Whereas most abnormal TV reveals aren’t too enthusiastic about introducing new characters into the combo in any respect once they attain their closing season, not to mention characteristic one who turns into a breakout finest character, “Cobra Kai” isn’t any abnormal TV present. At the moment, the present’s sixth and closing season simply bowed its second of three elements, and it is develop into obvious that the villainess Zara Malik is arguably the ultimate season’s finest new character. A scholar from the Iron Dragons taking part within the Sekai Taikai event, Zara is a mysterious woman who lets her magnificence, reputation, and particularly her fists do the speaking for her. As “Cobra Kai” wraps up its varied storylines earlier than the ultimate episodes drop on February 13 of subsequent yr, Zara may turn into a fairly harmful and dramatic wild card.
What’s much more thrilling than that’s the accomplishments and potential of the actress behind Zara: Rayna Vallandingham. The 21-year-old Los Angeles native is formally the youngest black belt martial artist ever to win 13 world taekwondo titles, and that achievement is due to her actually dedicating practically her total life to martial arts, having began practising and competing on the age of two. If that already sounds too prolific for you, then buckle up: she’s additionally a martial arts teacher, battle choreographer, and content material creator (neé on-line influencer) who’s amassed thousands and thousands of followers on social media.
All of which means Vallandingham is not simply extraordinarily completed at her younger age, however that she’s poised to be an especially savvy new presence within the leisure world. The truth is, her position in “Cobra Kai” and the way in which she’s breaking out with the character of Zara solely furthers that risk, making her purpose to be “the feminine Bruce Lee” seem to be not simply empty phrases, however a good promise.
Vallandingham is aware of the worth of a powerful display screen persona
On “Cobra Kai,” Zara is (to borrow a cliche) not right here to make associates. She virtually immediately dubs herself the “Queen of Karate” upon successful her first occasion, insults Samantha (Mary Mouser) and Devon (Oona O’Brien) concerning the state of Miyagi-Do, after which seduces Robby (Tanner Buchanan) whereas Tory (Peyton Listing) watches. She is, no less than to date, unapologetic in her actions, and whereas the “Karate Child” franchise has develop into well-known for giving beforehand villainous characters their photographs at redemption, it is potential that Zara will not be searching for any for herself anytime quickly.
Being such a media-savvy individual, Vallandingham doubtless is aware of the worth of portraying such a vivacious character in a preferred present, significantly a brand new one throughout its final season. She’s confirmed herself to be picky in her initiatives, having turned down gigs earlier than, like one animated collection that she mentioned may’ve launched her into stardom sooner. As she advised Muscle and Health:
“As soon as I used to be as soon as supplied to do a voiceover for a personality on a present, that it did not align with my values. To me it appeared like type of a racist tackle a martial arts spin off. I used to be like, I might be into rewriting the story of what it takes to be a feminine martial artist, however the authentic will not be aligned with who I’m and who I wish to characterize. So though it had the potential to be large, I needed to flip it down.”
After all, that is to not say that Zara’s actions align along with her values per se, simply that “Cobra Kai” itself does. On condition that Vallandingham has acknowledged that she desires to look in motion movies, “Cobra Kai” is after all an ideal place to begin, and showing as a villain on the present has an identical impact to Jet Li utilizing his villainous flip in “Deadly Weapon 4” as his breakout position in America, letting viewers sit up and take discover of such a dynamic presence.
Given Vallandingham’s accomplishments in martial arts, she’s a pure to be tapped by an 87North manufacturing or maybe a brand new Lionsgate motion thriller, and her position on “Cobra Kai” implies that she’s not going to be immediately typecast as only a love curiosity or “attractive badass” inventory feminine motion character. Whereas season 6 of “Cobra Kai” stands out as the final time we see Zara, it looks like we’re solely simply starting to see Rayna Vallandingham on our screens.
“Cobra Kai” is streaming on Netflix.