Jacob Bertrand is Ready to Soar Like a Hawk After the End of ‘Cobra Kai’
Jacob Bertrand is busy. The release of Cobra Kai's final season is now on Netflix, which involved plenty of press, a giant premiere party, and of course, a lot of emotional goodbyes to his cast members from the last seven years. But when we chat he doesn't break his stride. Even when the call drops several times, you can easily tell that he's got this.
Maybe it's all that martial arts training. Maybe it's because he's excited to talk about the future. Or maybe it's because he's taking his own mother's advice to just have fun to heart, but it's infectious throughout out chat. And, of course, he's doing all of this as he's on his way from yet another job, a voice over gig that is only one of the many things that he hopes to add more of to his list.
It all makes sense, especially as the actor is getting ready to fly out on his own for the first time in seven years as the show comes to an end. And while it may still not be completely over (there are still two more parts left to come for season 6), he's already had to say goodbye to some of it...twice!
Cosmopolitan caught up with the Cobra Kai star after the premiere of season 6 part 1 to find out more we can expect as the series comes to an end, his friendships with the cast, and the one project that he's actually dying to get on.
I can't believe this show is almost over. I'm sure you can't believe it either.
Yeah, it's it's really weird. Honestly, it's weird to be on a show for so long and then have it end.
What was the last day on set like?
So, I had a fake out. My last day was supposed to be with Gianni DeCenzo, and we did our last day, and it was really sweet. It was emotional and super fun. And then I got called in on the last day of production shooting because they needed to do second unit stunt stuff. So my last day wasn't really my last day.
You basically got two emotional goodbyes!
Yes, one with Gianni and one with the stunt team.
I remember talking with you and Xolo Maridue?a back for season 3 and you both mentioning how closely you got to work with them.
We have the bond of shared struggling. That's sort of what our thing is.
This is such a huge turning point for Hawk where we also see him kind of figuring himself out for the future. Do you feel like that parallels what you're doing now?
A lot of us didn't get to go to college and this was sort of our college. Xolo and I were roommates while we were filming, Peyton List lived in the back house. Gianni was over all the time. It kind of felt like we were all living in the same dorm. And it's true, like this really does parallel our careers as everyone's kind of moving on to do other things. We're still going to say friends, it's just a really odd time.
Now I'm heading out into the world. This show was so consistent and such a stable thing in my life is and now it's coming to a close. The opportunities are endless now, but it's scary, in a way, to be leaving. I feel like you get that after every thing you do wraps up. Whether it's a movie or TV show that's gone 1, 2, or 3 seasons. There's always that feeling that endless adventure awaits. I'm lucky with Xolo and Gianni and Peyton where we always see each other all the time in LA.
It's also fascinating seeing Hawk trying to figure out everything, especially so independently.
That type of stuff is always cool to get to explore.The writers are constantly thinking of new things to add into a character and trying to force them to grow. It's weird because Hawk really came into his own by getting to grow with all these guys. But now he's sort of branching out.
Did y'all get the scripts all at once?
No, we get them as they come! So we're going through all that stuff and I don't know what's necessarily is going to be happening 100 percent.
So how did you feel about the possibility of Hawk not going to Barcelona?
Yeah, that would've sucked. When I was reading the script, I was like, Wait, what? I don't even go? Oh my gosh, I'm gonna be on the sidelines cheering from the TV.
And that becomes such a huge point in his friendship with Dimitri!
We've never really seen this side of the Binary Brothers. A lot of what it was before was Dimitri trying to bring Hawk back into the good side. Now it's just good old fashioned bickering. They both have things that they're angry with each other about and are trying to see how they can make this work while fighting. Part two definitely has a lot more bickering than that came from.
Can we talk about the college frat fight scene? It looked like so much fun!
That fight scene in particular was just so much fun. It was crazy hectic! I will say we didn't have a ton of time to get to learn that one, and even less time on the day shooting it. But it was a blast. I couldn't ask for anything more in that type of fight. Everyone gets a really cool moment. Getting to film with Joe Seo and Bo Mitchell again was a total fucking blast. That's one of my favorites of the season.
How do you feel like you were pushed as an actor in this role?
I got the chance to train my acting muscles and the martial arts. I mean we pretty much learned an entire new skill set. It's such a blessing.
And getting the chance to learn from people who have been doing it for so long!
Getting the knowledge from Billy and Ralph and how they do everything has been the best.
How has it all affected what you want to do in the future? Do you want to do more martial arts based projects?
I would love to keep doing action stuff. I kind of miss it now that I'm thinking, Oh, man! We're not going to be stunt training. We're not going to be doing as much fight scenes. The show is over!
I would also love to do other things! I down for everything! I just love getting to act as long as it's a cool character.
I remember when we caught up at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2023 that you wanted to get into more voice acting.
That's actually something that I really want to get more into: anime dubbing. I love anime, and I'm trying to watch out for you know what new shows are coming out. What new mangas are getting adaptations. I know Gachiakuta was just announced to be made into an anime so I'm dying for a role in that! That would be super fun!
What has this journey teach you career-wise?
I was very close to not doing Cobra Kai. I has just come off of a show that I was on and I really wanted to go away for college. I really wanted to go to film school, and that was my goal. Ten I booked this role and I was like, Well, it's YouTube Red. Is anyone gonna watch this? Before my first audition, I didn't know that there was a Hawk, it was just Eli at the time. And my mom was like, Jacob, you never know who you're going to be and what the experience is going to be like. You should just do it. Have fun. Whatever little money you make from it use it to pay for college.
My mom is always right, but I'm so grateful that my mom was able to give me her perspective on it, because I wouldn't be on this crazy show and not made some of the best friends I've ever made my life without it. It's a total blast that I've gotten to enjoy this.
I guess that leaves us with one final question: considering this takes place in the Karate Kid universe and we know there's more coming, is this really the end for Eli?
Unless you character dies, there really is no end. And even then, there's many flashbacks that might happen.
So will we be seeing the mohawk again?
I would love to get a mohawk. There are more mohawks in the future is what I will say.
Cobra Kai season 6 part 1 is now airing on Netflix. Part 2 will air on November 15 with part 3 airing in 2025.
Watch 'Cobra Kai' on Netflix
netflix.com
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