Patrick Luwis on Axel Kovacevic’s Impact in 'Cobra Kai' Season 6 Part 2

[00:00:09] Patrick, thank you for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged. Thanks for having me man, it's good to be. Deciding times man, we have Cobra Kai Part 2, Season 6 Part 2. I know, God, man I can't wait, I feel like I'm counting down the days, so what is it like, yeah it's a week from today. Me acting like I didn't know that exactly.

[00:00:30] How does it feel man to step into an established beloved show, you know, powerful Axel, tell us a little bit about that.

[00:00:38] Oh, it's so great man, I mean, I feel like as an actor you want to like, you know, the main thing is you obviously you want people to see your work, you want to affect people in some way, so I think to go into something that you know just has this massive fan base and legacy behind it, to just to be a part of that and help move that story along is just, it's really exciting, it's great.

[00:01:05] And yeah, I'm just, I'm looking forward to bringing a new character into this, the Karate Kid Cobra Kai world and continuing the story and hopefully, you know, fans seem excited about new characters so I'm hoping people are gonna enjoy the Iron Dragons and Axel and Zara and everybody so I'm really excited about it man, it's great. It's an honor.

[00:01:28] Did you, when you like booked the role, did you go back to like watch parts of Karate Kid, Cobra Kai, what did you do to get yourself pumped up for this?

[00:01:35] Absolutely man, and you know actually when I booked the role I had only seen the first season of the show.

[00:01:40] Okay.

[00:01:40] And I had seen the Karate Kid movies a long time ago like when I was a kid and so I kind of did a whole character, like just for preparation for the role and also just for fun.

[00:01:52] I think it's like just to get excited about the show, I went back and kind of, you know, just binged everything.

[00:01:59] So I went into the show being really excited about just that whole world and it was great man, it was really great.

[00:02:05] Although I will say, you know, it's funny sometimes when you're auditioning for something or you're like lucky enough to join something that you like as a fan,

[00:02:16] and there's almost, there's more pressure in some ways to kind of live up to that, you know.

[00:02:21] So sometimes it's almost, it's not better to not watch, but sometimes it's good to, I think, I just mean watching can sometimes add this pressure of,

[00:02:30] oh man, I don't want to screw this up and I want to fit into this.

[00:02:34] So, but it was great.

[00:02:35] Yeah, it made it really exciting.

[00:02:37] What's unique about the show too is the fan, like you said, the fan base is so huge and you're saying pressure too.

[00:02:42] It's like, you're probably going to hear feedback from fans right away as soon as they see your character.

[00:02:46] Oh, absolutely.

[00:02:47] I'm already hearing feedback, you know.

[00:02:49] I, like people, I remember before my character was even announced, somebody DMed me on Instagram, some random guy and he said something.

[00:02:59] I was like, how do you, how do you even know this?

[00:03:01] Like I'm not affiliated, I haven't been affiliated with the show technically, you know, to the public yet.

[00:03:07] So it's just, yeah, no, they're, they're, the fans are incredible how they, you know, figure this stuff out.

[00:03:13] And what's great about Axler, he's got a unique backstory, you know, you know, we've seen him.

[00:03:17] Was it, he gets, it was trained in birth when he was born, right?

[00:03:20] Right away.

[00:03:21] Right out the room.

[00:03:22] That's what they're saying.

[00:03:23] You know, that's what they're, you know, that's what everybody's saying too.

[00:03:25] Like, how did you approach like this?

[00:03:27] You know, when I'm watching, when I first saw your character, it reminded me of the 80s Dolph Lundgren type of thing.

[00:03:32] Totally.

[00:03:32] Yeah.

[00:03:33] A lot of people are drawing that comparison, which is honestly like, I think kind of what they were, obviously he's his own character, but I'm sure they were, they were going for something similar.

[00:03:42] Just sort of that like stoic, big, physical, physically imposing presence.

[00:03:49] Which I think works great.

[00:03:50] I think like, you know, Cobra Kai hasn't really had a character like that.

[00:03:55] Correct me if I'm wrong.

[00:03:56] But, you know, I feel like they haven't had a character quite like that yet.

[00:04:01] So it's pretty, it's pretty fun.

[00:04:02] And especially when you're, when you, you know, you think of like the world tournament of karate, there kind of has to be somebody like that.

[00:04:10] You know, if you're, you're getting the best from, from everybody in the world.

[00:04:14] So, but yeah, it was a really fun character to inhabit and something, you know, I had never, I'd never done any fighting and I'd never really played a character like that who, not to make him black and white, but who is sort of a bad guy, but has redeemable qualities.

[00:04:33] And ends up having a pretty strong arc throughout the season.

[00:04:38] But it was, it was a challenge, but it was really fun.

[00:04:41] And it was cool, man.

[00:04:42] For me, I've never, yeah, again, I haven't played a character like that ever.

[00:04:47] So it was, it was a fun role to step into.

[00:04:50] And yeah, I hope, I hope people enjoy the character.

[00:04:54] I think they will.

[00:04:55] Do you have, so you have no martial arts training background?

[00:04:57] None.

[00:04:58] Does it show?

[00:05:00] No, not really.

[00:05:01] That's why, that's why I asked.

[00:05:02] I mean, from what I've seen.

[00:05:03] So how long did it take you to like mentally like portray like a fighter like this?

[00:05:09] Yeah.

[00:05:09] I mean, look, you, you don't, here's the thing.

[00:05:11] You can prepare as much as you want.

[00:05:13] When I got the role, I had, I had a call with John Hurwitz with one of the show creators and he broke down the character for me and we kind of just talked ideas and, and he was like, yeah, man, I mean, definitely.

[00:05:25] And I was already planning on doing this anyways, but he was like, you know, really whatever you can do to get physically ready for the role, like anything you can prep would be great.

[00:05:35] So I was, you know, I took a kickboxing class.

[00:05:38] I was doing a bunch of research online, trying to learn like basic karate kicks and moves.

[00:05:44] And I was in the gym a lot, just doing anything I could on my end.

[00:05:48] But ultimately it can only prepare you so much, you know, because when I, when I got to set, we sort of had this like almost couple day training period where we went over some of the initial choreography for some of the earlier scenes.

[00:06:00] And, and just went through those like basic moves and it was nothing that I really could have prepared for, you know, like I, of course I could have, but it was more like you have to see it and be there to get this.

[00:06:11] So I was really just thrown in.

[00:06:13] And, and luckily, you know, I have like a, I played sports and I have some background in athletic stuff.

[00:06:19] So I think it, maybe that helped a little bit, but it's still, it's a huge challenge, man.

[00:06:23] Really fun.

[00:06:24] I really enjoyed it.

[00:06:25] It was something I definitely want to do more of, but definitely a challenge.

[00:06:30] How about like his mannerism too?

[00:06:32] Like, he's a little, like, like I mentioned earlier, like adult, like a little bit of lack social skills.

[00:06:38] Yeah, definitely.

[00:06:40] That part was easier for me.

[00:06:42] I weirdly feel like the, the hard part of the character for me was the, the sort of the karate machine.

[00:06:52] Yeah.

[00:06:53] You know, characteristic that he had, I think the vulnerability for whatever reason just came easier for me.

[00:07:00] Like that scene with, with Mary, I'm sorry, Sam on the beach.

[00:07:05] Yeah.

[00:07:05] That stuff just felt a little more natural to me.

[00:07:08] And I think it's, as an actor, it's like, that's like the human side of him that felt just, I don't know, just, there was an ease to that.

[00:07:17] And then just for me personally, I think like, yeah, like trying to portray this, this force and trying, basically like, imagine I had to be the best fighter in that tournament.

[00:07:29] And I was one of the only people who was not an experienced martial artist.

[00:07:33] So just like, you know, that was just kind of an interesting situation to be in because in real life, all these people are just incredibly talented.

[00:07:41] And it's my first time doing martial arts.

[00:07:44] So it was just fun.

[00:07:45] Like you really had to be confident and show that through the character.

[00:07:49] But, you know, off screen, obviously there were moments where I was like, man, I hope I looked, I'm doing okay.

[00:07:54] I'm around all these people who are so experienced in this, but yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm pleased with how it turned out.

[00:07:59] As far as we know, you might be the best fighter.

[00:08:01] We don't know what's going to happen next part yet.

[00:08:03] Yeah.

[00:08:04] Hey, that's true.

[00:08:05] That's true.

[00:08:05] Yeah.

[00:08:07] So, you know, with, with Axel too, you know, like he competes in a high stakes tournament, you know, and when you're building this character, what do you think is like his, like his background, his influence to approach this tournament?

[00:08:20] Um, I sort of think of, for him, the, you know, the backstory that's in the text and also just that I've sort of created for myself is just, yeah.

[00:08:30] Yeah. It's, um, I sort of compare it to like, just somebody who's been raised in a, by, by a very strict parent to be, to excel in sports or, you know, and I have friends like that.

[00:08:43] I've had peers like that growing up and you've seen it, um, just more like something that he was thrown into.

[00:08:49] He almost doesn't know why he, he loves it.

[00:08:52] It's just, he's been the only thing he's known for so long.

[00:08:54] So it's kind of like, that's just what you, he, he does, you know?

[00:08:58] And I think it's like, that goes into the whole treatment from sensei wolf and how he takes that just because it's like, it's kind of what he, he knows.

[00:09:07] It's like, it's what's, it's what's been conditioned into him to, to feel like this is of utmost importance and this is what I should care about.

[00:09:16] I don't think he, so even when you see him interacting with like, yeah, again, that example, interacting with Sam, it's like so many other things, like just these basic human interactions with like a girl or somebody has a crush on is just, you know,

[00:09:28] it's so foreign to him because it's, he just had, had this narrow mindset for such a long time with, yeah.

[00:09:35] And you can tell, you can tell through these, uh, five episodes too, you know, like he's, he feels pressured. He has to succeed.

[00:09:43] Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. It's, it's very important to him. So, um, but yeah, that's what I think is, is really exciting about this character and fun for, for an actor.

[00:09:54] And hopefully the audience finds enjoyable as well, but just starting to like see that other side of him a little bit.

[00:10:02] It just makes it interesting, uh, for, for me. And yeah, I think hopefully, you know, people, cause, cause initially like the way he's portrayed when he first comes in that introduction or that, uh, that scene that sort of introduces the,

[00:10:14] the iron dragons, you know, he just seems like a, like a jerk, but just like being bad dude.

[00:10:22] And there's no way this guy's going to have a soft spot. There's no way that it's so, I think that's fun to, to see a little bit of like why he is the way he is and see that he is there.

[00:10:35] There's more to them under, underneath that surface level stuff.

[00:10:39] Is there like a, like an element or a, like, or a character insight that you think the fans are going to like jump on and like root for this guy or like something they're going to enjoy about him?

[00:10:49] I, man, I hope so. I hope so. I feel like I don't want to say that necessarily. And well, I mean, I would think, I would think that people would, would hopefully, I think everyone kind of has a heart, you know,

[00:11:02] like you see the treatment from sensei wolf and, and I don't know. I think if you're a person, like you're going to watch that and just be like, Oh man. Cause we also, we probably all like, it's the whole hurt people, hurt people.

[00:11:15] You know, it's like, I think you have a, ultimately like people are, are the way they are because of their experiences and things that have happened to them.

[00:11:22] So I think that, you know, I feel like for me as a person, I would, I would have a heart for somebody who was being treated that way. It doesn't justify how they are, but you know,

[00:11:33] I don't know. Yeah. I think, I think people will have a soft spot for my hope.

[00:11:37] I mean, I mean, that's a great scene too. Like the one, you know, we mentioned Mary a few times where she's walking in the back and she sees the way that wolf is treating Axel.

[00:11:47] Yeah. We're going to get, we're going to get a backstory on that on part three. Can you tease anything about that? Why is like that with you?

[00:11:55] You know, I, man, I wish I could. I'm, I feel like I'm like a walking spoiler. I don't want to, cause I'm so, I got loose lips. Um, I, I would, uh, probably, I wish I could say more.

[00:12:08] I just don't want to jeopardize, you know, maybe going too far and spoiling anything for part three.

[00:12:13] Yeah, I can tell.

[00:12:15] No, no, no worries. That's why I was trying to keep it like this. What about, uh, the way, you know, was it episode five with that big brawl breaks out? Tell us a little bit about that.

[00:12:24] Yeah. So crazy. Isn't that, I was, yeah, man. That's so, it was so much fun. It was so much fun to film. It was really stressful. It was a lot of work to film because I think we knocked out that entire fight sequence and maybe like a day and a half or two days. So it was a lot packed into something. So I remember filming it. It was high pressures. Like we have to have all these different moments. Um, but there was just so many moving parts.

[00:12:50] So it was like pressure to be really on top of choreography so that it, everything looks good and we're moving through stuff quickly. And you don't want to be the guy who's like messing up and holding everyone up. But I think it ended up going really smoothly. And it's just such, I think fans are going to lose their, their mind.

[00:13:05] Like nothing has happened to this extent. Yeah. And the show, I mean, it's, it's by far one of the craziest fight sequences in the entire. So I think I'm so excited to see how people react to it. I know when I watched, um, when I was able to see it, uh, I had goosebumps. I was like, this is crazy. Just the whole, the whole moment. Like when Gunther gets hit and everyone just goes, not to see, it's really fun, man. I'm excited.

[00:13:30] It's insane. It was one of those things where like, you know, cause I had the screeners when it ended, I just paused it and I looked right at my wife and I said, what just happened here?

[00:13:39] Right. Right. Like a hundred percent man. Yeah. Between the way, between the way it was left off and just that huge brawl. You just, you're like, you have to like stop and like think about it.

[00:13:50] Like, yeah. Oh my God. I know. I know. It's really, yeah. And then there's that ending moment, obviously, which is kind of devastating and just another huge, another huge shocker.

[00:14:00] Just something that hasn't been really, you know, hasn't been seen in the show before. And I think it just adds, uh, an element of excitement to, I love like anything that's like unsuspected in a show, I think is really fun.

[00:14:17] Right. Especially for like fan, these diehard fans who are just want something really good and something really exciting to just have something that they probably are not expecting at all is, you know, be fun to see how people react.

[00:14:30] Yeah, definitely. What about like, you know, you had the tournament fights and you also had the big brawl. Is there a specific, uh, co-worker actor that you couldn't wait to like get those fight scenes going with?

[00:14:41] Um, I, I really enjoyed the fight that I, um, that I did with, uh, with Tanner, with, with Robbie, um, that he, he and I really matched each other's energy.

[00:14:55] Well, with the, with the fighting because, you know, and so did everyone's great. Like everyone, not, I'm just saying if I had to pick somebody, I really enjoyed, um, doing the stunt stuff.

[00:15:05] What, it was probably him because you, you know, you have to be going at a certain speed to make it feel realistic, but there's an element of risk to that because you really are like, you know, banging up your arms and bruising your shins and stuff.

[00:15:19] And he, I feel like we just had this sort of, I don't want to say like telepathic, but just in a way we, we really understood, like we were able to match each other's energy really, really nicely for those, for those moments.

[00:15:31] Because it was sometimes it's like, ah, I hope I'm not going too hard. Is that too hard? Or, and he just brought it and came in with intensity. So I was like, okay, if you're doing that, I'm going to do that. And we just, yeah, you know what I mean?

[00:15:42] So, so I feel like we were just on the same wavelength with that and it worked really well for the scene. Um, so I, I, yeah, I enjoyed working with him.

[00:15:50] Was there anybody that you were kind of bummed that you didn't get a chance to have a fight scene with that you could have?

[00:15:56] Uh, somebody that I had a, I mean, I feel like the, the brawl really, really covers a lot. I feel like I got to fight most of everybody that I, that I got to, you know, um, maybe like Hawk, maybe that would have been cool if I, if I had a fight with him or something.

[00:16:15] Yeah.

[00:16:16] We had a one-on-one. Um, but no, I mean, I feel like I kind of got to, to, to fight with most people.

[00:16:23] When you were, when you were going through the scripts and you were reading it, like how were like excited were you going when you were reading all that stuff, trying to prepare for these scenes and the episodes?

[00:16:32] I was super excited. I was, yeah, man, I was, um, I was, I was really looking forward to it. Every time I turned a new page, you'd be like, oh, this is so cool.

[00:16:41] How they're either the direction they're taking the character with or, or in, or the people I get to fight or that moment. Um, like I love how the whole, you know, the dynamic that I have with, with Mary was sorry, with Sam, uh, kind of plays into the rest of like that moment in the brawl where like Quan kicks her.

[00:17:04] And that kind of ignites the anger in me and leads to that next sequence. I just think that was all tied together really nicely. So I was, I was really exciting reading all that.

[00:17:14] How sad do you think the fans are going to be when they see the, what happens to Quan?

[00:17:18] Oh man, devastated. Cause everyone like already, I mean, Brandon, he's the nicest guy and he's such an amazing fighter. And he just like, I think people are already kind of falling in love with that character. So I think, and in the fact that he's like a bad guy and people are still enjoying him and really loving him that much.

[00:17:37] So I feel like it's, they're going to be, they're going to be bummed and I'm bummed, but, uh, you know, I think, yeah, they're, they're going to be disappointed that Quan is gone, but, um, and they're probably going to hate me too for, for being involved in it.

[00:17:51] Right. Right.

[00:17:52] He did it to himself. Okay.

[00:17:53] He did it to himself. Yeah. What about, um, could you see, would you be on board for Iron Dragon spinoff or some kind of Axel story down in the future?

[00:18:03] I would love that. I would be ecstatic. It'd be so fun to get to work with, um, Raina and Lewis again. And just, I would, I would, that would be so much fun. And again, like I said earlier, I really want to do more of the martial arts stuff and, and some more action. So I would be really open to that. It'd be a lot of fun.

[00:18:22] Can you, can you tease anything about part three without giving any spoilers?

[00:18:26] Um, I mean, expect the part two is crazy and it's a lot of fun. I mean, it just expect the energy. Don't expect it to, to die down because of what happens in part two. Just expect it to be, you know, high energy and really exciting all the way through.

[00:18:43] Do you have a message? Do you have a message for the Cobra Kai fans that are going to tune into this interview?

[00:18:48] Uh, you know, they're going to, they're going to love you. I think they're going to love your character.

[00:18:51] Oh, thanks, man. I mean, thank you. I like, thank you so much for, for supporting the show and supporting the characters. You know, it gets, it means it's the reason that the show gets to keep going. And, um, it means so much for my work and everyone's work on the show to be recognized and for people to enjoy it. So yeah, you don't have the show without the fans. It's so thank you. Thank you guys for all the attention and, um, the, yeah, how much, how much you care about the world. And it means a lot.

[00:19:23] Patrick, let's end this by, uh, how can the listeners, the viewers find you on social media? You know, they're going to blow up your social media is going to blow up even more when this gets released.

[00:19:31] Yeah. Well, thanks, man. Um, I have, I'm just on Instagram. My Instagram is Patrick D Lewis and Lewis is L U W I S. Um, yeah, I'm just on Instagram. So you can find me there.

[00:19:43] We'll have to get you, uh, when part three comes out, we'll continue the story. Interesting to see what happens to Axel.

[00:19:48] I would love that. That'd be fantastic. Let's do it.

[00:19:50] Amazing. So yeah.