As the sometimes misunderstood Miguel Diaz on Cobra Kai [1], Xolo Maridueña has quickly become a fan-favourite of the hit Netflix series. However, he's been charming audiences since the age of 10, when he had his first major role on NBC's Parenthood. Most recently, the 20-year-old was cast as Jaime Reyes in DC's upcoming Blue Beetle [2], which marks Warner Bros. and DC's first Latino-led superhero film. When he's not busy showing "no mercy" to onscreen rivals or relishing in his newfound superhero-status, Xolo can be found documenting all of his adventures on Instagram [3] — including fun behind-the-scenes moments from filming. While there's no release date for Blue Beetle just yet, you can learn all about the actor ahead.
He Has a Soft Spot For the TV Show Parenthood
Xolo's first major role was as Victor Graham on NBC's Parenthood from 2012-2015. He credits the role for sparking his love of acting [5]. "A couple years prior to booking Cobra Kai I had the pleasure of working with all of these folks for a few years. Without this show I can't confidently say I would've been in Cobra Kai," he previously wrote on Instagram. "Parenthood turned acting from a means to pay for college to something that I saw myself doing for the rest of my life."
He Had Little Martial Arts Training Prior to Booking Cobra Kai
Although he always had some interest in martial arts, his training was limited [6] prior to joining the show. "I did one year of karate in the first grade. Going out for the audition an asterisk said, 'If you know karate, that would be better.' After booking the role I thought, 'Well, I went for a year of karate, I'm athletic, this should be a breeze,'" he shared with CrypticRock. "I went in for the first day of training, before we even started to film season one, and our film coordinator kicked my butt! It was so brutal, I never regretted feeling cocky so much in my life."
He's Close With Cobra Kai Costar Jacob Bertrand
While they have a complicated friendship on Cobra Kai, the duo share a close bond behind-the-scenes. "Me and Xolo are like brothers [7]," Jacob said to RAIN. Xolo shared similar sentiments when he posted about Jacob's birthday in March 2020 [8]. "Happy Birthday brother," Xolo captioned the post. "I love you with all my heart. I cant wait to be 70 when we live in Laguna with our wives and magic cards."
His Favourite Movie Is Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
It's fitting that one of Xolo's favourite films would be from the '80s, seeing as he currently stars on the sequel series to 1984's The Karate Kid. "I didn't watch a lot of TV up until I was around 10," he told CrypticRock. "Once I hit that 10-year-old mark I started to watch a lot of movies such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which has been one of my favourite movies [9] for as long as I could remember."
He's a Big Fan of Tabletop Games
In his free time, Xolo likes to explore Los Angeles, play basketball and tennis, and enjoy Dungeons and Dragons with his friends. "[I] like to play both video games and board games and I attend a regular Dungeons and Dragons [10] meet up," he revealed to Glitter. He's also a fan of Magic the Gathering, calling his Instagram feed "a homage to Magic already."
