Rayna Vallandingham has made waves with her debut in Cobra Kai, raising questions about her ethnicity. The actress revealed that her family has rich roots in India, especially the Punjabi community.
The actress stepped into the role of Zara Malik alongside newcomers Lewis Tan and Patrick Lewis. Vallandingham surprised fans with her taekwondo skills and her sculpted physique.
Further, her Indian-American parents, Jeff and Joty, have supported her throughout her career. They have involved her in sports since an early age, and Vallandingham mentioned that her parents sacrificed a lot to give her exposure.
Vallandingham said they would utilize their holidays to prepare for the World Championship while other families went on vacation. Her parents helped her become strong both physically and mentally.
Moreover, the actress moved to LA to increase her fan base, as she received over 7k to 60k followers on one of her first videos on Instagram. She claimed that her Indian teachings helped her through difficult times in the new city.
Throughout her career, Vallandingham also credited her grandparents, who took her to a dojo every day. The actress added, “My grandfather would persevere with me and be like, ‘She’s my Kaur. And Kaur, I actually have a tattooed on me because it means ‘lioness’ in Punjabi.‘“
Additionally, Rayna Vallandingham emphasized that her connection to her ethnicity and ancestors has helped her excel in her career. She plans to represent her culture and reflect diversity in the entertainment industry.
Rayna Vallandingham started learning taekwondo at the age of 2!
Raised in California, Vallandingham received professional training since childhood and earned her first degree at only six years old. Later, she earned the title in Korean martial arts.
Further, she worked hard during her teen years and has been listed as a 13-time Taekwondo World Champion. However, the path to success hasn’t been easy for the actress.
Vallandingham mentioned that she often faced sexist insults during tournaments, which were mainly male-dominated. The actress claimed she often got comments like, “You keep kicking like a girl.“
Regardless of the demeaning words, Vallandingham continued to work on her techniques and claimed that the insults were more like a battle cry. Such words motivated her to achieve more in sports.
During an interview with Yahoo! Life, the actress added, “I think it really helped me to evolve not only as a woman, but also as a person, and just really learn what it’s like to be in this world and have the odds stacked against you and just rise up.“
Recently, Vallandingham has traveled the globe performing, teaching, and appearing in sports events. She has also landed positions as a model and stunt writer for several TV series.
The actress is the brand ambassador for the American Taekwondo Association and frequently appears in the brand’s campaigns, interviews, photoshoots, and red-carpet events.
Additional Information
- According to sources, Rayna Vallandingham’s estimated net worth is $600,000 from her media appearances, social media engagement, and brand endorsements. She currently has 200,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok.
- Rayna Vallandingham appeared in the 2015 movie Underdog Kids with Phillip Rhee and is currently represented by the WME Agency.
