COBRA KAI Star Ralph Macchio Talks About How the Show Honors Mr. Miyagi, Saying Pat Morita "Would Have Loved All This"
Cobra Kai is back! Season 4 of the series just dropped on Netflix on December 31st, and fans are talking about that explosive finale! The show has pumped out one strong season after another, and they are currently working on Season 5. The series is a brilliant combination of nostalgia, great writing and acting, humor, and heart, and everyone involved seems to know how special it is.
When talking about the series with The Hollywood Reporter, star of the films and series Ralph Macchio was asked about how he felt about the series’ efforts to honor the late star of the films, Pat Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi. Macchio said:
For me, on the first day that I heard the concept from the creators of the show, that was something that was so important to me, to have the character woven throughout the series. It is paying great respect to the character and homage to our partnership and that magic that we shared, that special connection.
He would have loved all this. And I speak to his daughters on occasion and stay connected in that way. I didn’t have to fight to have Miyagi in the show, the creators were all over it. But it is something we work at together to inform the next generation, to inform the story to the young cast and young audience who are embracing the show and watching it with their parents and grandparents.
It is great to share the legacy of the Miyagi character and how he still speaks today. We feel that spirit on the set. It is important, to me personally, to keep that grounded element on the show with the larger-than-life heights. It needs that heart.
The character is still very intertwined in the theme of the show, and Mr. Miyagi has obviously shaped Macchio’s character Daniel LaRusso into the man we see in the series today. I don’t know that any other teen movies from the 80s could make a universe this rich and beloved to viewers, so it’s just incredible the way this show is handled.
Cobra Kai Seasons 1-4 are currently streaming on Netflix.