Xolo Maridueña – Cobra Kai

By starrymag | May 2, 2018

By: Kelly Kearney

 

Q) Tell the fans a little bit about your character Miguel and how he fits into the new YouTube Red series, “Cobra Kai.”

 

A) Miguel is really someone that I loved getting to know as the series unfolded. He is a newcomer who really is trying to find himself is always fun because the audience is learning everything for the first time as well.

Q) Were you familiar with the original Karate Kid franchise before landing this role?

 

A) Absolutely, movies are something that are a big deal in our family, so Karate Kid was one that we watched often. And, of course, I watched the Jaden Smith Karate Kid.

 

Q) What was your audition process like?

 

A) It was a really long process, maybe a month or two in between my first audition and then the callback. And then, all of a sudden, things started moving pretty fast.  But I think the moment in the audition process when it really dawned on me that I could possibly be in the running is when I walked in and Billy Zabka was there, ready to do a scene. That was nuts.  That’s when I realized, dang, this is the Karate Kid legacy!

 

Q) What kind of training did you do to prepare for this role?

 

A) Well, I did most of my “training” from ages six to nine when I took Shotokan Karate in Vegas, but for this role I did brush up on my Kata.  One thing I did realize about Miguel, as a character, was that he was walking in to the Cobra Kai dojo knowing nothing. So, for me, that kind of worked in my favor.  I trained as Miguel trained. It was usually three hours a day on days we filmed and 6 hours during the weekend.  Strength training and also, I received fight coaching from Hido Koda.

 

Q) Obviously, Miguel is struggling with bullies at his school and he handles it by training in martial arts. Is bullying something you’ve experienced and what advice would you give others who are being bullied?

 

A) When I was in 1st grade, I got punched by a kid in my PE class because I was pulling him off another kid.  That didn’t end well for me. I ended up with some permanent eye damage. Yeah, so bullies suck.  The one bit of advice I would give to anyone who is getting bullied is to have friends who have your back, even if you guys aren’t tough, having people who can back you up goes a long way.

 

Q) What was it like working with stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka from the original film? Did you learn anything from them that you will take with you to other roles?

 

A) I worked with Billy the most and from the beginning he was just this really welcoming and a cool guy.  Not just while we were working but he spent lots of time before scenes helping me understand the set-up and the moment.  He’s also an amazing martial artist and you get to see that in the series. One thing that really stuck with me about both Ralph and Billy is they taught me was how great they were with all crew and cast members. They are both actors with these long careers, but they have a way of making everyone feel comfortable.  That should be all of us.

Q) Do you have any fun behind the scenes stories you can share with your fans?

 

A) Mary Mouser and I had some back and forth pranks with each other, but I think she got the best of it when she somehow got ahold of my backpack and filled it with pennies. Thousands of pennies. I went to pick it up and almost threw my back out.  I ended up spending that whole weekend finding fountains to throw pennies into. I’m still going to get her for that.

 

Q) What has been the most challenging part of playing Miguel and what has been your favorite?

 

A) The most challenging part was my first on-screen kiss. Kissing with 60 people around you filming isn’t the easiest thing ever.  My favorite part of playing Miguel was meeting both Mary and Jacob Bertrand.

 

Q) As a young actor with a career that’s on the rise, what would your advice be to other young and aspiring actors trying to break into the business?

 

A) You’re going to have to grow a thick skin because acting is a whole lotta “no’s” and only one or two “yeses.”

 

Q) What do you do for fun in your spare time when you’re not working?

 

A) I love going to the movies, bowling, playing tennis and Dungeons and Dragons. I also just got my driver’s license so driving around blasting music is how I end up spending a bunch of time.  Really though, between high school and work, I don’t have tons of spare time.

 

Q) Besides “Cobra Kai,” are you working on any other projects the fans can look out for?

 

A) Oohhhhh man, I am working on an animated series that I can’t say too much about, but it’s based on a fan favorite graphic novel.  Voice acting is one of my favorite things to do, you can go to work and one day be a bear the next you’re an alien.

 

 

 

Additional Photo Credit:

Grooming: Joseph Adivari @adivaribeauty