If ever the revival of a popular franchise decades after the height of its initial popularity has taken the world by storm, it's Cobra Kai. The continuation of The Karate Kid series first began on YouTube Red in 2018, but it was when the series jumped over to Netflix that it really became a cultural phenomenon. Cobra Kai fully began its second life on Netflix with season 3 earlier this year, earning a nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, with season 4 set to arrive in December. Throughout the whole show, Gianni DeCenzo's Demetri has been one of the many Cobra Kai characters viewers have come to know and love.
Settling into being one of the original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso's Miyagi-Do students, Gianni begins as a self-doubting nerd and grows into a more self-assured martial artist as he progresses. He takes his share of bumps and bruises throughout the first three seasons, some a bit worse than others, but he learns to stand his ground as his skill in Karate grows. Of course, with his sardonic personality, he's never late when Cobra Kai needs a touch of comic relief either.
With season 5 a go well in advance of season 4's debut on Netflix this holiday season, Screen Rant spoke to Gianni about Demetri's story on Cobra Kai, some spoiler-free nuggets of what viewers can expect from season 4, and the challenges that the Cobra Kai cast and crew had to work around filming season 4 during the ongoing pandemic.
Screen Rant: What can viewers of Cobra Kai expect for Demetri's story from the end of season 3 going into season 4?
Gianni DeCenzo: I think what we can really kind of expect, without spoiling anything obviously, is I think it's going to be kind of awesome for viewers to see Demetri and Eli kind of build their relationship back up. Obviously, where things left off, they kind of joined forces again, but it's not all that easy. He kind of broke Demetri's arm, so when you go there, it's kind of like, "Okay, we have to slowly work back into this binary bros relationship." I'm really excited for viewers to see how Demetri and Eli work together again.
Season 4 was also completely shot during COVID.
Gianna DeCenzo: Yeah, it was all done during COVID, we filmed with masks, we trained with masks. If you ever try training with masks on, it's gross to say it, but you're going to drown and suffocate at the same time. I don't want to get into too much detail, cause it's gross, but it's not the best!
How did it work for season 4 with having the masks on and when you don't? Obviously, you're not wearing them on camera.
Gianni DeCenzo: It's a very interesting process. We always have our masks on no matter what, unless we're filming, cause obviously, we can't be doing scenes with our masks on, although we're probably going to see some people in the background with the masks on. I've done it for one take, and I just know it's bound to happen. But yeah, it's crazy, because we usually eat together on set, and this time we couldn't do that. So it was kind of a shame that we couldn't really hang out as much as we have in the past, but obviously, we've got to stay safe. Really, the only time we take our masks off is for filming, and we're constantly doing COVID tests to make sure everything's okay. It's kind of sad, but I'm very used to having people shove sticks up my nose. Never thought I'd be okay with that, but I'm used to it now. If it was an Olympic sport, I would [have a] gold medal!
Well, aside from that, what were some of your favorite episodes of season 4 to do?
Gianni DeCenzo: Oh, that's hard! Okay, without spoiling anything, I think the last couple of episodes - I really can't spoil it, but it's intense. If you thought finales in prior seasons were crazy, this one is going to be...yeah, just insane, and I can't wait for people to see it. It took a while for us to film these last couple of episodes, just because we really wanted to make sure we got it right. Yeah, a lot of training prior, just getting ready and making sure that everything is looking good. I look forward to people seeing that.
Trying to outdo the school fight and the house fight!
Gianni DeCenzo: Those fights were intense! They were, and I love those fights, but I don't know, maybe this season, we get something a little crazier. I don't know, we'll see.
On that topic, have you or any of the cast had any major injuries in doing the action scenes of Cobra Kai?
Gianni DeCenzo: We've never had any big injuries. The stunt team is very good at what they do, they keep us safe, and obviously, the professionals do the crazy stuff like falling down a flight of stairs. We don't tend to do that, although Xolo [Mariduena] did get on the rig and did go down there, but he didn't have to actually fall on there. I know that Mary [Mouser] during season 2, did actually get kicked in the hand. She had to get it iced a little bit, but she was okay. I think that's as bad as it got, no broken bones, other than Demetri's. And let me set the record straight - I know that some people say I actually broke my arm for that. I did not break my arm, I appreciate that you think I'm that good of an actor, but my arm's okay!
Was that so convincing that people have actually asked you if you really broke your arm on the show?
Gianni DeCenzo: It was, yeah. I mean, I can bend my arm back a little bit and hyper-extend it, but no, no broken arm.
Going back to season 4, with season 3 ending on a note of the next big conflict coming up, as the show tends to, what can you share about where the whole Cobra Kai conflict with Kreese, Johnny, and Daniel is headed in season 4?
Gianni DeCenzo: Well, it's a fight for the Valley now. They're kind of betting who gets to stay and who has to get the hell out of town, it's not big enough for the two of them. I think it's going to be really intense for viewers to see who's going to win that bet, because either way, one person is going to have to go. We are men of our words, and I can't wait for people to see how things are going to shake out for the competitive dojos.
What were some of your favorite stories or moments or episodes from season 3 as far as where Demetri's story went and where it's left him right now?
Gianni DeCenzo: I think season 3 was definitely an explosive episode for Demetri because he definitely becomes a more confident fighter. He kind of gets the girl of his dreams, and that's kind of intense. That's not something we ever thought, looking back at season one, that that nerd just sitting there minding his own business, getting his backpack thrown in pudding trash would get the pretty rich girl in the school. But yeah, it's crazy.
If you actually look back on season one, Demetri, Eli, and Miguel are actually looking across at the three girls that they end up with. Moon ends up with Eli, Sam ends up with Miguel, and I end up with Yasmine. Also, I really liked that Demetri and Eli kind of just got back together again. Like I said, it's not going to be all that easy, they kind of have to work back into things, but things are looking good for Demetri. He's on a roll. I'm proud of him, even though he's not real, but then again, he is in my heart.
When you first came into Cobra Kai, did you have any martial arts experience, or was it your introduction to Karate?
Gianni DeCenzo: It kind of was. My introduction to Karate definitely was through Cobra Kai. I had taken Tae Kwon Do in the past, and I think I got to yellow belt - which, for those that don't know, it's one higher than white - but more recently, I've been taking Krav Maga. It's an Israeli fighting technique, they use it in the military, and it's more low to the ground street fighting. Just kicking each other in the groin and gouging people's eyes out. I haven't done that! That's not something I do on a daily basis, but that's just something they train. But I definitely hadn't done any of the sort of crazy kicks they have us do on the show prior to it, so it was kind of cool to get to learn all of that stuff.
Other than Demetri's story, whose story on the show have you really enjoyed seeing unfold the most?
Gianni DeCenzo: It's hard to choose. I like Hawk's story because he was so 180. He went from being this nerd to being this badass, mohawked, tattoo-having guy. Then there's also Johnny, who just kind of went from being low, in the dumps fixing TVs to walls only to be told they're not positioned right to now having his own dojo, and restarting this sort of beef with Daniel. I think those are some of the crazier storylines. It's just kind of cool to see how the characters evolve over time. I think that's something that the creators of the show do very well. It's just kind of take a character that's in this one position and slowly over time just completely shift their whole world.
How much can you say about season 5? Has that been kind of mapped out yet, or is that still in the early stages?
Gianni DeCenzo: Yeah, I can say absolutely nothing about season 5! I can barely say anything about season 4, but all I can say is look forward to it.
With Demetri and where he started on the show, where would you want to see him go?
Gianni DeCenzo: Honestly, I would love to see him just kind of grow as a fighter. He's obviously gotten a lot better from season 1, he's starting to be able to fend for himself and realize that he actually has what it takes to be the cool kid. He doesn't always have to stay low to the ground and play the long game and get a job and wait 30 years to be super-rich and successful. He can be successful now in his own ways. I think it's just kind of cool to see how he develops into a more confident person, and I can't wait for people to see more of that in later seasons.
With the kind of character that he is - being known as a dork at the beginning - is that the message you wanted to send out through Demetri on the show?
Gianni DeCenzo: That's the beautiful thing about Demetri. No matter what happens, he's never going to lose that sort of dorky, nerdy personality, that's just who Demetri is as a person. He can become more confident, and it's kind of cool to show other people that are like that, "Hey, just be confident, be proud of who you are." I'm that kind of person; I'm way closer to Demetri than most people would think. I'm not as sarcastic and dry-humored as him, but I definitely pull from who I am to create the character.
Cobra Kai season 4 premieres December 2021 on Netflix.
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