Words by Carol Wright | Photos by Michael Fullem
We talked to Tanner about his role as Robby in the YouTube Red original series, Cobra Kai.
Were you a fan of Karate Kid before getting involved with Cobra Kai?
The first time I saw the Karate Kid was around 5 years old. Therefore I knew how important it was so I’ll say I was a fan in spirit. However, after I booked Cobra Kai I watched the Karate Kid movies and did become an instant fan.
What interested you about playing Robby?
I liked the fact that Robby wasn’t just a rebellious teen. He had a reason for his rebellion. He wasn’t taught the right way growing up and he has much anger towards not only his dad but mom too. He was also a character that had an arc thanks to the writers Josh, Jon, and Hayden and knowing that a character is going to start one place and end in another is very refreshing.
The ultimate betrayal occurs when Daniel finds out Robby is Johnny’s son. What was it like to shoot that scene?
It was extremely fun. It’s really the first time that anyone gets to see Johnny and Daniel even kind of fight, even though it was just a push, since the tournament in the original Karate Kid. So being there and getting to experience that scene was amazing knowing that fans were going to go crazy over it.
What can we expect from Robby in season 2?
Leaving off from Season 1, we see that Robby has started to go down the right path in getting his life straight and considering that Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 ended, we might expect that Robby continues this streak but anything is possible. You will have to wait and watch.
Do you think Robby and Johnny will be able to fix their fractured relationship?
In this universe of Karate Kid, I think anything is plausible. Will it be anytime soon, I don’t know. We will have to wait and find out.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
I would tell aspiring actors to always be truthful in a performance. Never push. Just play the character and the scene. The most important advice is never give up, be persistent, have confidence, and always be optimistic. This business is extremely hard, and being in it for over 10 years, I have seen people come and go, but I have never given up because I have always been positive and believed in what I have wanted to do, and I won’t let anyone and anything stop me.