YouTube Tanner Buchanan as Chad Brad Bradley in "Fuller House" (2017).
Tanner Buchanan may be one of several breakout stars from Netflix’s hit series “Cobra Kai,” on which he plays Robby Keene, the estranged son of Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), and the new protégé of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and, later, the evil John Kreese (Martin Kove).
However, fans may recognize Buchanan, who has been acting since the age of 11, from more than just “Cobra Kai.” One notable appearance he had was in 2017, a year before his breakout role on the “Karate Kid” spin-off, when he appeared as recurring character Chad Brad Bradley on another Netflix spin-off show: “Fuller House.”
Here’s what you need to know about the young actor’s guest appearance on the popular show:
Buchanan Played A Dancer On ‘Fuller House’
At the age of 18, Buchanan appeared in two episodes “Fuller House,” both of which were in part 2 of season 3, which was released in 2017. He portrayed a character named Chad Brad Bradley, who was the captain of the dance team for Bayview High, the school which teenage lead Ramona Gibbler (Soni Bringas) attended. Ramona is the daughter of Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber), who first appeared in ABC’s “Full House” back in 1987.
Chad, who is a seasoned dancer, first appeared in season 3 episode 12, “Fast Times at Bayview High,” in which he cuts Ramona from the dance team for showing him up. However, when her mother Kimmy confronts him about this (as shown in the above clip), he challenges Ramona to a “dance-off,” in which Ramona out-performs him once again. As a result, he is forced to concede and allow her to be on the team.
Chad appeared again in season 3 episode 16, “Happily Ever After,” in which Ramona plans a “Best Homecoming Dance Ever;” however, everyone considers the party lame. Chad Brad Bradley then invites everyone over to his house since his parents are away, which all the guests gladly do, leaving Ramona dejected. However, everyone ends up coming back to her dance after Kimmy, Kimmy’s best friend D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure), and D.J.’s sister Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) call the cops on Chad’s party.
Buchanan Appeared in Multiple Other Famous Shows
Apart from “Fuller House” and “Cobra Kai,” the 23-year-old Ohio-born actor has had a multitude of other roles.
In 2016, Buchanan had a dramatic six-episode role as Jack Downey in “The Fosters” – a role which ended in tragedy, not uncommon for the ABC drama. He was also known for portraying one-time love interests for teenage protagonists in a number of shows, such as “Girl Meets World” in 2015, and Nickelodeon’s “Game Shakers,” from 2015 to 2019. His first ever on-screen appearance was at the age of 11 in ABC’s popular sitcom “Modern Family.” According to IMDb, he was an extra, credited as “Kid #2,” in the season 2 episode “Halloween,” which aired 2010.
His real surge in popularity, however, came as Robby Keene; recently, Buchanan signed with IBM partners for representation in all areas, according to Deadline, due to the fame garnered from the incredibly popular “Cobra Kai.” This means that his onscreen appearance will likely only increase.
In terms of recent appearances, Buchanan also starred alongside TikTok star Addison Rae in “He’s All That,” a Netflix-made remake of “She’s All That,” a 1999 film starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook. He is also set to star in the upcoming film “The Hyperions,” a superhero film written and directed by Jon McDonald, set in the 1960s and late ’70s, as well as Rob Prior‘s “Painted Beauty,” which is currently in post-production.
He will also be appearing in seasons 4 and 5 of “Cobra Kai,” which have already been shot. Be sure to catch season 4 of “Cobra Kai” when it is released on Netflix December 31.