Actress Courtney Henggeler, best known for playing Amanda LaRusso in Cobra Kai, has officially stepped away from acting. According to Variety, she made the announcement through a Substack post.
“After 20 plus years of fighting the good fight in the acting business, I hung up my gloves on Friday,” she wrote.
She informed her agents that she was ready to stop. “I no longer wanted to be a cog in the wheel of the machine. When prompted to know what I did want to do, I simply replied I want to be the machine,” Henggeler added.
From YouTube Red to Netflix
Cobra Kai marked her most well-known role. Initially, the series premiered on YouTube Red. However, it later moved to Netflix for its final four seasons. The show officially ended in February after a seven-year run. Due to the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes, the last season was released in six parts.
Reflecting on Her Struggles
While looking back, Henggeler described her acting career as a long grind. She admitted that most of her journey was about chasing roles rather than performing.
“All I’ve ever known in my professional life was acting. But not even the art or craft of acting. All I’ve truly ever knew was the hustle. The hustle, the grind, sprinkled occasionally with the odd acting job,” she explained.
Moreover, she recalled her early role in the TV series House. “Perhaps a line or two to TV’s Dr. House – ‘Sorry’ (that’s it. That was my line. Genius) Nailed it. Or a recurring guest-star that never seemed to recur… Whatever the opposite of nailing it is. And when all was said and done (or mimed. Sometimes, you gotta mime) it was back to the grind. Back to the wheel. Back to the machine.”
From Small Screen to Silver Screen
Henggeler started her TV career in 2005 with a small role in House. Most recently, she appeared in George Clooney’s film The Boys in the Boat.
Even though she has left acting, her fans still admire her years of work. For now, she’s closing that chapter and focusing on something new.
