Pod Meets World: "Ernie Reyes Jr. Meets World"
Date: September 22, 2025
Host(s): Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, Ryder Strong
Guest: Ernie Reyes Jr.
Episode Overview
This episode spotlights the incredible career and enduring legacy of Ernie Reyes Jr., a martial arts prodigy who transitioned from karate championships to Hollywood stardom as a child. The hosts—Danielle, Will, and Ryder—explore Ernie's journey from martial arts tournaments to iconic roles in films like The Last Dragon, Red Sonja, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Surf Ninjas. They dig deep into themes of childhood sacrifice, fame, burnout, and resilience, while sharing personal stories about how Ernie’s films inspired them and millions of others.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Early Martial Arts and Family Influence
[18:19–19:29]
- Ernie grew up immersed in martial arts thanks to his legendary father and their West Coast World Martial Arts Studio in San Jose.
- “My hero was Bruce Lee. He kind of set the blueprint for what I wanted to do... and my dad was the one that facilitated making that happen.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (18:49)
- Ernie’s martial arts career started before formal classes, leading to training from age 6–7.
2. Entry Into Hollywood
[20:38–24:52]
- Ernie’s demonstration team, the West Coast Demo Team, earned him a spot in The Last Dragon after performing for Barry Gordy.
- “We were very polished... it was all choreographed to music. Barry Gordy, on the spot, was like, okay, we’re gonna write this kid into the film.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (22:06)
- Hollywood entry was facilitated years after being “discovered” by talent manager Sally Baker.
3. Martial Arts as Performance
[25:11–26:26]
- Ernie describes martial arts as both athletic discipline and live performance, blurring the line between competition and showmanship.
- Inspired by icons like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Ernie developed a unique, comedic stage presence.
- “Pretty quickly [competition and performance] merged... it was all one thing pretty early on.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (26:09)
4. Child Stardom: The Last Dragon, Red Sonja, & Sacrifice
[26:26–34:43]
- The Last Dragon was pivotal for Ernie and fans like Will Friedle:
“You’re the best martial artist on screen. That’s all I want—I want to be that guy.” – Will Friedle (26:54) - Ernie’s transition to Red Sonja involved living and training in Italy; his training was intense, thanks to his father's high expectations.
- “My dad never really took into consideration, ‘hey, this is a kid.’ He trained me as if he was training... So I definitely also felt like I was missing out on a childhood.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (33:24)
5. TV Transition: Sidekicks and Schooling
[35:03–38:09]
- Sidekicks was developed as a star vehicle for Ernie by Motown and Disney.
- He balanced work with homeschooling and arduous training.
- His martial arts base included Taekwondo and exposure to many styles, thanks to traveling and working with the best.
6. Working on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
[46:58–56:19]
- Ernie was the stunt double for Donatello in the original film, enduring brutal conditions in a heavy, restrictive suit.
- “It was 100 degrees outside, 100% humidity, doing fight scenes all day... My body temperature got up to 102 degrees every day.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (51:46)
- He proved himself to Golden Harvest and was written into the sequel as Kino, a dream realized.
7. TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze and Cultural Impact
[56:24–63:56]
- Playing Kino, Ernie got to be both a lead and himself—no suit required, and he choreographed his own fights.
- The movie’s impact on kids and martial arts signups was explosive.
- Discussed the “Go Ninja, Go Ninja, Go!” scene with Vanilla Ice:
“It was just a surreal, you know... I grew up in the early days of hip hop and now it was in the movie.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (59:09) - Didn’t become a superfan of TMNT outside of filming, as life and martial arts promotion kept him busy.
8. Surf Ninjas and Lessons in Hollywood Disappointment
[63:56–72:14]
- Surf Ninjas was built around Ernie as a star vehicle after his TMNT success.
- Despite extremely positive test screenings, it flopped at the box office but became a cult smash on VHS.
- “I saw the kids... they loved it. And then, why weren’t there any... why wasn’t there an audience inside the theater?” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (71:05)
- Only on the Comic Con circuit did Ernie realize the long-lasting, cross-generational appeal of both his TMNT films and Surf Ninjas.
9. Burnout, Resilience, and Shifting Dreams
[75:40–79:54]
- After Surf Ninjas bombed, Ernie openly stepped away and “went crazy” in his early 20s, seeking a more balanced life after years of intense pressure and missing out on normalcy.
- “Now you’re dealing with all the stuff that comes with having a huge amount of success as a child, and now you’re struggling, and now you’re trying to figure it out...” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (78:56)
10. The Long Climb Back and Later Career
[79:54–84:43]
- Extensive gaps between jobs—“between Surf Ninjas and The Rundown, that was like 15 years. I didn’t stop training and I never let go of my dream.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (81:12)
- Stayed visible thanks to continued training and a strong reputation in the martial arts and stunt community, which led to roles in big budget action films like Rush Hour 2 and The Rundown.
- Nearly had an on-screen fight with Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 2, which was cut.
11. Continuing the Legacy: Family & Martial Arts
[84:43–86:03]
- Ernie’s daughter, Lotus Blossom, is finding her own way as a young performer.
- “She was kind of primed for that... she wanted to do commercials, and then we did a commercial” – (85:02)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Training With Arnold Schwarzenegger:
“I got to lift weights with Arnold every day after work for like six months.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (31:06) -
On Missing Childhood:
“Every weekend we were traveling... I did miss out on a lot of the normal things, or maybe all the normal things that childhood consists of. And we were just training every day, all day long.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (33:30) -
On Making The Last Dragon Impactful:
“You’re the best martial artist on screen... My dad, because of this, signed me up for my first karate class, like two weeks after I saw The Last Dragon nine times in a row.” – Will Friedle (26:54) -
On the TMNT Suits:
“It was pretty crazy. The suit was 30, 40 pounds... home latex rubber... the suit’s getting heavier and heavier as the day goes on... my body temperature got up to 102 degrees every day.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (51:46) -
On Enduring Obscurity:
“For 15 years between Surf Ninjas and The Rundown, there was nothing. Sometimes four years would go by with no audition.” – Ernie Reyes Jr. (82:47) -
On Industry Trends:
“For the 80s and early 90s, young martial artists was a big thing... then it goes away. It’s totally cyclical.” – Will Friedle (88:04)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [18:19] – Martial arts roots, family background & Bruce Lee inspiration
- [22:06] – Martial arts demos lead to starring in The Last Dragon
- [26:54] – Fan impact of The Last Dragon (& Will Friedle’s karate story)
- [31:06] – Red Sonja filming stories and missing out on childhood
- [35:03] – Transition to TV with Sidekicks
- [46:58] – Stunt work and struggles during filming TMNT (Donatello)
- [56:24] – Becoming Kino in TMNT II
- [63:56] – Surf Ninjas origins and the paradox of VHS cult fame
- [75:40] – Burnout, stepping away, and finding balance
- [79:54] – The 15-year gap: persistence, stunts, and getting back to film
- [84:43] – Family legacy and next generation
Tone & Language
The conversation was enthusiastic, nostalgic, and candid. The hosts shared honest reflections about their own artistic growth, hero-worship, and the ups and downs of child fame. Ernie’s tone was humble, insightful, and sometimes bittersweet, discussing both his achievements and sacrifices with openness.
Final Words
This episode offers both a nostalgic celebration and a thoughtful meditation on childhood stardom, perseverance, and artistic legacy. Ernie’s candid stories—from training with Arnold to sweating in latex as Donatello, and grappling with years of career drought—combine with the hosts’ personal fandom and mutual respect to create an inspiring, full-circle journey that will resonate with listeners of all ages.