Up-and-coming actress Oona O'Brien is just as impressive as her Cobra Kai Netflix character, Devon Lee.
Cobra Kai, the hit TV sequel series to the Karate Kid film saga, reunites Ralph Macchio's Daniel LaRusso and William Zabka's Johnny Lawrence more than thirty years after their classic '80s teen-drama rivalry, all while spotlighting a cast of new young stars.
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Meet Oona O'Brien - Biography Details
Cobra Kai Is Oona's First Big Role
Apart from appearing in a 2020 short titled Sky High, Cobra Kai is Oona O'Brien's first and only major role to date.
But if landing her first big gig on one of Netflix's most popular shows wasn't impressive enough, Oona, who was born in September of 2007, was only 14 years old when she was cast.
Oona Was a Cobra Kai Fan Before Landing the Role
Even though Oona's Devon Lee didn't appear until Season 4, the actress was no stranger to the show.
In talking with Cobra Kai Kid, Oona admitted the streaming series was "my favorite show" and that she "binged the whole thing" with her family:
"It was like my favorite show too. We binged the whole thing as a family a couple weeks before I even got the audition. I was actually rewatching for a second time. I was over the moon."
When asked if she was rewatching the show with no idea she had been cast, Oona confirmed just that, saying, "No idea. But I always knew I was Eagle Fang at heart."
Oona O'Brien Is an Athlete On and Off-Screen
In addition to playing an athlete in the Netflix sequel series, Oona is actually an athlete in real life.
Apart from experience with ice skating, snowboarding, soccer, and, thanks to Cobra Kai, martial arts and combat, Oona is a competitive swimmer and has documented her passion for the sport on her Instagram.
Surprised Her Costars With Her Karate "Chops"
In a Seventeen Magazine interview, Cobra Kai's Xolo Maridueña praised Oona O'Brien's martial arts prowess, saying, "Oona is really, really good," especially since she came onto the show with little to no karate experience.
Her talent, despite her lack of training, actually stunned her other series costars who had no idea she was a karate rookie.
And, fellow Netflix actress Peyton List revealed just how committed Oona is, telling the cast that, "she's going to karate camp where they sleep on the mats."
Oona Loves That Her Cobra Kai Character Shatters Stereotypes
In Cobra Kai, Devon Lee is a feisty, talented, and dedicated competitor, all things that Oona values and appreciates in her character.
In an interview with Tudum, Oona touched on this, noting how Devon "challenges" the stereotype of "Asian girls being weak and submissive:"
“And I think for Devon especially, having that Asian representation on this show is super important. Devon is a fierce competitor and she really challenges that [stereotypical] notion of Asian girls being weak and submissive.”
How To Follow Oona O'Brien Online
Fans can follow Oona O'Brien on Instagram @obrien.oona.
Cobra Kai is streaming now on Netflix.
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