Ralph Macchio has portrayed one of The Karate Kid franchise’s most iconic characters, Daniel LaRusso. For four decades, Ralph Macchio has breathed life into the character. Unsurprisingly, since the martial arts franchise began in 1984, it has enjoyed a growing number of dedicated fans.
Having played the character for so long, it is no surprise audiences wonder about Ralph Macchio’s age. Although visibly much older than in 1984, Macchio surprisingly still looks the same. For 6 seasons since 2018, Macchio has reprised his character in The Karate Kid sequel series. As audiences anticipate the concluding parts of Cobra Kai’s season 6, here’s everything to know about Ralph Macchio’s age in all of his The Karate Kid appearances.
Ralph Macchio’s Age in 1984’s The Karate Kid Movie
Ralph Macchio beat several other Hollywood top actors to land the role of Daniel LaRusso. 1984 The Karate Kid was Macchio’s second major film of his career. He was reportedly chosen to play Daniel LaRusso because of his exceptional performance as Johnny Cade in Francis Ford Coppola‘s 1983 The Outsiders movie. With the first The Karate Kid released in 1984, Ralph Macchio, born on November 4, 1961, was 22 years old at the time of its release on June 22, 1984. Interestingly, Macchio’s character, Daniel LaRusso, was introduced as a 17-year-old.
Ralph Macchio’s Age in 1986 The Karate Kid Part II
After the success of 1984 The Karate Kid, a sequel was inevitable. The Karate Kid Part II was released two years later, on June 20, 1986. The franchise creator and screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen wrote The Karate Kid Part II opening scene as a direct continuation of 1984’s movie. Filming of The Karate Kid Part II began on September 23, 1985, and ended on December 20, 1985. Ralph Macchio, who turned 24 during filming, was 24 when The Karate Kid Part II was released in June 1986. Although closer to his mid-20s, Ralph Macchio convincingly portrayed a teenage Daniel LaRusso.
Ralph Macchio’s Age in The Karate Kid Part III
Unlike its predecessors, The Karate Kid Part III received mostly negative reviews and was the least successful. While others grossed $130 million at the Box Office, The Karate Kid Part III only earned a moderate $38.9 million after its theatrical run. Although Robert Mark Kamen had initially wanted to write it as a prequel story, the producers kicked against it. Although The Karate Kid Part III was still centered around Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita), Martin Kove’s John Kreese character was reintroduced in the storyline. Released three years after its predecessor on June 30, 1989, Ralph Macchio was 27 years old at the time The Karate Kid Part III was released.
Ralph Macchio’s Age in The Karate Kid Sequel TV Series
Although the franchise continued with a few other movies and expanded into television, video games, and merchandise, Ralph Macchio didn’t appear in any franchise projects until 2018. Cobra Kai premiered some 29 years after The Karate Kid Part III. Released on May 2, 2018, Cobra Kai season 1 was set 34 years after the events of the first movie (1984 The Karate Kid) in the franchise. Joining the series as a protagonist, Ralph Macchio was 56 when Cobra Kai season 1 premiered.
Cobra Kai season 2 premiered the following year on April 24, 2019. Ralph Macchio was 57 years old when Cobra Kai season 2 premiered. With YouTube not looking to renew the show beyond a fourth season, its producers moved it to Netflix. This caused a two-year delay, with Cobra Kai season 3 being released on January 1, 2021. When Cobra Kai season 3 premiered, Ralph Macchio was 60 years old. Cobra Kai season 4 premiered at the end of 2021, on December 31, 2021, with 61-year-old Ralph Macchio leading the cast.
Macchio was still 61 when season 5 premiered the following year on September 9, 2022. Cobra Kai season 6 is the series’ final season, scheduled for release as a three-part season. The first two parts have release dates in 2024, with the last part scheduled for release sometime in 2025. If the third part of Cobra Kai season 6 is released before the last quarter of 2025, Ralph Macchio would have ended the series at age 63. A 63-year-old Macchio is also expected to reprise the role in the upcoming 2025 feature-length Karate Kid movie. Besides Ralph Macchio, Mr. Miyagi’s actor, Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, was another of the franchise’s iconic stars.
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