Whereas most atypical TV reveals aren’t too focused on introducing new characters into the combo in any respect once they attain their closing season, not to mention function one who turns into a breakout finest character, “Cobra Kai” isn’t any atypical TV present. At the moment, the present’s sixth and closing season simply bowed its second of three components, and it is change into obvious that the villainess Zara Malik is arguably the ultimate season’s finest new character. A scholar from the Iron Dragons collaborating within the Sekai Taikai event, Zara is a mysterious lady 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 12 months, Zara may develop into a reasonably 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 because of her actually dedicating practically her complete life to martial arts, having began working towards 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 hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
All of which means that 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. In actual fact, her function 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” look like not simply empty phrases, however an honest promise.
Vallandingham is aware of the worth of a robust display screen persona
On “Cobra Kai,” Zara is (to borrow a cliche) not right here to make pals. She virtually immediately dubs herself the “Queen of Karate” upon successful her first occasion, insults Samantha (Mary Mouser) and Devon (Oona O’Brien) in regards to the state of Miyagi-Do, after which seduces Robby (Tanner Buchanan) whereas Tory (Peyton Checklist) watches. She is, a minimum of thus far, unapologetic in her actions, and whereas the “Karate Child” franchise has change into well-known for giving beforehand villainous characters their pictures at redemption, it is attainable that Zara will not be in search of 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 well-liked present, notably a brand new one throughout its final season. She’s confirmed herself to be picky in her tasks, having turned down gigs earlier than, like one animated sequence 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 form 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 unique is just not aligned with who I’m and who I need to symbolize. So despite the fact that it had the potential to be big, I needed to flip it down.”
In fact, that is to not say that Zara’s actions align along with her values per se, simply that “Cobra Kai” itself does. Provided that Vallandingham has said that she desires to look in motion movies, “Cobra Kai” is in fact 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 function 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 function on “Cobra Kai” implies that she’s not going to be immediately typecast as only a love curiosity or “horny badass” inventory feminine motion character. Whereas season 6 of “Cobra Kai” stands out as the final time we see Zara, it appears like we’re solely simply starting to see Rayna Vallandingham on our screens.
“Cobra Kai” is streaming on Netflix.
