In its final lap, Cobra Kai is giving the world a chance to say goodbye in slow motion—stretching out the end like a last, lingering scene. And for Jacob Bertrand, who plays Hawk, this prolonged farewell is both a victory lap and a bittersweet ride. With Kyle Meredith, Jacob reflects on what it’s been like to embody Hawk for the past six seasons, and what it means to finally take that character to the finish line.
But let’s rewind. If you were following Cobra Kai since the beginning, Hawk wasn’t always the guy you were rooting for. In fact, he was the quintessential 1980s-style bully reborn—mean, aggressive, and full of rage. And Bertrand clearly relished playing that side of him, confessing, “I did love being the villain. I miss it.” But like every well-written redemption arc, Hawk didn’t stay on that trajectory forever. “It would have sucked if I ended the series in season three still being hated,” he says, recognizing how important his character’s evolution became, both for the show and for him as an actor.
What Bertrand loved most about playing Hawk was the sheer freedom in the role. “The first three seasons, Hawk was like this unleashed rage,” Bertrand explains. “Everything he’d bottled up his whole life exploded, and now he had the power to do whatever he wanted.” That intensity was clearly fun to play, but as Cobra Kai progressed, so did Hawk, and the rage turned into something more nuanced—a controlled power. “I started listening to more laid-back tracks like Led Zeppelin’s ‘Fool in the Rain’ before going on set,” he says, “as opposed to when Hawk was in his evil stage, when I’d blast Deftones’ ‘Shove It’ to get in the zone.”
As the show enters its final season, Bertrand acknowledges the looming uncertainty every actor feels when a long-running project wraps. He’s venturing into new creative territories, with a focus on directing and writing. “I’ve always been obsessed with filmmaking,” he says, recalling how he bugged directors on the set of Kirby Buckets with questions about lenses and camera setups. “I’m directing a short film right now—an alien monster flick set at a college—but you never see the monster because of budget reasons,” he laughs. But it’s clear that Bertrand is dead serious about his creative future behind the camera.
With Cobra Kai being such a defining part of Bertrand’s life, moving beyond Hawk isn’t going to be easy. Yet, the actor seems ready for it. He knows Hawk has become a cultural touchstone in his own right, admitting, “The silhouette of Hawk with that mohawk is just iconic now. It’s part of the Cobra Kai symbol.” But, he also knows that he has to break away from that image as he transitions into other roles. He’s got plans—big ones—and he’s already laying the groundwork.
So, what does the future hold for Jacob Bertrand? With directing, writing, and still acting, he’s already cooking up ideas and taking meetings, but, for now, he’s soaking in the tail end of the Cobra Kai phenomenon. There’s still plenty left to unfold in parts two and three of the final season, and for Bertrand, he’s not ruling out the possibility of Hawk returning in some way. “I’m not saying I have a cameo in the new Karate Kid movie, but I’m also not saying I don’t have a cameo,” he teases.
One thing’s for sure: whatever path Bertrand takes next, the guy is fully equipped to strike.
Watch the interview above and then check out the trailer below.
