Honestly, if you watched the first three seasons of Cobra Kai, you probably couldn't stand Anthony LaRusso. He was the kid who just sat on the couch, glued to a PlayStation Vita, demanding Alexa order him a new one because he didn't want to walk to the kitchen. Griffin Santopietro, the actor behind Daniel LaRusso’s son, played that "bratty younger brother" role almost too well. He was the character we all loved to ignore.
Then Season 4 hit.
Suddenly, the kid grew about five inches, lost the "baby" look, and became the most hated person in the Valley. Not because he was lazy, but because he was a bully. It was a massive pivot for the show and for Santopietro. People weren't just ignoring Anthony anymore; they were debating his moral compass on Reddit every single day.
The Evolution of Griffin Santopietro in Cobra Kai
For a long time, Anthony was just... there. While Sam was dealing with love triangles and karate brawls, Anthony was basically a background prop that occasionally made fun of his dad’s "ancient" hobbies. But as the series progressed, especially into Season 5 and the final stretches of Season 6, Griffin Santopietro transformed Anthony from a one-note joke into one of the series' most complex figures.
It wasn't just about the height. Santopietro brought a specific kind of insecurity to the screen.
When he started bullying Kenny Payne, it felt real. It wasn't "villainous" in the way Terry Silver is villainous; it was that awkward, middle-school peer pressure kind of mean. You could see in Griffin's performance that Anthony didn't even really want to be doing it—he just wanted to fit in with the "cool" kids.
Why the "LaPusso" Arc Changed Everything
The introduction of the nickname "LaPusso" was a turning point. It was the first time we saw Anthony truly vulnerable. Watching him try to apologize to Kenny—only to get his face smashed in—was a tough watch.
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- Season 1-3: The tech-obsessed, lazy son.
- Season 4: The accidental bully dealing with a "glow-up."
- Season 5-6: The Miyagi-Do underdog trying to find his own style.
Griffin has talked in interviews about how he actually liked that Anthony wasn't a natural at karate. It made him different from Sam and Daniel. He had to struggle. He had to be the guy who gets beat up before he learns how to block.
Behind the Scenes: Who is Griffin Santopietro?
Griffin isn't just "Daniel's son." He’s been acting for a while, even appearing in the Adam Sandler movie The Week Of. He’s a Connecticut native who actually grew up alongside the show. Think about it: he started Cobra Kai as a young child and finished it as a young man heading off to Yale University.
Yeah, you read that right. He’s a Yale student now.
While most of the Cobra Kai teens are played by actors in their 20s (shoutout to Ralph Macchio’s eternal youth genes), Griffin was actually a teenager playing a teenager. That authenticity is probably why his "awkward phase" resonated so much. We literally watched him go through puberty on Netflix.
Career Beyond the Valley
If you think he's done after the Sekai Taikai, you haven't been paying attention. Aside from his time in the dojo, he’s popped up in:
- New Amsterdam (Medical drama vibes)
- Terrifier 2 (Yes, the creepy clown movie)
- The Week Of (Working with comedy legends)
He's got this dry, comedic timing that sets him apart from the more "action-heavy" leads like Xolo Maridueña or Tanner Buchanan. He feels like a real person you'd meet at a comic book shop, not a CW model.
What Most People Get Wrong About Anthony
The biggest misconception is that Anthony is "bad" at karate. He’s actually not. By the end of the series, he’s holding his own. The difference is his motivation. He isn't fighting for "glory" or to settle a 30-year-old grudge. He’s fighting to reclaim his self-respect after being the "punching bag" for several seasons.
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Griffin played that shift with a lot of nuance. It’s hard to play "pathetic" and "determined" at the same time, but he pulled it off.
What’s Next for Griffin?
As of 2026, the Cobra Kai era is wrapping up its final legacy, but Santopietro’s career is just hitting its stride. Between his studies at Yale and his growing filmography, he’s moving away from the "son of a legend" shadow.
There's been plenty of fan-casting for him in the DC Universe or Marvel—specifically as a young hero type—because he has that "relatable kid who discovers he has power" energy down to a science.
Final Thoughts on the LaRusso Legacy
Anthony LaRusso could have been a forgotten character. In the hands of a lesser actor, he would have remained the "kid with the iPad." Instead, Griffin Santopietro turned him into a cautionary tale about bullying, a redemption story about family, and eventually, a true Miyagi-Do student.
If you want to keep up with what Griffin is doing next, your best bet is following his project updates on IMDb or catching his occasional deep-dive interviews where he talks about the transition from child actor to Ivy League student. He’s one of the few young stars who seems to have a very level head on his shoulders.
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Next Steps for Fans:
- Re-watch Season 4 with an eye on Anthony’s facial expressions during the locker room scenes; his internal conflict is way more obvious once you know where the story goes.
- Check out his performance in A Paracosm if you want to see his range outside of the karate world.
- Keep an eye on upcoming casting calls for the new Karate Kid movie—while the show is ending, the "Miyagi-verse" is always expanding.