Cobra Kai's fans have been eagerly waiting months in anticipation to witness the next chapter of the final-saga of the Netflix project. Part 2 which premiered merely a week ago has already skyrocketed and charted on the streaming platform's trending section; garnering more and more viewers everyday. 

One of the most astonishing segments of this project came with the introduction of Axel Kovačević; a fierce Iron Dragons Champion representing his dojo at the world-renowned Karate Tournament Sekai Taikai.

Off-the-mat, Kovačević can be observed composing a calming demeanor but on-mat, he spares no mercy to his opponents; effortlessly defeating almost all of them. A martial powerhouse, Axel projects immense strength throughout the first 5 episodes of his introduction. 

Portrayed by the talented Patrick Luwis, Axel has already established his own fanbase and a lot of fans can't wait to see Kovačević evolve within the final chapter of the conclusion of the project. 

Patrick's standout performance is interwoven with subtle enigmatic undertones of strength and resilience. Axel embodies himself in a plethora of layers; each sequence further transcending into a novel revelation, giving the viewers a slight glimpse into the fascinating mindset of the Iron Dragons Champion. 

Right from the initiation of this installment, the fans were often left curious to ponder upon whether to root for the ruthless fighter and captain or not- garnering a mixed response; a true testament to his impeccable skills.

Luwis showcased an exceptional performance as the newcomer champion. While he easily flaunted his character's martial arts prowess, his captivating portrayal also revealed the multi-faceted intricacies of Axel as an individual.

Patrick Luwis recently joined our Digital Editor, Pankhuri Bhutani for an in-depth conversation; revealing insights into his experience on this project, his audition process for Kovačević, how his Training and Fight Choreography went over the span of such a short period, what it was like meeting his co-stars for the first time, his thoughts on Sam and Axel's dynamics and their complicated relationship, what to expect from the forthcoming final installment of the Netflix project, and all things COBRA KAI. 

Don't forget to watch our video interview with the star where we discuss all things COBRA KAI. 

Beginning our conversation, I have to take you back to those initial days of this project. 

Talk to me more about what you remember about those early onset experiences, meeting everyone for the first time, as well as how you initially got to play Axel including your audition process. 

So, with the audition process, I remember getting this audition from my manager. He said it was described as a character breakdown. He was like a karate machine and spoke in a foreign accent.

So I already was like, 'Whoa. This feels like an uphill battle and a real challenge.' just because it was so different from anything I felt like I was capable of doing. And I guess to my surprise, when I put it on tape, I ended up feeling really good about it and pretty natural.

Then I went to a callback and met Josh (Heald), Jon (Hurwitz) and Hayden (Schlossberg)- the show creators and the casting directors. We just had a really great read and conversation. I remember leaving Sony, walking back to my car and being like, 'Man, I think there's something here. I feel good about this. I don't know what it is.'

It's just funny how it went from this thing that felt really intimidating to me which I probably wouldn't be able to pull off to just like, 'Oh man, this is actually starting to feel like a character that I really understand and I'm feeling good about'. 

And then getting to set- the first thing I did when I got there was a hair test because my hair isn't the way it is now, I had to chop it off and put some highlights in it which was crazy.

I remember meeting some of the cast mates in the hair trailer. They were all just really sweet and welcoming. I could really tell from that moment that these were good people, it's a big family here, and they wanted the newcomers to feel welcome. I believe that's what makes a good show and an ensemble. 

From there, the following day, we did a stunt rehearsal and that was when I really got to meet the entire cast and everyone else. We went out that night for food and drinks. 

I was like this is incredible. It's not like people are off in their own little pockets and rather, 'No. We all come together and it's a big unit here.' so that was really a great introduction to being on the show. 

And what were your own first impressions of your character when you were initially offered the script? 

Do you think those impressions stayed the same throughout the shooting of Cobra Kai, or did you come out of the project with an altered perception of Axel? 

I believe it definitely shifted as I was filming because you have what's on the page and then you start doing it and you kind of find things as you go.

I had a conversation with Jon Hurwitz before filming about the character and the arc. And we were very much on the same page. He was so great to have that call with me beforehand to kind of set me in the right headspace, but things definitely change as you're going. I think they always do. 

Because you find things. I know with Axel, you wouldn't imagine a character like him to have any kind of humor and vulnerability to him but then there's that moment on the beach with Sam (Mary Mouser) where I think it has a lot of both.

That was on the page when I first saw the character description and I was like, 'There's no way this guy's gonna have that.' but sure enough it's like a very big part of him that is vulnerable and awkward in a way that lends to a little bit of comedy- even in that line of him saying she's pretty by accident and kind of catching himself.

There were moments like those where I was like, 'Oh, there's a lot more to this guy than what's initially just on the page there.' so I leaned into that and that surprised me as we continued filming- just finding those moments. 

I know Axel has a lot of fascinating sides to him from his calm composure off-mat to his ruthless offensive fighting style on the mat against his opponents, but what according to you is the element that you consider makes Axel distinct and unique from the other characters within this project? 

I think what made him stand out to me and probably what makes him stand out in the show is he's very much not a 'What you see is what you get' kind of good because when you're introduced to him, he is this force and this imposing guy; also seemingly just like a bad guy. 

When the Iron Dragons are introduced, especially with Rayna's/Zara's dialogue of 'Welcome to Barcelona'; you mostly think, 'Oh god. These are the bad guys. What's going on here?' 

Then you just end up seeing a completely opposite side of him, what he's been dealing with in terms of his Sensei and just how he interacts with Sam on the beach. There's this multifaceted person and character.

And it's really interesting because I believe he has such a wide range of who he is as a character. It spans over a lot of different emotions and feelings.And I believe it's also interesting as an actor as well as from a story standpoint.

Because at first maybe you don't like him that much, then you see a softer side to him, you see what he's been dealing with, and there's a bit of a sensitivity to that or empathy.

I think people are going to hopefully have that mixed-together rounds out to him being a somewhat likeable character. But I guess, as the scenes progress, you see.

And how did you prepare yourself to play Axel before going infront of the cameras? Did you have a specific acting ritual that you loved immersing yourself into, in order to get into the mindset of the character? 

For me, I think the biggest obstacle initially was the physicality and the martial arts because I knew it was really important to come off as this really imposing guy. And if the fighting and the energy didn't match that, then he doesn't fit into the story the way he's supposed to fit in. So it's not believable.

And it really needs to be believable because these other dojos as well as characters need to be intimidated by him and it just doesn't work otherwise. So that was my biggest focus- getting in the right headspace for the fighting and getting prepared for that.

I did everything that I could on my own to prep physically for the role. Although I didn't have a ton of time. And upon getting to Atlanta and starting to film, I even worked a couple of times with my stunt double just outside of filming hours.

He was such a nice guy. We would train and he would show me some basics just so I could sharpen, and it ended up becoming a fun thing that I enjoyed. But it really was about making sure that part of the character became a really important part to me. I'm really pleased with how that turned out. 

In terms of the actual acting, for me, it's different for every role, but you find pieces of yourself that are somewhat similar to a character and you lean into it as much as possible. 

So for me, the awkwardness and the vulnerability almost felt very natural. I was just like, 'Oh, I feel like this guy sometimes. I feel that kind of gawky and awkward. This is great.' and that felt very natural.

But then those moments of being more stoic and a big force were a bit more challenging for me. I had to find ways or parts of myself and accentuate that. So that was mostly my approach. 

Can you reveal some insights into your training for this role and the significance you think that fight choreography and rehearsals personally held in terms of portraying this character? 

It was a lot of work beforehand. On my own, it was stuff that I had control of- basically going to the gym a lot. I also took a kickboxing class, I watched karate videos just to get a basic understanding of any sort of fighting. I was like, 'I just need to know enough about this.' And I also played sports so I felt like I would be able to pick it up somewhat, but it doesn't always translate.

Huge shout out to the stunt coordinators and the stunt doubles. When I got there, they were just some of the nicest people I've ever worked with. And they're so good at it. I don't know how they got us prepared as quickly as they did, but they had to do so much at work on their end; coming up with these fights last minute, teaching them to us, and also learning them themselves.

It was so much work when you had a fight sequence coming up. For instance, when I had that fight with Robby Keene (Tanner Buchanan), there was so much prep for that. Although sometimes you only got like a day, half-a-day, or a night after two, and then I would learn the choreography.

I'd have a video of it so sometimes I would go back to my hotel room and would just practice it with the air because that's sort of all you can do. You work it for an hour or a couple of hours then you go home and you still need to be completely memorized for the following day; so it's almost like not only are you memorizing lines, you're memorizing this totally separate thing. 

So it was a huge challenge. But I'm so proud of what we did and I would love to do it again. I can't wait for the next opportunity to do something like that. I really enjoyed it. It was the best kind of challenge. 

One of the things that I noticed about Axel was how he has such a cool demeanour and composure but at the same time, you can tell he knows he has immense strength. Demetri in one of the episodes referred to your character as, "He's like a mix between Winter Soldier and the Frankenstein Monster".  

So, pertaining to that, now that you have successfully played him, how would you yourself define Axel; his training style, his mentality as well as who Axel really is generally. 

I mean that's a hilarious line. Going back to what I was saying earlier, I believe on the surface, he's probably exactly what he is. Especially when you're watching him fighting.

But then having that other side to him just changes him.

He's this really strong force of a fighter and competitor. He's just been conditioned to care about winning more than anything. I think he maybe doesn't even know it himself why he cares about it so much.

It's what he's been born into and raised with. And outside of it, there's this whole person that's just trying to figure out how to be a guy, how to interact with the girl you have a crush on, how do you know what is there outside of fighting, and having that journey of getting to understand and find himself a little more throughout the show.

That's a cool way to describe him but I don't think I'm going to beat what Demetri said. (Laughs)

Let's talk a little about Axel and Sam's relationship in this part. It's a very complicated Arc that we can witness. 

So, what was your experience meeting your co-star Mary Mouser for the first time as well as what can you tell us about what to expect from Axel and Sam in the next part? 

I wish I could. I probably shouldn't say anything that could potentially be a spoiler just because I don't want to get in trouble here. (Laughs) 

But meeting Mary (Mouser) and working with her was phenomenal. She is such a sweetheart and she's so good in that scene. The few scenes I had with her made me feel like I didn't even have to act. She really just brought it and put us in that situation.

She brought such good energy, was so sweet, and just the way she's empathizing with me in that scene; I could feel it just coming from her as a person and an actor.

She was a joy to work with. She made it so easy. And I mean, it doesn't hurt to be in Barcelona on a beach either, even though it was cold, but it doesn't hurt. It was pretty fun. (Laughs) 

And we are almost on the verge of this next part releasing and people are literally about to witness your fantastic performance. Like it's literally releasing tomorrow. So, how is this anticipation period going for you? Feeling Nervous or excited? 

To tell you the truth and I'm just getting really honest with you; it's nerve-wracking. It's really nerve-wracking. I mean I'm so excited about it, but it also gives me a little bit of anxiety. It's like, oh man, it's out there. The world's going to see it. And that is so exciting, but at the same time, I'm so anxiousbut also so ready for it to be out there already. 

I believe as an actor, the best thing you can hope for and ask for is just somebody seeing what you've done and appreciating it as well as affecting somebody in some way. 

And knowing that this show has this massive fan base already and even though the show hasn't even come out yet, I've already had a lot of people being really kind and excited so that is really meaningful. 

I'm looking forward to more people enjoying these next five episodes. I feel really lucky it's great I'm excited. 

And are there any memorable scenes or sequences you loved so much that you absolutely can't wait for everyone to see and get their reactions on? 

There's going to be a lot of impressive fighting in this season.

I'm really excited for people to react to the brawl in particular. Because I think with the ending of that episode, there's obviously such a shock which is unseen and unheard of in the show before that. With a younger character having a death. 

Also with Rayna Vallandingham (Zara Malik), and Brandon H. Lee (Kwon Jae-Sung), we see lots of these new characters coming in.

We have so many good fighters this season. I can't wait for the fans to react to the action and how good some of these people are. Because they're incredible. So it's going to be really fun and action-packed couple of episodes. 

For the ones about to watch Part 2, what do you personally wish people take away from your performance and for the ones who have already watched Part 2, is there anything you can tell us about the upcoming final installment of Cobra Kai? 

What I wish people would take away from my character is that I hope I just fit into the world for the diehard fans and I help move the story forward in a way people enjoy. 

I think the Cobra Kai fans are really welcoming with new characters. They seem to be so excited about new characters so I hope it brings some excitement to the show and ups the competition a bit for the tournament. I just hope they enjoy the characters from the Iron Dragons. 

About the next season, I would say, even though these five episodes end on such a crazy note- I mean that brawl in itself seems like it's hard to beat; but don't expect that excitement to die down. It definitely keeps it alive and going. And in Part Three, there's a lot to look forward to.

Thank you for joining me on this lovely interview. Before we wrap up our beautiful conversation, I have to ask what's next for you, Patrick. 

Besides your sensational involvement in Cobra Kai, is there anything else you're currently working on that you'd like to tell us or your fans about? 

I have a movie that I did this past summer- a small part in this coming-of-age Rom-Com called 'The Upside of Unrequited'. I also did a part (Matt Prost) on this Golf comedy series on Apple TV+ called 'Rambler' with Owen Wilson, written by Jason Keller.