karate Kid Part II and Johnny Tsunami.
Sean Kanan as Mike Barnes
Rounding out the main competitors that Daniel LaRusso fought in the original Karate Kid movies was Mike Barnes, who is going to return in Cobra Kai season 5. However, specifics around his role on the show are unknown right now.
After starring in The Karate Kid Part III, Sean Kanan made a career on soap operas, including The Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless.
Alicia Hannah-Kim as Kim Da-Eun
Kim Da-Eun is a new character joining Cobra Kai season 5. She is an instructor that Terry Silver has brought in to further his mission with Cobra Kai. By the looks of things, she is as tough as her new boss and is going to push the Cobra Kai students hard.
Alicia Hannah-Kim has also been seen in Minx and Alone Together.
Cobra Kai season 5 is now available to stream on Netflix.
