EXCLUSIVE | 'Cobra Kai' star Vanessa Rubio is 'always' rooting for Carmen and Johnny

The star also discusses how much fun they had during the shoot and the kind of relationship the cast members share
PUBLISHED JAN 8, 2022
'Cobra Kai' star Vanessa Rubio (Curtis Bonds Baker)
'Cobra Kai' star Vanessa Rubio (Curtis Bonds Baker)

'Cobra Kai' is undoubtedly one of the biggest shows on the planet and it has the numbers to prove it. Season 4 of the Netflix series dropped a week ago and it is still one of the most-watched shows on the platform. Critics and audiences praised the latest season for its matured storyline and epic fight sequences. Apart from the aforementioned aspects, every actor working on the series has taken the show to a whole new level. 

One of the actors that have managed to captivate everyone's minds since the inception of the series is none other than Vanessa Rubio. The actress portrays the role of Carmen on the show and is the mother of the former All Valley Karate Tournament Champion Miguel (Xolo Mariduena). The Columbian-American actor began her acting career in 2007 with a couple of short movies and went on to make her TV debut with 'Deception' (2013). Her first major acting role came in 2018 with 'Cobra Kai' and she achieved a lot of praise for her acting. She was recently seen in 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' as well and took her popularity to a whole new level.

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With Season 4 of 'Cobra Kai' already becoming a global success, Rubio feels that she is extremely honored to be a part of the series that has received so much love from the fans. MEAWW caught up with her and discussed Season 4 of the Netflix show and how she feels when she sees such amazing reactions from the fans. 

Rose Bianco as Rosa, Vanessa Rubio as Carmen, Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz in 'Cobra Kai' (Netflix)

Q) Congratulations on the massive success of 'Cobra Kai' Season 4. It became the most-watched Netflix show in just 3 days. Does it still feel surreal to you when you see such rousing reactions from the fans? 

Vanessa: Absolutely, yes. I have to admit whenever a new season comes out I put my head in the sand because I just want to take it one step at a time. So, I was re-watching this season slowly and did not check social media too often. But when I did, I was like ‘Wow’. The love from the fans is immense and it is all so heartfelt and genuine. The global success that the show has managed to achieve through Netflix is incredible. I am extremely happy. 

Q) Going into Season 4, what was the number one question you wanted to be answered?

Vanessa: Just like everyone else, I also wanted to get an answer to the question of whether Carmen and Johnny would end up together or not. They are a second-chance couple. They are older, they have already gone through a lot of heartbreaks and they are mending a lot of wounds. But, I am always rooting for this couple. So yeah, we’ll see where it goes. 

Q) Everyone wanted to see Carmen and Johnny as a couple. Do you think Carmen and Johnny could possibly work? 

Vanessa: (laughs) That’s what makes this couple so enjoyable. You are right, I mean, when I think about my character from my own (Vanessa’s) perspective, I also believe that she should run away from this guy, he’s toxic masculinity. But what comes ahead is something different. Yes, he’s a caveman but he has a heart that is incredible and wants to do good. He does things for Miguel (Xolo Mariduena) which goes above and beyond Carmen’s expectations. I love that he’s willing to get his hands dirty in terms of co-parenting with Carmen and I believe that opens the doors to her heart and allows him to make some mistakes (laughs). Most importantly, I feel that Johnny is being positively influenced by her and she also has her ghosts of the past which she is finally able to share with him.

William Zabka (Johnny) and Vanessa Rubio (Carmen) in 'Cobra Kai' Season 4 (Netflix)

Q) You and Courtney seem to have a lot of fun in the scenes where all the families come together and you guys make fun of Johnny and Daniel. How much fun were those scenes? How did Ralph and William react to those scenes? 

Vanessa: (laughs) We had so much fun while doing those scenes because she (Courtney) and I have a similar kind of sense of humor. We are always laughing and have a lot of fun together when it’s not our time to shoot, we are making faces at Ralph and William. As much as fun we can have while shooting, we certainly have it.

Q) How is the off-screen relationship between the cast members? And what kind of relationship do Ralph and William share with everyone?

Vanessa: Ralph and William are like dads of our production. (laughs) They are amazing and work so hard. Most importantly, they are always there for everyone and are always willing to do more. It’s inspiring for everybody. I think, we also have an age gap between the younger cast and the older cast which we try to bridge. But it’s been really lovely. We just recorded Season 5, we are getting more comfortable with Covid restrictions and you are right, we are like a family. 

(To lend an easy-to-read experience for our readers, the original interview is split into multiple stories. Stay with us as we update our site with more of Rubio's valuable insights on 'Cobra Kai')

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