APRIL 2019 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 13
STILL KICKING COBRA KAI
Kove (sensei John Kreese) is certainly
an integral part of season
two. There’s also the opening of
Miyagi-Do, so there are these dueling
dojos, and all that comes with
recalibrating your life to now be a
martial arts teacher. LaRusso is an
interesting journey this season, and
the speed bumps and hiccups and
hurdles that come his way, as well as
Johnny, and all the kids. It’s a karate
soap opera laughs. It escalates in
intensity in season two. Also, the ’47
Ford — the “wax-on, wax-off” car in
the original movie — I’ve had that
car, and it’s making an appearance,
among other surprises.
Will Elisabeth Shue eventually
return as Ali? That’s the question
we get asked the most … As far as
Elisabeth Shue or anyone else from
the original films, everyone has
been talked about. When it fits into
the story organically, and if they can
get the actor, we will entertain it. Last
year we had Randee Heller (Lucille
LaRusso) for an episode, so we’d like
to keep that going with more additions
in seasons to come.
Is it bittersweet, doing the show
without Pat Morita who passed
in 2005? He and I had some soulful
magic on and off screen — one
of those things that doesn’t come
around too often — and I don’t take
it for granted. He would have loved
this show … My relationship with
Pat was wonderful. We both knew
that we had something special there
that touched so many people. For the
set of Miyagi-Do in season two, they
rebuilt Mr. Miyagi’s house, with the
backyard and the old cars in front.
The first day of shooting was very
emotional for me … It reminded me
that’s where all the magic happened.
I wouldn’t be doing Cobra Kai today
if it wasn’t for Pat Morita and his
performance. There’s no way.
You grew up on Long Island.
Where? I grew up in the Huntington
area and graduated from Half Hollow
Hills High School West. When The
Karate Kid opened, and The Outsiders,
I drove from my house and went
to watch the movie and went home.
Long Island has always been a home
base. My wife’s family is here, my
parents are still here, and outside
of the traffic and cold weather, it’s
perfect.
Do you have favorite places or
things to do on Long Island? I used
to go to the Nassau Coliseum all the
time to cheer on my beloved New
York Islanders. I like going to Montauk.
Port Jefferson is a fun town I
enjoy. Mainly when I do stuff here,
it’s restaurants. I used to spend a
lot of time on the South Shore, and
now I spend a little more time on
the North Shore, and I’m always in
the City.
Another of your classic films was
Crossroads. Do you really play
guitar? How did you appear so
convincing? I worked really hard. I
didn’t play guitar before then. I had
a couple of guitar coaches....I learned
how to play basics, and then learned
classical acoustic guitar, slide guitar,
acoustic slide and bottleneck electric.
I had that Fender Telecaster guitar,
which I still have to this day.
That yellow Telecaster is the coolest.
Do you have a favorite role? Johnny
in The Outsiders holds a special
place for me. I read that book on Long
Island in my seventh-grade English
class, and I got to be in a movie directed
by Francis Ford Coppola and play
a role that was one of the best roles
I ever had. What’s wonderful about
that is middle-school classes still
read that book all the time, so The
Outsiders never goes out of style. It’s
great to be part of that.
In season two of Cobra Kai, Daniel LaRusso (right) will train students
Robby Keene (left) and Amanda LaRusso (center) at the new Miyagi-Do.
The Karate Kid (1984) rocketed Long Island native Macchio to widespread
fame and an enduring pop culture legacy.
"Johnny in The Outsiders holds a special
place for me. I read that book on Long
Island in my seventh-grade English class."
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