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Following the popularity of theKarate Kidfranchise, whenCobra Kaibrought back popular faces from the original 1984 film, it became one of the best things that fans witnessed on television. One of the renowned stars who reprised her role in the show was Elisabeth Shue. Although her character was abruptly written off in the original franchise, Shue gathered the courage to return to theKarate Kiduniverse.
Well, thePreydirector Dan Trachtenberg had a major role in convincing the actress to reprise her role inCobra Kai.Apparently while working with Elisabeth Shue on Prime Video’sThe Boys, Trachtenberg had almost nudged the actress to agree to make her widely celebrated return to theKarate Kiduniverse.
Elisabeth Shue Revealed How Dan Trachtenberg Convinced Her forCobra Kai
In the original 1984 classicThe Karate Kidfilm, audiences not only enjoyed Ralph Macchio’s titular character Daniel LaRusso, and Oscar nomineeElisabeth Shue’s character Ali Mills, going from friends to lovers, but they also witnessed their abrupt breakup after facing objection from Ali’s ex-boyfriend Johnny Lawrence.
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Before the franchise could explore Ali and Daniel’s relationship, they broke up andElisabeth Shue’s character was written offfrom the franchise. After their break-up took place off-screen at the beginning ofThe Karate Kid Part II,Shue never returned to the franchise until the third season of the hit Netflix spinoff seriesCobra Kai.
According to Elisabeth Shue’s discussion withEW, the way her character was sidelined, despite being the pivotal character Daniel LaRusso’s love interest, the actress mentioned feeling nervous about reprising her role, ever since. However, things thankfully changed after Prime Video’sThe BoysdirectorDan Trachtenbergconvinced Shue.
It all started when I was working on The Boys. I was working with this wonderful director, Dan Trachtenberg, who directed the pilot for The Boys. To be honest, I really hadn’t thought about being on Cobra Kai.
When I showed up on the set [of The Boys] for the first day, Dan came right over and said, “You’re doing Cobra Kai, right?” I was like, “What? I don’t know… Do you think that’s a good idea?” He goes, “Is that a good idea? You have to be on Cobra Kai!”
Watching Dan Trachtenberg’s interest in casting her inCobra Kai, Elisabeth Shue revealed wondering why the filmmaker was so interested in her, especially since herKarate Kidcharacter was unexpectedly cut short. To which Trachtenbergh responded with nostalgia and almost begged for Shue to fulfill the dreams of die-hardKarate Kidfans like him.
Well, after such severe and sweet persuasion Elisabeth Shue admitted to the outlet how she gave it a thought. Thereafter, researching the show and sitting with the three producers and writers Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg, Shue mentioned how everyone unanimously wanted her to reprise her role in season 3, as it was designed to be the reunion season.
Dan Trachtenberg Reflected on Elisabeth Shue’s Nervousness to Return as Ali
Eventually, Elisabeth Shuestepped back into Ali Mills’ shoesand joined the cast ofCobra Kai.But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t nervous about how audiences might respond to her return. Therefore, reflecting on her concerns,Preydirector Dan Trachtenberg—who worked with Shue onThe Boysand convinced her to appear in the Netflix series—toldColliderhow he eased her anxiety.
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Addressing how her nervousness might have stemmed from the fact that she was erased fromTheKarate Kid Part II, Dan Trachtenberg noted that the film franchise had a different impact of everyone. While the actors involved had a particular perspective towards it, the director mentioned having a different notion about the characters, alltogether. Further, expressing his love for Ali, Trachtenberg praised Elisabeth Shueʼs return.
We all fell in love with it, but we didn’t all fall in love with ‘Ali with an I.’ She was the cheerleader, she represented a very specific kind of female role in 80s movies that we quickly kind of forget about because of our deep affection for that movie.
And so I agree, the guys handled it really well, and once she sparked to it and realize what they were doing, I think it made it a no brainer.
Finally, after a hell lot of convincing, Elisabeth Shue returned toCobra Kaito tell her version of their break-up story. The narrative forcedRalph Macchio’sDaniel LaRusso to take some accountabilityfor the way he treated her and change the inconsiderate and misogynistic way in which Ali was dismissed in the sequel,The Karate Kid Part II.
Cobra Kaiis currently available to watch on Netflix.
The Karate Kidis currently available to watch on Prime Video.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3217
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
