Martin Kove’s John Kreese has been darkening the dojo doorways of “Cobra Kai” since before the former YouTube TV series became a Netflix smash-hit. And four seasons’ worth of reprising the role of the iconic “Karate Kid” villain has given Kove a chance to turn that bad guy into a fully fleshed-out character.
“He’s not a villain, he’s just misunderstood,” Kove told TheWrap ahead of the Season 4 premiere of “Cobra Kai,” while production was being completed on Season 5.
The “Karate Kid” sequel series takes place over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament with the continuation of the inescapable conflict between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Kreese’s former star pupil Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka).
In Season 4 of “Cobra Kai,” Kreese, LaRusso’s “Karate Kid” and “Karate Kid II” tormentor, brings Daniel-san’s “Karate Kid III” tormentor Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) back into the Cobra Kai dojo. To even up the odds, LaRusso and Lawrence team up, again, to take down the bad guys of the kids’ karate world.
Kove didn’t want to play “Cobra Kai’s” version of Kreese as a “one-dimensional tough” guy, as he put it. “It’s not like John Kreese in the movie: ‘Sweep the leg,’ ‘No mercy,’ ‘Mercy is for the weak,” Kove said. “He’s a little beyond that.”
“There is vulnerability coming up” in the character in Season 4 and beyond, Kove teased.
So if he’s not the Kreese we love to hate from the movies, then who is he these days? For that comparison, Kove turned to another uber-popular TV show — one from his personal favorite genre, westerns.
“John Kreese is John Dutton from ‘Yellowstone,’” Kove said. “If John Kreese owned a ranch, he would be just like Kevin [Costner] is playing it.”
Bad or just misunderstood, Kreese does not vibe with today’s teen, which would usually be a problem when running a for-profit business based on teens voluntarily signing up to study the world’s most disciplined-based sport. Fortunately, “Cobra Kai” is fictional. But for one example that Kove believes Kreese and Dutton would vibe over, the Cobra Kai leader is not interested in accepting another 2nd Place trophy from the upcoming All-Valley Under 18 Karate Tournament.
Personally, Kove, a father, wrestles with the “participation trophy” part of our modern-day culture. Ultimately, he finds himself on Kreese’s side. Spend enough time in a man’s gi…
“A lot of John Kreese has fallen into my personality that, unfortunately, some of it has caused problems for me. Because he sits inside Marty Kove until we’re relieved from the series, and then he kind of drops away,” Kove said. “But this year, we’ve done two seasons, so John Kreese has been in there for six months of my life in 2021. And he’s a tough guy.”
“It falls into other things you’re doing in your life. And you’ve gotta be careful,” he continued. “It’s innate. It’s not something you can control, you know?”
Kove isn’t saying he’s a method actor — he’s not — but the 75-year-old actor certainly takes his work home.
“Let me tell you: In a relationship, it’s really rough. I’ve had several different tumultuous relationships– same relationship, but very tumultuous,” Kove said. “Honestly, I think a lot of it has to do with the values of John Kreese. And you think you will overcome them because you’re Martin Kove, you’re not John Kreese, you’re not the character — but they’re still in there very subtly. They’re still in there. They’re a driving force. Because he’s a winner. And you’re an actor, you want to be a winner.”
“Cobra Kai” Season 4 is streaming now on Netflix. Viewers will find out who the “winner” is this season in the finale.