‘Cobra Kai’ Star Courtney Henggeler Quits Acting After 20 Years in the Industry

After more than 20 years in the business, Courtney Henggeler has formally retired from acting.  In late March, the ‘Cobra Kai’ actress, who is best known for her portrayal of Amanda LaRusso, published an emotional post on her Substack, revealing her decision.

 Henggeler revealed that after more than two decades of seeking parts in Hollywood, she decided to quit the business and informed her representatives of her decision.  She characterized the experience as removing the mask and removing herself from being merely another cog in the Hollywood machine.  She said she no longer wanted to be a part of the machine, but rather wanted to be the machine when asked what she wanted to do next.

When Henggeler looked back on her career, she acknowledged that acting—not just the skill of performing, but the never-ending hustle—was all she had ever known professionally.  She described her early career as a grueling grind interspersed with sporadic cameos, like a one-line performance on ‘House’.  Even though many of her gigs were advertised as recurring roles, she rarely received follow-up calls, which put her back in the audition and uncertainty loop.

Image Courtesy: Courtney Henggeler/ Instagram

She has acquired credits over the years from movies like ‘Friends with Benefits’ and ‘Nobody's Fool’, as well as well-known TV series like ‘Jane the Virgin’, ‘Mom’, ‘NCIS’, ‘The Big Bang Theory’, and ‘Criminal Minds’.  Despite having a long resume, Henggeler characterized his way of life as one of survival, supported by scraps and optimism, motivated by the hope that success will eventually arrive.  Even when reality failed her, that quest kept her going.

 She got her big break in 2018 when she was cast in the lead character of ‘Cobra Kai’, a popular six-season series that ended in February 2025.  She admitted that she had succeeded by most measures—she had a popular show, a reliable source of income, billboard appearances, and even George Clooney as her director.  According to reports, she had at last arrived at Golden Goose.

Image Courtesy: Courtney Henggeler/ Instagram

Still, something didn't feel quite right.  She couldn't ignore an inner voice that kept telling her to leave, even after the victory.  The grueling road she had to take simply to get to the performance was what tired her down, not the performance itself.  The process that had once seemed essential and even thrilling had turned into one that was oppressive and overwhelming.

–Farheen Ali