The Netflix hit show “Cobra Kai” is bound for season five, having wrapped its filming in December. For series regular Vanessa Rubio, there’s greater significance beyond the show’s continued popularity. It’s an additional opportunity for her to raise her presence as a Latina in Hollywood. Rubio got her start in the industry some time ago, but it wasn’t until “Cobra Kai” that she landed her most popular role to date. She joined as a recurring cast member in 2017—for the show’s premiere on YouTube Premium, where it stayed for two seasons before being picked up by Netflix in 2020. Season four, which was released this past New Year’s Eve, quickly rose up the ranks and, in three short days, became the network’s most watched series for that time period. “The way this show has blossomed and bloomed and gone through so many growth periods—it’s kind of unexpected. No one knew if it would be a hit, or if it would be a miss, but we put our best efforts into it,” Rubio said. “To have it come back and have a second life was so affirming.”
Though Rubio has been a fixture since the beginning, it was just early last year when she was promoted to the series regular cast. The recognition came at the perfect time as she and her team had just begun to plan her next move. However, one thing is clear, the show wouldn’t be the same without her. In “Cobra Kai,” which picks up about 30 years after the original “The Karate Kid” films ended in 1989, Rubio plays the character Carmen Diaz. Carmen has fled her home in Ecuador with son, Miguel— who becomes this era’s ‘karate kid’—and her mom. In the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles, where they land, Carmen becomes the love interest of Johnny Lawrence, Miguel’s sensei. A smart, independent woman, she works as an x-ray technician and keeps a tight household, which doesn’t entirely add up to what Hollywood usually shows the world about Latinos—when portraying Latinos. A recent study by The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examined 1,300 popular films and found that only 34% had minority representation—of that number, Latinos had less than 5%. Likewise, UCLA’s Hollywood Diversity Report 2021 found that Latinos’ share of scripted roles in broadcast television for the 2019-20 season was just 6.3%. “Cobra Kai” is giving us a more realistic view inside a Latino home and the Colombian American actor more awareness about Latino representation on screen. “I wasn’t aware of how low the numbers were until I read these reports, and then many things clicked into place. This isn’t an issue any one of us can be quiet about; how society as a whole is portrayed back to us via what we see on screen affects how we see each other and how we treat each other,” she said. “We have to shed a light on how we’re represented—and how often—and how we’re valued, including how we’re compensated.” Rubio, eager to immerse herself in society on a grander scale following COVID-19 lockdowns, embarked on a road trip from Los Angeles to Atlanta where filming of “Cobra Kai” season five took place. She recounts the beauty of the national parks, the best Mexican food she’s ever eaten—at Romo’s near the Petrified Forest off Route 66 in Arizona, and the nightlife in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. But what shines through most is her desire to connect with people everywhere she goes. “Whenever I go into different areas, I try to go into a local coffee shop and talk to the owner or barista, tell them I’m passing through—to build a sense of community and connect with people along the way,” she said. While she enjoys talking to people and learning their interests, the interaction is so much bigger than just social activity for her. “The more we go into the years ahead, our ability to build community in the here and now—to not be influenced by what we see on social media and the news and see how we can relate without that noise—is really important. And it’s quite freeing to do.” She added, “Building our people skills is also what may build a better society—by coming into situations not filtered with the fear we may have, staying present in the moment, and allowing that to change you.”
Being present is what’s most important to Rubio at this point in her life. “There’s so much opportunity to lose yourself in an effort to escape the difficult times, but I think we’ve proven to ourselves, especially in the last two years, that we can make it through the hard times: We’re going to be okay. I just kind of focus on being okay.” For Rubio, that means maintaining focus on her health—mental, spiritual and physical—and she makes a priority to “check in” and ask herself how she’s doing and feeling. She relies on meditation, frequent dance breaks, and more recently has been practicing breathwork with her “Cobra Kai” costar, Courtney Henngeler. Rubio is taking pride in integrating “little things” like these in her everyday life—things she believes will lead to her best life—much like she says her “Cobra Kai” character does. “Carmen has taught me a lot, honestly, about being measured and doing the small day-to-day things that lead to a life that’s well run,” she said. “She’s certainly taught me about issues of the heart. If you really want to live a larger life, you really have to know and follow your heart. Carmen is graceful in how she does it. She’s quite a character to play.” Rubio, as a child, gravitated towards acting and was captivated by classic comedic actresses like Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, and Goldie Hawn (“Overboard” is a fave), as well as ’80s icon Molly Ringwald and a young Reese Witherspoon in “The Man in the Moon.” She also enjoyed drawing. She’d hand draw characters and comics and share them with her family. After high school, she went to college and studied art and art history. Upon graduation, she took a job at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City but found herself “unhappy creatively.” She knew if she didn’t try her hand at acting, she would regret it, so she tried. But after a couple of years of enduring the grueling audition process, she enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design to pursue painting and other creative desires. “It was good to get away from New York; the hustle and bustle was driving me nuts," she said. “I needed time away to really slow down and gain perspective. And even though I was happy painting, I was lonely. I love the show-making process—the collaboration with other creatives. So, I decided to go back to New York and asked the universe for help and guidance.” Within a month of being back in the city, Rubio landed a commercial and an agent. “I could no longer live in denial that this was my path,” she said. Since those early days, she reflects on the lessons she’s learned along the way. “Being in the industry has taught me a lot. I had to learn to have a certain level of thick skin. There was a time when the audition process was nearly impossible for me because I was so sensitive,” she shared. “As a creative, you want to keep your sensitivity, but to keep it in this business can be a balancing act.” It seems she’s found her balance on the job, having gained momentum with casting in movies “How to Be Single” and “The Hudson Tribes.” Her additional TV credits include “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings,”
“Master of None,” and “Gone.” She also starred in a recurring role on another Netflix series, ‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.” Yet, to stay “centered and okay,” she offers this advice: “You’ve got to work hard—no doubt about it—but balance the giving. Refill your well, restock yourself.” Rubio is currently taking time to do just that. Though she has other career desires—like writing children’s books, directing, voicing a “badass animation character,” her focus right now is building a home for herself. “As actors, we usually have to go to the place we’re filming. Our home life can be disrupted,” she explained. “I love to paint and am focused on building that practice back up and having a studio in my home. I love what I do, I love acting, I love traveling for work. I am always looking to evolve my work as a storyteller, but I know a big part of that right now is establishing a home for myself to come home to after the job is done. And I’m really happy I can do that now.”
Meredith Marks jewelry epitomizes the ethos of livable luxury. Each design conveys a sense of graceful geometry and is influenced by various motifs. Every piece of Meredith Marks jewelry is set in the finest metals and contains precious and semi-precious gemstones. Invest in pieces that will last a lifetime.
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Jessica Catignani
- Photography
- Meagan Shuptar
- Styling
- Katie Schuppler
- Styling assistant
- Grace Owen
- Hair & Makeup
- Paula Heckenast of City Lights Beauty Agency
- Retouching
- Brianna Kish. Consultant Create Xxii
- Styling assistant
- Gace Owen
