‘Cobra Kai’ co-creator reveals why this ‘Karate Kid’ actor never appeared on the Netflix show
Given that it’s a spin-off of the martial arts classic “The Karate Kid,” it’s not a surprise that Netflix’s “Cobra Kai” has reintroduced several notable characters from that film franchise, from main players like Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) to big bads like John Kreese (Martin Kove) and Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith).
And though “Cobra Kai” season 6 has seen even more familiar faces, such as Sean Kanan’s Mike Barnes from “The Karate Kid Part III,” one member of the “Karate Kid” universe has been notably missing from the series: the bully Dutch, played by Chad McQueen, son of the legendary Steve McQueen.
But it wasn’t for lack of trying, “Cobra Kai” co-creator Jon Hurwitz recently revealed on social media.
McQueen — who appeared in the original “Karate Kid” movie as Dutch, a student of the Cobra Kai Dojo and a member of Johnny Lawrence’s gang — sadly passed away from organ failure at his California ranch on September 11, 2024, at the age of 63. While tributing the late actor, Hurwitz also gave some insight into why exactly McQueen and his character Dutch never popped up in the “Cobra Kai” series.
“We always wanted Chad McQueen to appear on the show. And it almost happened a couple of times,” Hurwitz revealed in a Twitter post.
However, he shared that McQueen, who was a race car driver as well as an actor and martial artist, never fully recovered from near-fatal injuries sustained on the speedway. “Chad was torn. His racing injuries limited his capabilities, but he loved the idea of playing again with his pal, @william_zabka. They had so much fun together while making Karate Kid,” Hurwitz wrote.
After hearing that McQueen was interested in appearing on “Cobra Kai,” Hurwitz went to visit him: “I drove out to his ranch to meet him in person for the very first time. He and his family greeted us warmly. He was as unique and hilarious as we’d heard from Billy all these years.”
“We left Chad’s place excited and determined to make Dutch’s return special,” he recalled. “And yes, we dropped his name in episode 602 partly to keep him fresh in the audience’s mind. We wrote a scene for him much later in the season. Dutch was still badass. The scene had pathos. It would have blown young Jon, Josh, and Hayden’s minds.”
However, that cameo simply “wasn’t meant to be,” Hurwitz wrote. “But Dutch will always be remembered as a badass in the Miyagiverse. He kicked ass,” adding that the character “may have been the purest Cobra of them all … and it was all because of Chad McQueen’s performance.”
“Cobra Kai” season 6 is being released in three five-episode parts: the first edition arrived this past July, the second installment will drop on Netflix on November 28 and the final five episodes will follow on a to-be-announced date in 2025.
Tom’s Guide will keep you posted on all updates surrounding the sixth season of “Cobra Kai,” including behind-the-scenes tidbits and showrunner insights as well as any other potential “Karate Kid” character cameos. In the meantime, you can revisit the first five seasons of the martial arts comedy-drama with a Netflix subscription.
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