Cobra Kai Cast: Full List of Actors and Characters (Seasons 1-6)

Few shows have managed to bridge generations quite like Cobra Kai. What started as a nostalgic callback to The Karate Kid has grown into a sprawling ensemble drama that keeps adding new faces alongside beloved originals. The series has built a cast of over 10 core actors across its run, offering a complete guide to every main cast member across all six seasons.

Number of seasons: 6 (as of 2025) ·
Main cast members: 10 core actors ·
Original release year: 2018 ·
Streaming platform: Netflix (originally YouTube Red) ·
Total episodes (approx.): 65

Six key stats that define the show’s production and scale:

Who Are the Main Cast Members of Cobra Kai?

Which actors play the core dojo leaders?

• Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso — reprising his role from the original films, Macchio anchors the show as the founder of Miyagi-Do karate. He is also an executive producer on the series (Rotten Tomatoes cast credits).
• William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence — the former Cobra Kai bully turned reluctant mentor, Zabka returns as both actor and executive producer (Rotten Tomatoes cast credits).
• Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso — Daniel’s wife and a grounding presence in the LaRusso household. She appears through season 6 (Rotten Tomatoes cast listing).

Who portrays the teenage students?

• Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz — Johnny’s first student and the de facto leader of the new Cobra Kai. Maridueña has been with the show since season 1 (Rotten Tomatoes cast listing).
• Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene — Johnny’s estranged son who trains under Daniel. Buchanan appears across all six seasons (Rotten Tomatoes cast listing).
• Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso — Daniel’s daughter and a skilled Miyagi-Do fighter. Mouser is a core cast member through season 6 (Rotten Tomatoes cast listing).
• Peyton List as Tory Nichols — a fierce Cobra Kai recruit introduced in season 2. List remains a central figure in the rivalry dynamics (Rotten Tomatoes cast listing).
• Jacob Bertrand as Eli Moskowitz / Hawk — a former bullied teen who transforms into a Cobra Kai champion. Bertrand plays the role across all seasons (Rotten Tomatoes cast listing).
• Gianni DeCenzo as Demetri — the sarcastic best friend of Eli who eventually finds his own path in Miyagi-Do. DeCenzo appears in season 6 (Rotten Tomatoes cast listing).

What Is the Cast of Cobra Kai Season 6?

Which main characters return for season 6?

• Ralph Macchio and William Zabka return as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively, and are credited as both actors and executive producers (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, Peyton List, Jacob Bertrand, Gianni DeCenzo, and Martin Kove all appear in season 6 (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• Thomas Ian Griffith reprises his role as Terry Silver in season 6 (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• Yuji Okumoto returns as Chozen Toguchi (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).

Are there any new cast members in season 6?

• Okea Eme-Akwari joins as Kwon, a new student (The Karate Kid Wiki season 6 cast).
• Oona O’Brien appears as Devon Lee, a new recruit (The Karate Kid Wiki season 6 cast).
• Patrick Luwis plays Axel, a new character in the final season (The Karate Kid Wiki season 6 cast).
• Lewis Tan appears as Sensei Wolf, adding a new sensei to the mix (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• Sean Kanan returns as Mike Barnes, the former “Karate’s Bad Boy” from The Karate Kid Part III (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).

The pattern: Season 6 isn’t trimming — it’s expanding. The show is packing as many characters as possible into its final run, which risks overcrowding but also rewards long-time fans with crossover payoffs.

Who Plays the Key Characters in Cobra Kai?

Who plays Hawk?

• Jacob Bertrand portrays Eli Moskowitz, better known by his dojo nickname Hawk. His character undergoes one of the series’ most dramatic arcs, from bullied teen to aggressive champion and back to a more balanced fighter. Bertrand appears in all six seasons (Rotten Tomatoes cast listing).

Who plays Kwon?

• Okea Eme-Akwari plays Kwon, a new student introduced in season 6. The character represents the next generation of Cobra Kai fighters and is listed among the season’s guest stars (The Karate Kid Wiki season 6 cast).

Who plays Devon Lee?

• Oona O’Brien plays Devon Lee, a young fighter who joins the dojo in season 6. O’Brien’s character is one of the fresh faces added for the final season (The Karate Kid Wiki season 6 cast).

Who plays Axel?

• Patrick Luwis portrays Axel, another new character debuting in season 6. Luwis joins the ensemble as part of the expanded cast for the show’s concluding episodes (The Karate Kid Wiki season 6 cast).

The implication: Even in its final season, Cobra Kai is introducing new characters with the potential to become fan favorites, though the limited remaining episodes raise questions about their arc development.

Which Actors from The Karate Kid Appear in Cobra Kai?

Do original Karate Kid stars reprise their roles?

• Ralph Macchio reprises Daniel LaRusso, the protagonist of the original 1984 film. Macchio has appeared in every season and also serves as an executive producer (Rotten Tomatoes cast credits).
• William Zabka reprises Johnny Lawrence, the original film’s antagonist. Zabka’s performance has been widely credited with grounding the series’ emotional core (Rotten Tomatoes cast credits).
• Martin Kove appears as John Kreese, the original Cobra Kai sensei from The Karate Kid. Kove is listed in the season 6 cast as a starring member (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• Thomas Ian Griffith plays Terry Silver, the villain introduced in The Karate Kid Part III. Griffith returns in season 6 as a recurring antagonist (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• Yuji Okumoto returns as Chozen Toguchi, Daniel’s former rival from The Karate Kid Part II. His role expanded significantly in season 5 and continues into season 6 (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).

Are there any cameo appearances?

• Sean Kanan appears as Mike Barnes, the “Bad Boy of Karate” from The Karate Kid Part III. He is listed in the season 6 cast (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• Lewis Tan joins as Sensei Wolf, a new character who interacts with legacy fighters. Tan’s casting adds a fresh action presence to the season (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• Shawn Alexander Thompson appears as a sensei in Australia in a guest capacity (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).

Why this matters: The show has built a bridge between the 1984 film and a new generation by treating legacy characters not as cameos but as full members of the ensemble. That choice has been central to the series’ cultural staying power.

How Has the Cobra Kai Cast Changed Over the Seasons?

Which characters were added in each season?

• Season 2 (2019): Peyton List joined as Tory Nichols, a central rival to Sam LaRusso (Rotten Tomatoes cast history).
• Season 3 (2021): The show moved to Netflix and added Martin Kove as a recurring John Kreese, plus Kyler (Joe Seo) as an antagonistic presence (Wikipedia cast additions).
• Season 4 (2022): Dallas Dupree Young joined as Kenny, a young student caught between dojos (The Karate Kid Wiki).
• Season 5 (2023): Yuji Okumoto returned as Chozen Toguchi, and the cast expanded with additional sensei roles (Rotten Tomatoes cast history).
• Season 6 (2024-2025): Okea Eme-Akwari (Kwon), Oona O’Brien (Devon Lee), Patrick Luwis (Axel), and Lewis Tan (Sensei Wolf) join the ensemble (The Karate Kid Wiki season 6 cast).

Have any main actors left the show?

• No core cast members have permanently exited the series. All main actors introduced in season 1 have remained through season 6, including Macchio, Zabka, Henggeler, Maridueña, Buchanan, Mouser, and Bertrand (Rotten Tomatoes season 6 cast).
• The show’s approach has been additive — new characters join each season without removing existing ones, leading to an expanding ensemble.

The pattern: The cast has steadily grown each season, but the final season’s scale introduces a new challenge — giving equal attention to both legacy characters and newcomers.

For anyone following the show since 2018, the consistency of the core cast has been remarkable. The series has never lost a main cast member — it has only grown. The key question as season 6 unfolds is whether all those characters can get a satisfying conclusion, or whether some will inevitably be shortchanged by the sheer size of the ensemble. For the actors who have been with the show from the beginning, the final season represents a chance to close arcs that started more than seven years ago. For new additions like Okea Eme-Akwari’s Kwon, the final season is a race to matter before the credits roll.

For those who want a season-by-season breakdown of character additions, the Cobra Kai cast guide by season provides a comprehensive reference across all six seasons.

Frequently asked questions