Three Karate Kid films were created with Morita, with dwindling success (though the first remains a stone-cold classic), and a fourth was made with Hilary Swank and Morita. Will Smith sought to resurrect the franchise in 2010, setting it in China and starring his son Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan as the mentor. It had a mixed response, to put it mildly. Macchio, who is known for being one of the nicest guys on film, is too gracious to criticize it, noting merely that “it enhanced the legacy of the original. Also, there’s no such thing as karate in China, so it should have been called The Kung Fu Kid.”

While almost every other popular young actor in the 1980s went through some sort of emotional off-screen turmoil, Macchio stayed straight and steady, mostly living with his parents on Long Island, and married his childhood girlfriend, Phyllis, when he was 26. They have two children and are still together. Macchio’s steadiness – which he attributes to his “upbringing and natural sensibilities” – is so well-known, but Macchio acknowledges that he has always prioritized personal stability over stardom.

“If I’d been trying to grab that gold ring every chance, maybe I would have had more [jobs], but I couldn’t get to them because I was watching a baseball game back in my home town,” he says. “I wasn’t the biggest risk-taker, and I’m sure there were lost opportunities because of that. But also, maybe my caution helped me to stay grounded, so I’m at peace with the choices I made.”

Cobra Kai star Ralph Macchio reveals the Secret behind his youthful looks

January 6, 2021

After the release of Cobra Kai’s third season on Netflix on Friday, fans have been binge-watching the fan-favorite series on huge HD TVs. The quality of the image gives a new perspective on actor Ralph Macchio, prompting remarks that he “looks good for his age.” The Karate Kid actor has now revealed his age-defying secret.

The actor credited his enduring good looks to a healthy lifestyle and genetics in an interview with People.

Macchio told the newspaper, “Listen — I blame my parents. They both look very young for their age. I have a youthful energy about me for some reason. A healthy lifestyle doesn’t hurt. But I think I’ve just gotten lucky in the gene department.”

The native of Huntington, New York, has always looked to be younger than his age. He was 22 when he played high school student Daniel LaRusso in 1984’s “The Karate Kid,” and he was already married and expecting a kid when he played a college student in 1992’s “My Cousin Vinny.”

Despite the fact that Macchio came to stardom as a kid decades ago, fans of the films still recognize him.

‘I always joke that if there’s a fly in a restaurant, I have about nine seconds to get out before someone’s handing me a pair of chopsticks,’ he told the outlet.

He is presently starring in Netflix’s “Cobra Kai,” which continues to chronicle the adventures of his character and arch-enemy Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka).

The show’s third season premiered on January 1 to rave reviews, and Macchio is overjoyed.

“Kids see the show and then tell their parents, ‘Hey, you should check this out. It’s really cool,’” he explained.

Macchio continued: “And the parents say, ‘What are you talking about? That was our first date movie!’ To go through the ebbs and flows of popularity for 36-plus years and now be in a place where parents, kids and even grandparents are sharing the same excitement is really special.”

Fans of the original movies and the streaming series will get even more Cobra Kai in the feature. They just have no idea when it will be available on Netflix. Macchio  stated that they “have the green light” but that they are awaiting word on when they will begin filming. He also stated that they are working on getting in shape for the upcoming episodes.