Cobra Kai actor Martin Kove last year faced a sexual harassment probe from Sony for his conduct on his set of The Karate Kid adaptation, after a female extra said he made her uncomfortable with his behavior.
‘It wasn’t true then, and it isn’t true now,’ the Brooklyn, New York City-born actor, 78, told Deadline on Thursday of the complaints made against him more than a year ago.
Sources told the outlet that the extra complained Kove had been ‘leering’ and ‘verbally overt’ toward her on the Atlanta set of the adapted film franchise.
The woman subsequently complained to producers he was making her feel uncomfortable, and Sony launched a probe into the incident.
Reports of the Sony investigation into the actor come after Kove admittedly bit costar Alicia Hannah-Kim at a fan event on June 22 in Puyallup, Washington, claiming he was immersed in their respective roles on the series.
Daily Mail has reached out to Kove’s reps for further details on the incident.
Cobra Kai actor Martin Kove, 78, last year faced a sexual harassment probe from Sony for his conduct on his set of The Karate Kid adaptation, after a female extra said he made her uncomfortable with his behavior. Pictured last year in LA
The Hollywood veteran of more than 50 years posted a message to more than 1.4 million followers on his Instagram account earlier this month
Kove – who portrayed the role of villainous karate instructor John Kreese in the first three Karate Kid film in the 1980s – told the outlet that he didn’t do anything wrong.
Kove, who has reprised his role of Kreese on 57 episodes of Cobra Kai since 2018, said that he was honest when questioned about his behavior by Sony officials looking into the 2024 claim.
‘If there was something to confess, I would be the first to say it,’ Kove said.
He added: ‘Sony did ask me about the alleged incident, and I was completely transparent.’
The veteran actor, who has been active in Tinseltown for more that five decades, said the timing of the news going public was suspect.
‘This is so bizarre,’ he said, ‘as it was in April of last year.’
According to the outlet, the initial complaint had enough merit to pursue further investigation.
A source told Deadline the actor ‘was read the riot act’ by producers and executives who met with him to discuss the issue as the show filmed its final season.
The actor ultimately was ‘encouraged by Sony and producers to stay in his trailer’ as the situation was sorted out, but that he was never asked to leave the set, insiders told the outlet.
Alicia Hannah-Kim, pictured in LA this past February, was bitten by Kove earlier this month
Kove portrayed the role of villainous karate instructor John Kreese in the first three Karate Kid film in the 1980s. Pictured in the 1984 original opposite Ralph Macchio and the late Pat Morita
Studio officials and producers told Kove he should say sorry to the person who complained about his actions, the outlet reported, adding that it was ‘unclear’ if he took them up on the suggestion.
Kove did not suffer ‘any precise consequences’ as result of the incident, sources told the outlet, and Kove ‘declined to answer questions or confirm details’ beyond his earlier remarks.
Kove did issue a statement about the June 22 biting incident to the outlet, expressing remorse and regret toward the way he behaved toward Hannah-Kim at the Summer Con event.
‘I deeply regret and apologize for my actions regarding the incident with Alicia, a genuinely kind and wonderful person who didn’t deserve to be put in this position,’ Kove told the outlet. ‘I’ve always respected her and considered her a highly professional and talented co-worker on Cobra Kai.
‘I was being playful in the moment but went too far and there is absolutely no excuse for my behavior. I regret my actions for which I take full responsibility for what I did, and again I apologize to her and her husband.’
He wrapped up in saying, ‘I’m committed to learning from this and it will never happen again.’
Cobra Kai, starring Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan and Mary Mouser,ran a total of six seasons. The series – was created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossber – dropped its last five episodes February 13.
