Cobra Kai 5 Mike Barnes: io9 Interviews Karate’s Bad Boy Sean Kanan

In a present concerning the villain of the primary Karate Kid film that options the villain from the Karate Kid sequel, you simply knew the villain of Karate Kid half three needed to present up finally. And this 12 months? Cobra Kai delivered. The fifth season of the hit present is now on Netflix and it features a shocking story arc for Mike Barnes, “Karate’s Bad Boy,” who was employed by the evil Terry Silver within the third movie to defeat the Karate Kid himself, Daniel LaRusso. Of course, Barnes loses that match and we by no means hear from him within the film once more.

The identical can’t be stated, nevertheless, for the actor who performed him. His title is Sean Kanan, and Kanan turned taking part in that slimy karate bully into an extended profession that started on cleaning soap operas like General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful, and has continued in roles each in entrance of and behind the digicam. io9 spoke to him final week about lastly returning to the position that made him a star: Karate’s Bad Boy, Mike Barnes.

Germain Lussier, io9: So once I watched this season, it had not but been revealed you have been in it. And so if you confirmed up, it was like “Yes! They finally did it. They finally completed it.” I’ve been asking [Cobra Kai creators] Jon [Hurwitz], Hayden [Schlossberg], and Josh [Heald] “Where’s Mike Barnes? Where’s Mike Barnes?” for like 4 seasons now.

Sean Kanan: You and me each.

io9: [Laughs] Yes, precisely. Well, that’s my first query. When did you first hear concerning the present, and was your rapid thought, “Could I be on it”? 

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Kanan: Yeah. I imply, look. Obviously it was in all of the trades. Everyone knew about it. I used to be very excited simply that the present was going to occur as a result of I believed it was a terrific thought. I believe everyone needed to attend and see what the execution was, and it was flawless. And after all, instantly that’s once I began getting the questions just about on a weekly foundation. Dozens of individuals to start with and it will definitely snowballed into a whole lot of individuals every week asking. So, you understand, it took a minute, however higher late than by no means.

io9: So did you get contacted only for the season? Or had you talked to the creators a pair seasons earlier than to say like, “Hey, we’re working on it?” Basically, was there ever a clue that you simply’d be on this season earlier than you formally signed?

Kanan: I had some contact with [producer] Josh Heald advised about it. And, the one factor that they stated, and I actually revered, is that they needed to deliver individuals in organically. It wasn’t cameo, stunt-casting stuff, which I actually appreciated. And, true to the phrase, I believe that we got here up with a very nice arc and story for the return of the “Bad Boy of Karate.”

io9: So how did they pitch the position to you? Do they simply ship you a script? Did they inform you what the thought was? And how a lot enter did you get to get to have all of it, if in any respect?

Kanan: We had a Zoom assembly, [producers] Jon [Hurwitz] and Josh, and myself. Hayden [Schlossberg] couldn’t make it. And they have been great. They requested me what a few of my concepts have been and actually the one factor I stated was, “Look, far be it from me to dictate plot to you guys.” I stated the one issues that I’d request respectfully are first, that the character shouldn’t be the one-dimensional thug that he was within the movie. And that was very a lot by design. That is what [director] John Avildsen needed and so I gave him what he needed. But now 34, 35 years down the road, as each an actor and an individual, I needed to be sure that we have been in a position to deliver much more dimension and colours to the character. And I additionally stated, one of the sensible issues about Cobra Kai is the humor. And as a man that does rise up and comedy, it was essential to me to place a comedic spin on the position once I may. And I believe we additionally have been ready to do this.

Note: The remainder of the interview has spoilers for Barnes’ position within the season.

io9: Oh, completely It’s so sudden and nice. And clearly I think about furnishings salesman was not one thing you ever imagined.

Kanan: So that’s the half I didn’t actually get. They have been pitching that concept to me and it wasn’t crystallizing. I stated, “Look, whatever it is that you guys have in mind, I know it’s going to be brilliant. I’m in. Let’s do this.” I believe we had a Zoom assembly in like July or August even. And I used to be in Atlanta filming in September.

io9:  Oh, wow. So it was quick.

Kanan: It moved in a short time.

io9: In all of the years since The Karate Kid Part III, and particularly when Cobra Kai began and also you began getting the questions on coming again, did you might have any thought in your thoughts what Mike may be doing?

Kanan: That’s an incredible query. So I all the time questioned what occurred to this man as a result of he was a 17-year-old child, clearly nonetheless very malleable and life may take him in loads of completely different instructions. So I figured both he continued to go down the trail of sociopathy that he had began on and doubtless wound up in jail. Or possibly, he wound up going into the army and type of getting straightened out and getting a way of honor and possibly even changing into an officer. The finest one which I ever heard, although, was any person stated, wouldn’t or not it’s humorous if Daniel and Johnny needed to go to courtroom mandated anger administration counseling and Barnes was the counselor? And I believed that was fairly good.

io9: Was there something lower out of Karate Kid III or that you simply shot that spoke to any of that or knowledgeable his character in any respect?

Kanan: To the most effective of my information, no, there have been no different scenes that talked about Mike’s background. In an ideal world, I believe it could have been actually cool to have Mike actually articulate that what he was doing to Daniel was not private. That it was all based mostly on enterprise. And the rationale he was doing it was as a result of he wanted cash for his household. I believe that will have given it loads of depth and I believe it could have been a simple repair. Yeah. But, once more, it wasn’t the Mike Barnes story. It was the story about Daniel and Mr. Miyagi.

io9: I only recently rewatched Karate Kid III, which I are likely to do if it’s on, and I forgot that Mike negotiated 50% of Cobra Kai from Terry Silver. I noticed issues would have been very completely different on this present had you received that event.

Kanan: That’s proper. And Mike brings that up and says, hey, pay attention, I insisted they put within the contract. So there may be apparently a contract someplace.

io9: Yes, precisely. Okay, I need discuss concerning the finale. I couldn’t consider what I used to be seeing as a result of clearly you’re away for a pair episodes after which we get what I’m calling “Karate Kid: Endgame,” the place you get all most important villains from the Karate Kid movies collectively to battle one individual. Did you ever assume, in all these years, that you’d find yourself on display with all of these guys, and what was it wish to movie that?

Kanan: No, I didn’t assume that I’d be on with all of them. I didn’t have any thought how they might create a bridge between Mike Barnes and Chozen which I believe is implausible. But it was nice. You know, I do know Yuji [Okumoto] and Billy [Zabka], I’ve identified him for years. Yuji was simply in my hometown of Newcastle, Pennsylvania, for a martial arts event a few years in the past. And so these are guys that I do know, and to lastly be capable to work with them in any case these years was terrific. And I’ve to say, I actually thought that the 4 of us had a very enjoyable, fascinating chemistry collectively.

io9: Oh, completely. So what was it like on set? Was it enjoyable? It should’ve been troublesome to shoot, since there’s loads of loads of choreography.

Kanan: Yeah, it was actually among the best filming experiences I’ve ever had. It was enjoyable. We labored arduous, however the guys have been nice, like I stated. Ralph [Macchio] and Billy and Yuji, terrific working with them. There was a type of a “pinch me” high quality to it. Even Ralph and I at one level we checked out one another, and go “Can you believe this?” I imply, 34, 35 years later, right here we’re doing this once more. And, I’ve stated this earlier than, however it was so good to have the chance to get to re-meet Ralph as an grownup now and join with him on a really completely different degree then as this brash 22-year-old child taking part in his nemesis all these years in the past.

io9: That’s so cool. Now, as soon as you probably did signal on in, was it troublesome conserving the key? How did you handle that?

Kanan: It was very troublesome. I used to be getting requested consistently by everyone, and all I saved saying is “Keep the faith and we shall see.”

io9: Finally, we don’t know what season six goes to carry, and Mike’s story appears fairly properly wrapped up. But in the event that they requested you to come back again, would you want to come back again? Do you assume there’s nonetheless extra for the character?

Kanan: In a heartbeat. I’d adore it.

Cobra Kai season 5 is now on Netflix.

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