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Elisabeth Shue is back in the “Karate Kid” franchise.
Since first meeting audiences in the 1984 teenage martial arts classic, Shue has starred in films like “Adventures in Babysitting” (1987), won an Oscar nomination for “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995) and has appeared in successful series such as “CSI” and “The Boys”.
But fans of “Cobra Kai” – the Netflix series continuing the “Karate Kid” saga – had a pleasant surprise when its third season arrived on January 1.
Shue returned for a pair of episodes as Ali Mills, the woman at the heart of Ralph Macchio’s original conflict between Daniel LaRusso and William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence in John G. Avildsen’s original “Karate Kid”, Oscar nominated.
“It was interesting to think about high school reunions,” Shue said. “You know, you go back to a high school reunion and you were that person in high school, that’s how people remember you, then you go and live your life.” And then you come back and you’re kind of like, ‘Oh, who am I now?’ and “How do you see me now?” “
That feeling of rediscovering himself in Ali, Shue said, reflected his own experience returning to the role that launched his career on the big screen.
“I feel like Lisa, when I got on set I had to face, ‘Who am I now? Am I Ali? Am I that girl who just started? Who am I?’ “She explained.” So it was great that it reflected my life and Ali’s, almost exactly the same.
More ‘Cobra Kai’: William Zabka & Martin Kove Discuss Season 3 on Netflix
The third season of “Cobra Kai” continues the difficult, decades-long relationship between former high school rivals Johnny and Daniel as they each give the life and karate lessons of their youth for better or for worse. to a new generation.
Much like the memory of Noriyuki “Pat” Morita’s iconic mentor Mr. Miyagi looms large on “Cobra Kai,” as does Ali, according to co-writer and executive producer Hayden Schlossberg.
“Sir. Miyagi is a big, huge part of Daniel’s character journey over the series, but ‘Ali with an i’ is the original source of Daniel and Johnny’s rivalry, and we’ve referenced it throughout. years, “Schlossberg said.” And so from the start we knew we would want to bring her in, that we would want her to be a force for good in terms of bringing them together at this pivotal moment. “
Decades have passed since Johnny and Daniel came to grips with Ali’s affections, but Shue said his relationship with Zabka and Macchio has remained intact.
“I felt like my relationships with the guys were exactly the same, nothing had changed at all,” she says. “I always hit them on the shoulder and we always laughed at the same things we laughed at back then. But I would say that there is a deep appreciation for each other and for the experience of our first movie being “The Karate Kid”. … just a lot of real admiration for each other and a lot of respect and being very grateful that this is our first.
Shue’s return also strengthened the inherent New Jersey that has been a part of the franchise since its inception. After all, the Avildsen film opens in Newark and tells the story of Daniel, a child from Jersey, adjusting to life across the country. There he meets Ali played by Shue, an actress who grew up in South Orange.
“Cobra Kai”, in turn, is written and produced by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Schlossberg. Heald, the author of the “Hot Tub Time Machine” franchise, grew up in Middletown, while Randolph’s Hurwitz and Schlossberg created the hit series “Harold and Kumar”.
“I still think the people of Jersey are very grounded, people who (are) not (swear words removed),” Shue said. “… there’s something about their attitude that I think helps keep all of the characters in that kind of real, authentic vein.”
Heald, Hurwitz, and Schlossberg balance a gentle, genuine enthusiasm for the “Karate Kid” franchise with a daring drive to dig deeper into the inner lives and complex legacies of their characters.
And while “Cobra Kai” has always been curious about Zabka’s Johnny and Macchio’s Daniel beyond the mere labels of “villain” and “hero,” Season 3 expands the scope of analysis thanks to his work with Ali de Shue, the haunted sensei and antagonist of Martin Kove John Kreese and other returning characters from throughout the history of the series.
“We are in a time of a lot of extremes, and in our society a lot of people (have) extreme views,” Hurwitz said. “There is a lot of anger and frustration in the world, and I think a lot of us don’t relate to extremes in general and just want something that feels good and makes it feel like it is. for everyone … When you watch it show, it feels like it’s for you because it’s by design.
“It’s a show that anyone can enjoy and that explores different kinds of perspectives and philosophies, but in the funniest and most karate-centric way.”
The first two seasons of Emmy-nominated “Cobra Kai,” debuted on YouTube Red in 2018 before relaunching on Netflix last August, followed by Season 3 to begin 2021.
Work on Season 4 is in its early stages, with nearly all episodes written and filming slated to begin with COVID-19 security protocols in place early this year.
The series connected with fans, with Deadline reporting last week on Netflix’s projection that 41 million households watched Season 3 in its first 28 days. About 73 million households have so far played part of “Cobra Kai”, according to the report.
Shue, in part, attributes the success of “Cobra Kai” to its intergenerational appeal.
“People in my age range and a little younger who grew up with ‘The Karate Kid’ want to revisit this period of their lives and want to introduce it to their children,” she said. “I know my daughter Agnès (14) is obsessed and loves all children, guys, loves the script.
“She’s just giggling through it all.” She laughs and then she’s on the internet watching all the different guys’ TikToks and she’s obsessed, and that has nothing to do with me being involved in it. So I think it’s rare, that both generations can experience it together.
Beyond that, there is something to be said for “Cobra Kai” as comfortable to watch during the pandemic, as it tells its story, both heartily nostalgic and dramatically gripping, in a tightly constructed format.
“The pandemic is forcing all of us to be more isolated and maybe we look back a bit more at our lives and are more internal to our lives because there isn’t so much going on,” Shue said. “And so the show kind of reflects this wonderful look back at our lives when we were in high school, how dramatic it was and how exciting it was to turn the corner and see if the quarterback was going to say hello to you.
“People’s high school days (years), we all miss this drama of human interaction. There isn’t a time when it’s more dramatic than high school. He captures that in a great way and maybe we all yearn for more interaction in general and in the theater. “
The first three seasons of “Cobra Kai” are now streaming on Netflix. For more information, visit netflix.com/CobraKai.
Alex Biese has been writing about art, entertainment, culture and news locally and nationally for over 15 years.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: ‘Cobra Kai’: Elisabeth Shue talks about returning to ‘Karate Kid’ series
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