A Conversation with Ralph Macchio

A CONVERSATION WITH

Ralph Macchio

By Brennen Matthews Images by Danielle Levitt/Netflix

Iwas ten years old in the summer of 1984. The movie theaters were on fire that year with major films like Ghostbusters and Gremlins. It was an amazing time to be a kid on the verge of adolescence. My best friend Robbie was turning ten as well and his mother wanted to take us to the movies in honor of his birthday. He suggested a tiny film that I had never heard of called The Karate Kid. I vividly remember asking Robbie if we could see something different. I wasn’t interested in a karate movie. But he insisted and off we went to the buzzing movie theater. As the lights dimmed and the picture started, I was not prepared for a film that would emotionally impact me deeply. I left the theater with an admiration for karate and a bad crush on a young Elizabeth Shue. Ralph Macchio, the young actor who brought Daniel LaRusso, the karate kid, to life, was also not prepared for how the film would alter his relaxed professional and personal trajectory. Now, 37 years later, back in the role of LaRusso, an older, more mature Macchio has entered act three in his career, and is excited, in his relaxed manner, to ride the wave all the way.

Everything between Los Angeles and New York is commonly referred to as flyover country. There’s an assumption that there’s nothing there, in Middle America. When did you start to appreciate the differences and diversity that America really offers?

I think that The Outsiders (in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is where that was born for me. I did do some traveling before then with my family, but we always traveled abroad. We were never the family, my parents and my brother and I, to get in an RV. I’m more about wanting to do that now. Phyllis and I actually talk about that.

In the preparation and research work for The Outsiders and the rehearsal period, the two weeks before we actually started shooting, we’d go out into town and talk to people. We’d grab an ice cream at a local spot. We’d sit in some diner where you’d spin the chairs, you know? There’s a great shot of me, Matt Dillon, and C. Thomas Howell having ice cream sitting on the edge of a car from the late fifties. That was us during the rehearsal process. Coppola had us walk in the streets. We’d walk into a luncheonette with a dollar and have to figure out how to get three ice creams out of it. We had theater school for those two weeks. And that was sort of my inroads to those [places] in our country.

The character of Johnny Cade really resonated with you. But he’s a tortured teenager who came from a broken home and a lot of abuse. You came from a pretty stable home. What did you relate to in the character?

I was always the smallest in my class. I wasn’t the guy picked last in gym, but I was never the guy picked first. I had a runtof-the-litter element about me, because I look very young for my age, which I’m still working on. (Laughs) I connected to the inferiority that he felt and [how] he needed that group (Greasers) around him.

What were the dynamics like during the auditioning for The Outsiders?

soundstage at his Zoetrope Studio, and every actor was in the room watching every other actor try out.

Also, the Socs and the Greasers... we were kept separate. Coppola did that. You know, I think about it as a filmmaker; when you have young actors, you try to set up as much of this being real... the Socs were getting chateaubriand and we were getting leftover fried chicken. They got leather-bound script and we’d basically got, there was like a paperclip holding the pages together. (Laughs)

Did you have any inkling, as you were all filming, that you would all go on to have big film careers?

You know, we [were] all on that side of it. We were working with Francis Ford Coppola, one of the greatest storytellers in American cinema, the godfather of filmmaking. And we were in a book that was a classic at the time, that everybody wanted to be in. Actually, we all thought that the movie was going to be bigger than it actually turned out to be. But over time it’s found its place.

So, I think there was an element where we felt, well, this is not going to end now. We’re just getting started. I remember Cruise’s room was right next to mine. We were all on the sixth floor of the Tulsa Excelsior Hotel. One day he told me, ‘I’m supposed to get a package with a script. And if you see it, just throw it in my room or hang on to it and give it to me later.’ That was for Risky Business.

I always joke in my own mind’s eye, what if I kept it? (Laughs) But I had my day in the sun as well.

When you heard that somebody was investing money and time to turn The Outsiders house into a museum, what did you think?

I was happy to hear it. When I heard that Danny [Boy O’Connor] was going to buy the house... I remember being there in 2007 I think, for the complete novel release. And I remember seeing that house and seeing how it was in disarray, and it was on its way to being unlivable. I almost wish I was smart enough to have done it, you know, but it’s cooler to have someone else do it and let me participate.

I just love it. I mean, I was there two years ago with my family. I put my hands in cement and signed ‘Johnny Cade.’ It’s kind of hallowed ground for me. It’s so bittersweet because it’s almost like watching those movies. You remember that time in your life and it’s nostalgic, it’s fresh. Success in film is determined over time and with a film like The Outsiders, and new generations watching it today, and getting to embrace those characters and story… It stands the test of time. And to share that with my kids who are now in their twenties… they’re older than I was when I made the movie. It’s a real rich reward to share it.

You didn’t like the title for The Karate Kid in the beginning. You thought that it was a little cheesy?

Yeah, it sounded like a bad after-school special. Anytime I would say it to someone, they would think that I said The Cruddy Kid. They didn’t know what it was. The Karate Kid, it sounded like a cartoon. I thought it was a placeholder. I thought, in the back of my mind, if this thing ever hits, I’m gonna have to carry it around for the rest of my life. But I remember Jerry Weintraub, our producer, saying, ‘It’s a terrible title, which makes it a great title.’ And it stuck.

Major names like Robert Downey Jr. and Nicholas Cage were interested in the role of Daniel as well. When you read for the part, did you know it was yours or did you need to fight for it?

I did not have to fight to get the role. I read the script; it was sent over to me. I went into New York City with the one scene and did my first cold reading in John Avildsen’s apartment. And when he clicked off the cam, he said, ‘Good’. And then after that, he started talking to me about taking karate lessons. I saw and felt his enthusiasm, and then he gave me his number; that doesn’t normally happen. By the time I was out on the street, I remember, I didn’t know where to go. It was just so exciting.

I had to wait a little while, but then I was flown out to Los Angeles, and then it was a three-picture-option deal. The only person I saw around Weintraub’s bungalow and Columbia Pictures a lot was Charlie Sheen. I knew Charlie through Emilio. But I was like, why is Charlie here, he doesn’t look like a scrawny kid from New Jersey?

It was such a wonderful movie, even to this day. It is about human connection and relationships. The story of Daniel LaRusso was one that many people can relate to.

Daniel had no business winning anything. And the fact that he did; that wish fulfillment and the aspirational element of it, that could be me. He’s every kid next door. And then we all longed for a human Yoda in our lives as we navigated adolescence. And Mr. Miyagi was just that beautifully written piece of cinema, perfectly cast and portrayed by Pat Morita. I mean, that’s instantly a classic character, and it works on a human level. All the heightened reality and all the fight scenes and all this stuff came in second place to the human element where it worked. And it is still working to this day.

Were you surprised that Pat had to fight so hard to get that role?

No. I wasn’t on team anti-Pat, but I was more... Arnold from Happy Days, really? You know, we all did that, and it’s ironic to me because I got some of that in my career, like, Ralph, the karate kid, really?

Once he came, once we met, it was instantaneous, there was nothing to do, except just let us interact. It was kissed and blessed somewhere. And it was magic. It really was. I think that the ease of which we worked was where that chemistry was. And that’s a wonderful thing. And credit John Avildsen who fought for him, the studio and the producer didn’t even want to see him.

How did your life change once The Karate Kid hit theaters and became such a big hit? You became a household name and face. How did you handle the attention?

There’s that seductive part of it, you know, and everybody tries to see through what’s altruistic versus fantasy. Listen, it was… I don’t know how they do it today. Once again, with technology, there’s no escape. I didn’t have that. I just went back home to New York, with my family. Sort of, Ralph’s back home.

With The Karate Kid II, I was on Broadway with Robert DeNiro [in] Cuba and His Teddy Bear at the Longacre Theatre and [the film] was playing across the street. That was sort of my Beatles at Shea Stadium time. I mean, that’s when I’d come out of the theater and have to be rushed into the car. That window was the most like what you’re talking about. Outside of that, I just kind of stayed home and did my own thing.

I was not in Los Angeles unless I was working. When I wasn’t shooting, I was basically back home on Long Island. But at the time, when I was doing the play, that was the crazy summer where it felt like that. But I think it’s partly how my parents raised me, and to me being grounded and always keeping one foot in and one foot out. And the other part is, maybe I was just too chicken to take advantage of stuff more.

I was reading an interview where you said that there’s not been a day that’s gone by where somebody hasn’t made some reference to The Karate Kid. To be so connected to a project in the mind of others can be a curse as well as a blessing. Does that ever get a little frustrating?

Yeah, I mean, I was exaggerating for effect that not a day goes by because there are plenty of days that go by, but it’s certainly common. What’s funny now is it’s more like, ‘Hey, don’t you play the dad on that show?’ (Laughs) But yes, it gets frustrating, more so 10 years ago than now. That’s for sure.

But I don’t recall ever being like, why did this happen to me? I just think that’s so short-sighted and ridiculous because the movie and the Daniel LaRusso character were so positive. That’s a privilege in a world that is so divided and negative. To represent a piece of joy is a great thing. And I’m blessed to have that.

But certainly, when I look at other films… I mean, obviously My Cousin Vinny is a film that stands on its own, and I hear a lot of compliments about that film. And being involved with The Outsiders, doing a play like Cuba. Crossroads was a film that was very respected in the music world. And, so, I

had those pieces, but I was always looking for what would sort of balance… there’s a Miyagiism for you, to balance the dominance of Daniel LaRusso and my career life. I am probably not going to change that in my lifetime, especially with this massive success of Cobra Kai, which is just more of a gift that keeps on giving. So, I choose to embrace it.

You went from one big film, The Outsiders, into The Karate Kid franchise, then My Cousin Vinny was huge… but then after that, things got a bit quiet for you. Was that a choice?

It was not completely by design. My Cousin Vinny was a tough role to get. The studio didn’t want me. It was like, ‘You don’t want him, he’s the karate kid.’ And Jonathan Lynn, our director said, ‘Well, why wouldn’t I?’ He hadn’t seen The Karate Kid film. And then he saw the film and said, ‘Why wouldn’t we want this guy? He’s good.’

It was interesting because Will Smith and Ben Stiller were two guys on the way up at the time, and I had sort of plateaued. But they were talking about names like those. We had to fight to get in the room. But by the time I left the room, and they called; I had the part.

What happened after My Cousin Vinny, I was already feeling it. The Karate Kid III was not a very good movie. As far as Daniel LaRusso, the character did not progress forward. A lot of people love it for, you know, the campy reasons, and it also informs a lot of what is successful with Cobra Kai, but at that point, I was starting to feel the “tougher to get the roles” type scenario. [Also] my wife became pregnant with my daughter. That was amazing. That production is way better than those productions right now. And so, I was a hands-on dad during all that time, with both my kids, doing work in between here, there, but the big stuff eluded me. And by then I was really off that list.

When I look at it now, my kids are in their twenties, and I was a part of that. It’s almost like I designed it perfectly. I took a hiatus to raise my family. I had success there, and now look what’s happening. And the beauty of that for me, which is something I didn’t expect with Cobra Kai, is how much my kids take ownership and love that show.

So something so big, a part of my younger life, is now a big part of our whole family. It’s pretty unique and rare and kind of spectacular. But I’m still digging and fighting against the current for other conceptual ideas that I would love to do.

It must have been a shock to discover Will Smith’s interest in the Karate Kid franchise.

He called me when they were remaking The Karate Kid with his son and Jackie Chan. He said, ‘I know I’m messing with your baby, but I want to do the right thing. I think there’s more meat on the bones.’ He was very cool. I told him the My Cousin Vinny prospective story because he came into audition when I was there that day. I made a joke that it was the only time, the first and last time, that I got the part, and he didn’t. We laughed.

What did Phyllis think about you going back to work full time on a series?

She was like, ‘Get out of the house, go do something!’

For Cobra Kai, anytime someone had a successful reboot, she would say, ‘This movie is so beloved, there has got to be a smart way back into that world.’ And the challenge for me was always Daniel LaRusso. Pat Morita was no longer here. So, we didn’t have the Miyagi element. Daniel LaRusso, married guy? Well, maybe he’s divorced now. Maybe he’s gotten in trouble and there was never… I would get pitches all the time which would just be really ridiculous. I could never find a story to tell. It was just too precious to me. And then some smart super fans came up with an idea for a way back in.

You’ve been married for 34 years. That is amazing. What do you and Phyllis attribute your success in marriage to?

Well, she’s not in the entertainment industry, so that’s a big, big piece of the secret sauce. She’s a nurse practitioner, she’s out there working at the hospital right now. It would be challenging to both be in the industry. I don’t know how people pull that off. There are some, and that is really commendable. Listen, any relationship is work. There are ups and downs. There are good days and tougher days and banner years and challenging years. I’ve always believed in the foundation of our relationship and our connection, you know? There’s no one that could convince me that she is not the woman I need to be spending my life with. And she feels that same way. If I leave the toilet seat up or the cap off the toothpaste that changes for about an hour. (Laughs) For us, it’s about believing and our commitment to each other, and to that end game, which has always felt, you know, kind of destined to be right.

You are in your late 50s, the kids are grown and have left the nest so to speak. It seems that Cobra Kai and its success came at the perfect time for you. How have you navigated the getting older season of your life?

You know, Phyllis and I talk about that now, because my parents, and her mom — who are still here — we lost her dad a little over a year ago… but you’re seeing that generation, and I remember when my dad turned 50, I’ll never forget it. I had a big video camera. He came in, it was a surprise. And I remember holding the video camera, taking in his reaction to everyone in the family room, yelling ‘Surprise, happy birthday!’ And I remember saying, ‘That’s 50! I’m like a million years from that!’ as I’m holding this big video VHS tape camera, and I shattered that nine and a half years ago! So now I’m looking at this third act and I’m seeing what my parents are going through. I’m long-term planning, enjoying, and figuring out that chapter, and that’s weird. I’m still not settled with it. It’s always been like everything’s a million miles away.

So having the success of Cobra Kai and its resurgence, this big embrace, if you will, is a supreme luxury and a joy to have. There is something warm and wonderful when I get an eight- or 10-year-old kid coming up to me at a sporting event or... I was out and… this kid comes up to me with his brother and sister and says, ‘Wait, don’t you play Samantha LaRusso’s dad on Cobra Kai?’ And it’s just kind of the most wonderful thing that he’s not saying, ‘Wait, aren’t you The Karate Kid? Show me the crane kick.’ It’s like another generation, another perspective. And then you have his parents come over and they grew up doing the crane kick on the street.

It’s a pretty special and unique existence, and I consider it a privilege.