PEYTON LIST: Oh, thank you.
Well, you and me both.
I didnt know where they were taking it either.
They just kept telling me to trust them.
The first season of any TV series is about establishing the world, the characters, and the relationships.
What were you most excited to get to dig deeper into this season?
Image via Paramount+
If Janet didnt move on, but Dawn did, what is the logic here?
What are the rules?
I love when a character that everyone has forgotten about suddenly becomes the most important character on the show.
Image via Paramount+
LIST: I love that too.
They were like, None of you are gonna get it, and none of us did.
Who is this person?
You had to pay attention.
Maddie and the gang unravel deeper, darker mysteries with as much wit and heart as before.
LIST: I think I did.
Image via Paramount+
I feel like everything was left on the floor.
I feel like I got a lot of the answers.
Theyre not trying to make this the longest running show, ever.
Theyre just trying to make it fun.
If Maddie does figure out how to get her spirit back in her body, is the series over?
Have they told you what the plan is for after that?
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LIST: I have the same question.
I really have the same question.
They havent really told me.
They were like, We have plans.
But I wanna hear it.
I wanna know, as well.
LIST: Definitely her relationship with Charley, Wally and Rhonda.
But I think the obvious one for Maddie would be Wally because shes in love with this boy.
She cant help it.
She doesnt want to be.
It just makes no sense at all.
But I feel like thats young love and first love.
LIST: Its incredibly sad.
When I would even think about it, it was crazy how emotional I would get.
Theyre so great at their characters.
Im in love with them.
Im just in love with them.
How does that change things for her?
What becomes the most important thing for her this season?
LIST: The most important thing for her is getting her body back and getting Janet [out].
She wants to know this girls motives with her body.
LIST: It was the first day back.
I felt like we had to do it justice for people that were wondering about the character.
We had to prepare.
That was a stunt that I had to come in early to work out.
There was a rig that they set up for that, for the fly back.
They put it in slow motion and shot it on that camera.
There was a stunt person that did the actual falling.
I just did the hit on the machine on the rig.
We had multiple versions of me.
How did you approach figuring out how to physically play a Maddie thats inhabited by Janet?
How did you want to carry yourself and walk and behave differently?
Was that something that you continued to fine tune?
Natalie Portmans character is studying Julianne Moore and she starts to develop her lisp.
I was like, This is what I have to do with Jess [Gabor].
I dont think Jess even knows that.
I dont know why Im oversharing.
I was like, Okay, I need everything of Jess I can possibly get.
I need her tape.
I need videos of her.
It was very powerful to me to be like, I respect you.
I actually really like you.
I really like your work.
Im really excited to build this and learn from you, as well.
I feel like we just became really, really tight.
We spent New Years together.
We just became such good friends during this process.
I had to overcome [that worry of], I hope that this woman is nice.
I had to get that out of my head because shes lovely.
It seems like Janet is maybe not so nice and not okay.
LIST: Maddie goes back and forth a lot.
I was like, Damn, I think I would have that thought, as well.
Theres just a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions that arise.
We dont know what her motives are.Were constantly just guessing.
How hard will that be for them to come to terms with?
Will it make any of them resentful?
LIST: Everyone has all kinds of different takes and feelings about it all.
Theyre helping and they wanna know the answers, as well.
It also affects them.
What did you most enjoy about really getting to explore those character dynamics more this season?
Did you have any favorite character moments with those characters that really stood out for you?
LIST: I really enjoyed Rhonda breaking down and just being honest.
I thought Sarah [Yarkin] brought a lot of heart to it.
Their relationship is some of my favorite scenes.
The fifth episode of the shows second season arrives on February 17.
Maddie with Janet inhabiting her body has shown up at home with her mother.
How will that play out?
Will her mother notice anything different about her?
LIST: Sandra knows she needs to tread carefully because she doesnt know whats happened to Maddie.
Youre assuming the worst.
You dont know where your daughter has been.
You dont know whats going on with her mentally.
Youre trying to be very careful and respect that.
I also think that Sandra does notice theres a huge difference in her daughter.
One of the most important relationships for Maddie is the one she has with Simon.
Simon is really the only living person who can see Maddie and is that bridge between the two worlds.
What is that relationship like to explore?
What does it mean to Maddie to have someone like that?
Whats it been like for you to have someone who really serves a very unique purpose in the story?
LIST: Its been so beautiful.
Every kid needs a Simon.Every person needs a Simon in their life.
No one else could care about her, but he sees her.
Hes seen a lot of important moments in her life.
They just get each other.
That relationship, with Kristian [Ventura], has just been so much fun to play.
Above all, the friendship matters the most.
I like seeing that dynamic.
I have a twin brother and hes one of my best friends.
Its fun to have that guy-girl mischief.
Have you felt that shift on set?
Does it feel like its much more of a big collaborative dynamic now?
LIST: It definitely does.
Everyone is branching off into different things.
There will be a whole day thats just a Quinn and Rhonda storyline.
I think its more special to not sit with the character the entire time.
Who knew how much I would love Random Pottery Guy, aka Yuri?
LIST: Im so glad you said that.
I have to tell him.
I love that whole meeting.
Hes just like, I didnt care about group.
I didnt care to let you know that I dont only speak Russian.
Miles [Elliot] is just so great.
I like his storyline, and Im so glad that you like it.
Hes just been so excited.
I have to tell him that you said this.
At the same time youve been doing this series, you also wrappedCobra Kai.
How did that feel?
Did that hit you in any ways that were different than what you expected?
LIST: It did.
I didnt like the feelings at the end.
But there was the nostalgia that hit heavily after we wrapped.
I was just like, Wow, that will never, ever be recreated in my life.
Im just gonna act and hopefully it works out.
And then, that show ended up happening and that was my college experience.
Its just nice to have those relationships.
As Cobra Kai on Netflix comes to a close, fans are wondering whats next.
Was it reading the final script?
Was it shooting the last episode?
Was it the final day of filming?
Was there like a specific moment that it really just hit you the hardest?
LIST: The last thing that I filmed was emotional and I cried.
But I actually cried when we finished up filming the Sekai Taikai big world tournament.
I cried because it was so physically exhausting.
Finishing that and just realizing, Wow, that was really special,I cried so much.
I hated it, but I also loved it, at the same time.
Check out the trailer:
