Every Disney television star does everything to change their squeaky image after their career is over.

Most end up successfully changing their careers in one direction or another.

For Peyton List, she appreciated the new challenges to showcase a different side of herself other than her characters from the Disney Channel.

For many years, she played the comical Emma Ross in Bunk’d and Jessie. The ultimate fear is to be typecast into a ditzy blonde girl for all future roles.

When Cobra Kai came along, the writers gave List the perfect opportunity to change the direction of her career—perhaps towards a more villainous role. The birth of the character Tory came along in season two as the bad girl, who is the bully to Amanda La Russo (played by Courtney Henggeler).

“Oh my gosh! I tell you it’s such a dream role. I have the best. So it makes me happy that it’s fun to watch because it is the most fun role I’ve had the chance to play,” Peyton List told LRM Online’s Gig Patta during a virtual roundtable earlier this month. “Every day, I’m just like, ‘How did I get this? And how am I here?’”

ALSO CHECK OUT: Jacob Bertrand Loves His On-Screen Personas Of Both Hawk and Eli in Netflix’s Cobra Kai 

She credited the writers challenging her by writing more conniving and deceitful actions with her character.

“The writers, John, Josh, and Hayden, always joke that they wanted the challenge. They liked taking this girl from Disney by giving me the opportunity and saying, ‘Yeah, she can do it,’” she continued. “And I really appreciated them saying that and then seeing that in me from my audition. A lot of people would box me in and say, ‘Oh, she can’t do it. Let’s move on.’”

In the end, List loves her character very much on the show. She’ll embrace the character as one of the best characters she played in her career.

“When I go in there every day and then I go home—it’s kind of hard for me to turn it off because I’m so excited,” she concluded. “I feel like I’m always watching videos of the stunts and trying to practice. Also, I do eventually turn it off, but also Tory has taught me a lot about my life. The show has taught me a lot. I’m just grateful for the whole thing.

The third season of Cobra Kai streams on Netflix starting this Friday, January 1^st.

Source: LRM Online, Netflix