Over the course of the past four years, you have been contributing to our podcast. What aspect of working on Cobra Kai has provided the greatest sense of accomplishment for you?
It has improved the quality of my life in countless ways that I could not have possibly anticipated at the time. I have a lot of respect for my employer because not only has it given me the opportunity to grow as a person, but it has also shown me what I am capable of accomplishing. In my opinion, that is what everything boils down to in the end. It was a lot of pleasure to watch the previous season come to completion since it gave me the opportunity to see what I am personally capable of handling, and despite the fact that this is technically my profession, it is also relevant to a lot of other aspects of my life. It also serves as my journal. It’s kind of like a scrapbook. Watching all of these diverse aspects of my life unfold is what it is all about. And when I say that the folks I get to collaborate with are great, I really and truly mean it. The fact that so many incredible people are part of the same cast blows my mind. I am gaining valuable insights from my experiences, and I am working hard to improve myself in a number of different ways. In terms of my professional development, I am gaining insight from such skilled actors. And then obviously, the most important part of it for me is the portion of martial arts. I never imagined that I would be even remotely capable of doing this, but now that I have, I can confidently say that I am a real martial artist. It seems odd to me that I genuinely devote hours, months, and years of my life to training in this area. I’m extremely grateful.
You have been collaborating with the stylist Laura Sophie Cox, and judging from the looks of her portfolio, she is someone who enjoys experimenting with different color combinations and print combinations. What do you appreciate most about working with her, and how has she impacted the fashion decisions you’ve made for yourself?
The strange thing is that I always dress in all black from head to toe. That is what I wear every day. However, the primary reason for this is that I was never taught how to properly clothe myself. Working with Laura has been a pleasure for me because she has had an impact on the way I dress in my spare time. It’s a lot of fun to do. I’ve recently begun to figure out what it is that I enjoy doing, and during this process, I’ve come to the conclusion that my preferred style is male in nature and exudes an air that is more gritty and cutting. I always thought it meant I have to go dark to represent that, but she’s found this really fun way of experimenting with color and prints while still having that rougher, wilder energy pushed to the surface. I really admire that. It’s a lot of fun to do. I have the impression that she is instructing me while I am a novice.
Is there a certain thing that you find yourself particularly fixated on at the moment?
Putting on layers is what I’m into right now. Since I’ve started experimenting with harsher edges, such as wearing suits and other things like that, I’ve found that I really prefer a more masculine style of layering and other things of that kind. So now what I’m doing is layering a tank top over a T-shirt over a long sleeve shirt or wearing a turtleneck with a T-shirt over it. It’s a little bit of the early 2000s, but I’m feeling like the more Goth side of me is influencing the layering period I went through when I was in my early teens. In addition to that, I’m really into jewelry. Rings are one of my most favorite accessories, and I now have seven ear piercings.
I should also mention that it is impossible for you to find me without my Doc Martens on. That is my go-to fashion item, the one around which I construct each and every look. Since I enjoy listening to metal and emo music, I believe that these genres have had a significant impact on my personal sense of style. It’s a lot of fun to get to experiment with components of that style now, especially when you can soften it up with girlier designs and other details like that.
To sum everything up, what do you have the most anticipation for in the year 2022?
I don’t mean to seem depressing, but this has been my overarching challenge for myself in 2021, and it will continue to be in 2022 as well: I am working on accepting, being accustomed to, and loving the grey regions that exist in life. My preferred level of relaxation is achieved in settings that are limited to black and white, and this has consistently been the case. I’m just looking for an honest response. Simply tell me whether you agree or disagree with it. Therefore, I am making an effort to live in the ambiguity and fully accept it. Aside from that, I have always had a reputation for being a notoriously picky eater; so, I am attempting to challenge myself, and my primary objective is to simply try things that I would never have eaten in the past.
The series Cobra Kai is now available to stream on Netflix.
Photographer: David Katzinger
Laura Sophie Cox of the A-Frame Agency was in charge of the styling.
Brit Jardin is the Assistant Fashion Designer.
Kat Thompson is in charge of the hair.
Courtney Hart is responsible for the makeup.
