Cobra Kai star Martin Kove was investigated for sexual harassment ahead of recent biting claims.
Kove’s behavior on the final season of Netflix’s Cobra Kai allegedly led to an investigation by Sony Pictures Television, according to Deadline.
The outlet reported on Thursday, June 26, that an on-set extra filed a sexual harassment complaint against Kove, 78, in April 2024. The accusations allegedly did not involve any “physical contact,” but the young actor said that they felt uncomfortable around Kove.
According to Deadline, Kove was never formally asked to leave the set but was encouraged to apologize to the individual. Further details surrounding the incident have not been released. Us Weekly has reached out to Sony Pictures Television for comment.
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Kove, for his part, denied the allegations.
“This is so bizarre, as it was in April of last year,” Kove told Deadline in a statement on Friday, June 27. “If there was something to confess, I would be the first to say it. Sony did ask me about the alleged incident, and I was completely transparent. It wasn’t true then, and it isn’t true now.”
Kove was also recently accused of biting Cobra Kai costar Alicia Hannah-Kim while saying hello during a fan convention on Sunday, June 22. A police report obtained by TMZ claimed that Kove was asked to leave Summer Con in Washington after allegedly biting Hannah-Kim, 37, who claimed that he nearly drew blood.
Kove later apologized for his actions.
“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 said in a Tuesday, June 24, statement. “I’ve always respected her and considered her a highly professional and talented coworker on Cobra Kai. I was being playful in the moment but went too far and there is absolutely no excuse for my behavior.”
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He added, “I regret my actions, for which I take full responsibility for what I did, and again I apologize to her and her husband. I’m committed to learning from this and it will never happen again.”
Hannah-Kim has not further addressed the alleged incident. TMZ reported that she declined to press charges against Kove, though she requested an informational report featuring statements from her and her husband, Sebastian Roché, who was also in attendance. Us reached out to reps for Kove and Hannah-Kim at the time.
Kove had been a part of Cobra Kai since its first season in 2018, reprising his Karate Kid role of John Kreese. Hannah-Kim, meanwhile, joined the show for the final two seasons, playing Kim Da-Eun.
