Listen via: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Podcasts | More Platforms
Martin Kove joins Kyle Meredith to reflect on an extraordinary career that spans over 50 years in Hollywood, from memorable guest spots on Gunsmoke, Kojak, and Charlie’s Angels to his definitive role as the unrelenting John Kreese in The Karate Kid franchise and its Netflix sequel series, Cobra Kai. Listen above or wherever you get your podcasts.
Related Video
Kove describes the evolution of Kreese as a character who began as the ultimate antagonist but has grown into a nuanced figure with layers of vulnerability. “I’d rather cry on camera than beat someone up,” Kove says of his approach to playing the tough-guy roles that made him famous. With Cobra Kai’s upcoming final episodes, Kove teases moments of redemption for Kreese, a man forced to reconcile his rigid worldviews with the lessons life has thrown at him.
As for his involvement in the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends movie starring Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, Kove remains in the dark. “Very few of us were privy to anything of what this movie’s even about,” he says, before recalling how he was invited to the set of the Will Smith-produced 2010 remake starring Chan and Jaden Smith. “On this picture, I don’t know. It’s kept under wraps pretty well. I haven’t talked to Ralph about it; I will… Ralph went off for about 10 days, did it, and that was it. None of us were invited to come and play. When they don’t invite me, it’s okay, because I know why: They’re inviting trouble,” he says with a smile.
But Kove has other passions as well; as a lifelong Western aficionado, he’s interested in reviving the genre for modern audiences. “Kids today don’t have heroes like Eastwood or Wayne,” he laments, discussing his upcoming projects, including a comic book and potential series centered on old-school values and morality. He speaks with reverence about the Western’s place in American cinema, citing it as “our first true cinematic heritage.” Kove’s dedication to the genre recently earned him a spot on the Western Walk of Stars, where he’ll celebrate a career built on grit, heart, and a love for storytelling.
Listen to Martin Kove talk about Cobra Kai, Karate Kid: Legends and more in the new episode above or by watching the video below. Keep up on all the latest episodes by following Kyle Meredith With… on your favorite podcast platform; plus, check out all the series on the Consequence Podcast Network.
