Cobra Kai's sixth and final season is on the way, and considering that the Netflix series has been wonderful about finding ways to work with past actors from The Karate Kid franchise, fans are hoping that Hilary Swank will play a role in the upcoming episodes. However, those curious about if she will be in the final season needn't wonder any longer, because she has responded, and I'm shocked.
We learned about the star's status for Season 6 thanks to an interview with Collider, in which Hilary Swank was asked if she'd reprise her role as Julie Pierce for Cobra Kai. She gave about as definitive of an answer as she could, perhaps knowing that Season 6 is back to filming, saying:
I don't think I am, unfortunately. I know. It's, like, the number one question I get right now. Most people usually say, 'What's it like working with Clint Eastwood?' But I think, 'Are you going to be on Cobra Kai' has almost surpassed that.
I have to say I'm shocked to hear this given Cobra Kai's track record. The series, now available to watch with a Netflix subscription, has brought back so many notable and obscure characters from The Karate Kid, and yet no one from the lesser-appreciated movie The Next Karate Kid. To exclude Julie Pierce is a smudge on the series' otherwise perfect legacy, though we don't know the full scope of what's happening behind the scenes.
What we do know is the showrunners told CinemaBlend years ago they discussed bringing Julie Pierce to the show. Despite that, Hilary Swank later revealed that no one contacted her about being on Cobra Kai. When CinemaBlend spoke to Ralph Macchio about that, he felt there was room for the character in the series.
As someone who personally advocated for Julie Pierce to appear in Cobra Kai, it's a little hard to reconcile with the idea that the stars didn't align. The series has justified finding room in the story for characters as obscure as Johnny's sidekicks from the first movie. In fairness, however, Swank did welcome twins back in 2023, so there is a possibility that that factored in her being unable to commit to any Cobra Kai plans if they did reach out to her.
As Cobra Kai Season 6 continues with production, I do have growing questions about how the Netflix series will bring this story to a satisfying end. With so much happening between the characters and an international tournament potentially taking center stage, I do hope fans will be satisfied with the ending, given that it has been an incredible ride so far.
It's never a bad time to binge Cobra Kai, and anyone who wishes to do so knows Netflix is the place to do it. Once I get through some of the other exciting shows on the 2024 TV schedule, I plan to set aside a weekend to work through it all again and get extra psyched for the final season.
