Now in its second season, the YouTube Originals series Cobra Kai (if you haven’t taken the time to watch it yet, I highly recommend giving it a shot), takes place 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament and gives viewers a new perspective on the lives of both Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). While LaRusso has a loving family and successful string of car dealerships throughout the San Fernando Valley, his high school adversary Lawrence’s life has taken a turn that’s set him on a path of seeking redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo and overcoming his own demons.

During this 1-on-1 phone interview with Collider, actor William Zabka talked about his reaction when Cobra Kai was first pitched to him, what ultimately sold him on the idea, the positive fan response to the series, bringing back the ‘80s music montage, exploring how both Daniel and Johnny are the protagonist in their own story and antagonist to each other, getting to do scenes with Martin Kove as John Kreese, his favorite scenes with Ralph Macchio, what he appreciates about working with his co-star, reuniting with the Cobra Kais from the original The Karate Kid movie, how Season 2 marks a turning point in the story, and how he feels like there’s still a ways to go, before they wrap things up.

Collider:  I really appreciate you talking to me about this show. I am one of those people that the movie meant a lot to, growing up, so when the show came along, I was like, “Oh, my god, why are they doing this?” But then, you watch it and the show is so great. It’s that rare unicorn that’s brought something back that so many people loved and are nostalgic about, but did so in a way that still feels new and current, which seems so rare.

WILLIAM ZABKA:  Yes, that’s very sweet. It’s a unicorn with a cobra snake around it.

When did you personally realize that it was actually working that way, and when did you realize that it was also being received that way, by the people who were watching it?

ZABKA:  Well, everybody had the same reaction, including me, when they first pitched the show. There were a lot of walls up to the idea of it because it’s such a sacred movie and they’re such sacred characters, so to do it, you had to have the right approach. The creators of the show (Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald and Hayden Schlossberg) approached it with such a fresh angle, and they had such a vision of the universe and expanding it, and not becoming just nostalgia and not just playing on yesterday, but pushing it forward, and introducing a whole new set of circumstances and characters and depth to the 30 years since the first film. So, I took it a step at a time. I worked with Josh on Hot Tub Time Machine, and I was friends with Jon and Hayden, and I trusted them and loved their work. I went along for the ride from there, and we went and made it.

When the trailer started to come out and the public had the same reaction that I had, at that first pitch meeting, it was, “Don’t mess with our baby. Don’t mess with our unicorn.” It was interesting because when the trailer came out, nobody knew what this was gonna be. It was a slow peel back to what the ultimate show would be, and each trailer led you in a different direction, when it came to thinking about what it was going to become. We all took it the same way. Everybody from the writers to Ralph [Macchio] and myself knew how important this was to do right, so we all did the checks and balances, at the beginning, and it paid off because we vetted out anything that might be a bump in the road, and the audiences received it. It was really on the first day that it launched that we saw it click.

I imagined that it would be well-received because we had a fan base and there had been a lot of interest and curiosity about it, but to see the level in which people were getting engaged in it clearly caught us by surprise and was really thrilling. That was a great feeling, and it’s a shared feeling because we play the characters and we’re the ones who personify these characters and are telling a story, but it’s really interactive. It’s a live, vibrant experience. It’s thrilling to share because that’s really what it feels like when we’re having communication and conversation with the longtime fans and the new fans. We tapped into storylines and themes that are universal, and it extends far past the Karate Kid to now stand on its own, which is what they pitched me at the beginning. Josh, Jon and Hayden said that this show could work without there ever being a Karate Kid. This is a story about these two guys, and here’s their backstory. In our case, that backstory just happens to be a classic film that’s beloved around the world, for 35 years.

Any show deserves love that can bring back the ‘80s music montage.

ZABKA: Exactly! And do it right. It’s not just a spoof or a satire, but it actually works again. How does that work, if it shouldn’t have even worked back then? When a montage is done right, no can defend against it.

We always hear that every character is the hero of his own story, and that no one sees themselves as the villain, but in this show, these characters are the hero in their own story, but they’re also the villain to each other. What have you most enjoyed about getting to see both sides of these characters, and exploring what really makes them both the protagonist and the antagonist?

ZABKA:  Everybody is the hero in their own story. That’s how we shape our lives and look at it through our lens. So, as for as Daniel’s perspective on it, that’s Ralph’s to drive home. As far as Johnny’s perspective, that’s mine and I dive into that. It’s not until the show is done that we both can step back and watch it work together, and see how those two worlds collide. It’s been amazing to dive deep into the character of Johnny, and into his backstory and his inner workings. Even in The Karate Kid, my thinking coming into it was that he most likely didn’t have parents, or at least parents that were present in his life. Therefore, he ran into John Kreese, who saved him and became a father figure and trained him. When you spend five hours a day, five days a week, in a gym, from the time that you’re 12 to 18, that person has a big influence. There’s a lot that John Kreese has built into Johnny Lawrence, just in his conscience and the make-up of who he is. When you unravel that with his present and introduce his son, it’s really amazing, as an actor, because you’re still hanging onto the original core and soul of who Johnny is, but now he’s got 35 years of life layers on him. To weed through that and to try to get on his feet is incredible. And I know Ralph is doing the same. He has the same struggle, from a different perspective. Things have gone well for Daniel, but he’s lost his center, as well. These are two guys who have grown up a lot, but something is missing. I don’t think it’s about defeating the other, so much as it’s about owning your space. With any good drama or comedy, there’s conflict when you have two opposing points of view that meet in the middle, and then this spark plug happens for this explosion of characters and conflicts. It’s birthed this new universe of Karate Kid and Cobra Kai, going forward.

We only briefly got to see John Kreese, at the end of last season, and Martin Kove is a much bigger presence in Season 2. What was it like to bring him back in, to have your character face such a despicable villain again? In your first scene together, you guys are kicking each others’ asses. Is that just their version of a hug?

ZABKA:  Yeah, they’re like two dogs that saw each other at the park, and they’re picking up their last scrap. There are two components to that question. One is bringing Marty Kove back into the mix. I love him to death. We’re great friends, and have been for many years, and we’ve talked about these characters, on many panels across the country, for a long time, just way before the show came out. People would ask, “Who’s the real Karate Kid? Who would win?” Marty always has a lot of fun with, “Well, Johnny Lawrence is the true Karate Kid,” and playing that up, which I don’t adhere to, endorse, or buy into, by the way. He just had a lot of fun with that. So, bringing Marty in was fascinating. The same thing happened when Ralph and I turned off Ralph and Billy, and we became Johnny and Daniel again. The tension and the chemistry was instant. The first scene that Ralph and I did together last season was when Daniel walked into the dojo and we had that showdown, at the very beginning. That was our first time working together like that, in character, and it was alive again. It was Johnny and Daniel. Billy and Ralph were gone. The same thing happened with Kreese, when Kreese shows up. Kreese is a big presence for Johnny. He’s a father figure. It’s almost like your father moving into your house, later in life. If it was not a good relationship, it’s now a shadow over your shoulder that makes you question things and makes you a little bit cautious. At the same time, it’s a beautiful story because Johnny has a chance to maybe give Kreese another chance and maybe forgive him, in some way. All that takes place in Season 2. It was incredible to have these characters back together. The charge was there, and the character and the chemistry was all there. It’s been great.

In the first season, we only really got to see you interact briefly with Ralph Macchio because your characters clearly didn’t want to be around each other, but in Season 2, you interact a lot more. You have some really fun moments together, including the dance scene in the restaurant, and the confrontation at Johnny’s house. What was your favorite scene to shoot together, in this second season?

ZABKA:  That’s a good question. All of them were fun. The one that was really fun was Episode 9, when we’re on the accidental double date. There’s a moment where our guard comes down. Once we put our past behind us, these guys realize that they have a lot more in common and they’re a lot more alike than they’d like to believe. They accidentally almost become buddies, but there’s still this underlying volcano that’s about to erupt. And knowing what was coming after Episode 9, that was a lot of fun to play. Then, the scene where Daniel bursts into Johnny’s apartment and that showdown, was super fun, too. There was a lot of adrenaline and it felt really good to be back squaring back with him, like we did in the old days. I love working with Ralph. It’s really interesting how we put our helmets on because we just turn into these other guys while the cameras are rolling. Anytime that I’m working with him, at whatever level, it’s fun. I also really liked the scene where he comes into the dojo, after the medal of honor has been stolen. Johnny is waking up this season, a little bit. He’s starting to sift through what he’d been taught, and he’s trying to discover himself and find his truth, and share that and change. Despite himself, he’s got all of these opposing factors coming in and coming against him. So, I love when he walked into the dojo and threw down a challenge. That scene was fun. Any time Daniel steps into the Cobra Kai dojo, I get a rush, like when he peeked his head in, in the first one, and I was running a class and noticed him in the back and gave him a little smirk. Every time that he’s in there, it’s a little bit like he’s in a lion’s den. There’s something thrilling about that. But this time, we do a little twist in how that resolves.

What do you appreciate now about Ralph Macchio, as an actor, that you maybe didn’t realize, back when you made the original movie together? 

ZABKA:  I wouldn’t say that there’s anything new. From the very first time we met in our first audition together for The Karate Kid, when I was auditioning for Johnny and he was already cast as Daniel, and we were going over our lines in the parking lot, it’s been the same. It’s just matured, and we both have a lot more life behind us. He’s got a family, and I have a family. We’ve both done many things with our careers. He’s gone off and directed, and I’ve directed. He’s written and produced. There’s a lot of history now. If anything, it’s like two friends coming back together, or two teammates coming together again. It’s very familiar and there’s a mutual respect that we have for each other. There’s a distance and space that we give each other, with the characters. He’s a total pro. He’s Daniel LaRusso, all grown up, and I love watching him.

By the end of Season 2, things get very real, very quickly, and there’s certainly a lot of questions that are left. Have you already had conversations about how that could play out, in Season 3? Do you know what Season 3 might look like?

ZABKA:  Oh yeah! This is a turning point in the story. Where it can go from here, and where it will go from here, is exciting and powerful. I wish that we had a Season 3 ready to go, in the can, because you have to see what happens next. I can’t wait to play it.

Have you thought about, or had conversations about, just how long you’d like to keep this going, especially now that you’ve seen how well the show works? Do you know how many seasons you might ultimately want to keep telling the story for?

ZABKA:  I think we’d love to do this for awhile because it’s so much fun, but I don’t think we’re measuring it by how many seasons we get. What’s great about a long-form series like this, where we can really go deep and wide with the characters and explore scenes and ideas, as long as it’s honest and natural, and not pushed to fast or cut short, is that I don’t know how long it will go. I think it’s got a ways to go, before this story wraps up. We just opened up a whole new set of questions, so there’s awhile there. We love doing it. It’s great, as an actor, to get to do this again, and to do it at this level. So as long as it’s working and the fans are liking it and responding to it and it’s affecting them, we’d like to keep doing it. I get messages from people about how the show has really changed their lives and impacted them. My manager bumped into somebody who said, “Tell Billy that Cobra Kai is the greatest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve been disconnected from my son, and the show made me want to call him again.” It’s touching on a human level. So, as long as it’s vibrating honestly with the public, we’ll hopefully have a long ride because there are so many real and fun things to explore, and it’s done in a tone and with a style that’s entertaining and inspiring. At the end of the day, it’s art. Hopefully, as long as they’ll have us, we’re all signed up.

Now that you’re one of the adults, and you’re the father, teacher and mentor to these kids, are you ever jealous of all the physical work and fight scenes and stunts that the younger actors get to do, or do you feel like you have just the right amount on the show?

ZABKA:  Oh, I would never be jealous of that. I’m excited. These kids are amazing. I love our cast. These kids come to work hungry and inspired and on fire. They’re training hard and working hard. Our stunt coordinator, Hiro [Koda], and his wife, Jahnel [Curfman], together, are an amazing team. To see these kids, most of whom didn’t know any karate, at all, come in, they look amazing. I love the action that I get. When they write me more, I’m ready for it. In the meantime, I love what these kids are doing, and they’re really young adults. They’re just so talented. They have so much passion, and their heart is in it. Each of them have their own flavor, and it’s thrilling to watch.

I love that you and Ralph still do get a fair amount of physical stuff to do, and that it’s not just the kids. There’s a great balance to that.

ZABKA:  Yeah, absolutely! We’re the sensei, so we shouldn’t be fighting too much. We’re the teachers. They have their conflicts and their responses, physically. I’m ready for more, but I’m also really thrilled with what the cast has done. I’m just really proud of them.

We see that Johnny has a lot of emotional scars that he hasn’t dealt with, that he’s working through now. Is there anything that you’ve found particularly surprising, as far as how deep you’ve gotten to go with him and what you’ve gotten to explore, especially with him revisiting his old buddies, this season?

ZABKA:  Yeah, that’s true. It was incredible to do that. I loved working with the guys. The highlight for me was to work with Rob [Garrison], Tony [O’Dell] and Ron [Thomas], the original OG Cobra Kais. That episode was a homecoming, and we’re all still great friends. When we did the original film, we became instant buddies and best friends. They’ve been my brothers, for many years, and I love seeing them step up. Last season, when we did Cobra Kai, I had an apartment in Atlanta, where we filmed it. I had pictures of my kids on the refrigerator, but there was only one picture on the wall, and it was a picture of the original Cobra Kais. There was a sadness that they weren’t along with me, but I felt them. Every day, I would get up and get ready to go to work, and then I’d walk by and see all of us together on the wall, and it would inspire me. I missed them. I also knew that, if things worked in Season 1, most likely they’d be coming back, and they did. That reunion was incredible. The conversations that we had were similar to our real conversations, not about Kreese, but about deep things in life. These are grown-ups now, who have a past, and they’ve all evolved and are changing. I love all of that humanity. I love playing that, and being able to play it with those guys is like art imitating life, in a way. There’s no better feeling, as an actor or an artist, to get to do something with your friends that you have deep roots with, and to re-explore something and look at something new and fresh. It’s great. I loved that.

Cobra Kai is available to stream at YouTube.