Ralph Macchio began his journey within the Karate Child franchise taking part in teenage underdog Daniel LaRusso, however each character and actor have come a good distance since then. The unique film was launched in 1984, and on the time, nobody knew what it might develop into. The Karate Child Half II and The Karate Child Half III had been launched within the following years, after which, many years later, the spin-off sequence Cobra Kai introduced this franchise again into the limelight. This implies The Karate Child has been a large a part of Macchio’s life, and he is celebrated many birthdays on the units of the movies and Netflix sequence.
As a personality, Daniel is the proper underdog. Younger and slightly reckless, his coronary heart of gold at all times winds up main the way in which (with a little bit of assist from Mr. Miyagi). He proved himself a real hero and inspiration repeatedly within the Karate Child motion pictures, together with his preliminary story wrapping up with The Karate Child Half III in 1989. Then Macchio returned to play Daniel-san 32 years later within the Cobra Kai sequence, with the primary season streaming in 2018. This time round, Daniel took a again seat to his previous nemesis, Johnny Lawrence. Nonetheless, Macchio’s The Karate Child character was a lot the identical as he ever was—just a bit bit older.
Ralph Macchio Was 22 In The Karate Child
The film that began the franchise premiered in 1984
Macchio’s character was 17 firstly of The Karate Child, which was set in 1984. Within the movie, he and Mr. Miyagi celebrated his 18th birthday shortly earlier than the December 1984 All Valley Tournement (the place Daniel had his first actual combat with Johnny Lawrence). That is when Mr. Miyagi allowed Daniel to select one in all his basic automobiles as a birthday current. In distinction, Macchio was born in November of 1961 and was 22 when filming started for this primary The Karate Child film. The actor had no bother in any respect being plausible as a teen, although he was technically a Karate Grownup when he took on the function in 1983.
Ralph Macchio Was 24 In The Karate Child Half II
The primary Karate Child sequel arrived in 1986
The Karate Child Half II occurred in the summertime following Daniel’s battle with Johnny Lawrence on the All-Valley Match, so Daniel and Mr. Miyagi’s journey to Japan occurred in 1985. So, the character remains to be 18 via his and Ally’s breakup, in addition to his massive battle with Chozen. In reality, filming for the sequel began in September 1985, and The Karate Child Half II hit theaters in June 1986. So, although just a few months had handed for Daniel in-plot, Macchio had aged two years since he final performed the character. The actor would have celebrated his twenty fourth birthday whereas filming was nonetheless ongoing.
Ralph Macchio Was 27 In The Karate Child Half III
The unique Karate Child trilogy concluded in 1989
The Karate Child Half III picked up sooner or later between Daniel and Miyagi’s 1985 summer time away in Japan and the 1985 All-Valley Match in December. So, as soon as once more, the character is simply meant to be a couple of months older than after we had final seen him. Way more time had handed in the true world, and filming for the 1989 movie started in December of 1988. Because of this Macchio would have simply celebrated his twenty seventh birthday when he returned but once more to play the now 19-year-old character—the most important age distinction between the actor and character till Cobra Kai season 5.
Ralph Macchio Was 56 In Cobra Kai Season 1
Macchio took a 32-year break from taking part in the Karate Child franchise protagonist
Cobra Kai season 1 is about in 2017, so Daniel is supposed to be 52 years previous (the identical age Mr. Miyagi was in The Karate Child). Lots occurred to the character since he was final seen in The Karate Child Half III. The sequence revealed that Daniel had gotten married, had two children, opened a automobile dealership, and, sadly, stated goodbye to Mr. Miyagi (in 2011, the identical yr actor Pat Morita handed away). Macchio and Daniel’s ages are slightly nearer collectively this season, with the actor being 56 throughout filming in 2017.
Ralph Macchio Was 57 In Cobra Kai Season 2
Cobra Kai season 2 was the ultimate installment produced by YouTube
Filming started for Cobra Kai season 2 on the finish of 2018, and the plot begins up in the summertime of 2018 when Daniel opens Miyagi-Do Karate with Samantha and Robby as his solely college students. Just a few months have handed by the tip of season 2, with the massive college brawl in Cobra Kai happening on the primary day of the 2018 college yr. So, although Daniel is not any older in comparison with final season, Macchio celebrated his 57th birthday throughout filming.
Ralph Macchio Was 58 In Cobra Kai Season 3
Cobra Kai season 3 was the spinoff’s first run of episodes to be produced by Netflix
The plot of Cobra Kai season 3 lined just a few months, with the premier choosing up the place season 2 had left off. Daniel and Johnny teamed as much as discover Robby after he fled the college combat, and the 2 senseis additional handled the repercussions of the huge battle on the college. Daniel took his journey to Japan within the Fall of 2018, and Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang joined forces someday round December. In the true world, filming for Cobra Kai season 3 had begun within the fall of 2019, so Macchio was about to show 58.
Ralph Macchio Was 59 In Cobra Kai Season 4
Cobra Kai season 4 debuted in late 2021
Cobra Kai season 4 once more picked up the place the earlier season had left off. Although Daniel and Johnny had tried to mix their two dojos, it did not final lengthy since they could not agree on whose fashion of karate would take the lead. Eagle Fang and Miyagi-Do go their separate methods, and someday round Spring 2019, the All-Valley Match pronounces the plan to create separate leagues for girls and boys. Daniel would have turned 53 in December of 2018, however since filming for Cobra Kai season 4 began in January 2021, Macchio would have been 59 whereas taking pictures scenes.
Ralph Macchio Was 60 In Cobra Kai Season 5
Cobra Kai season 5 is the penultimate run of the Karate Child spinoff present
Cobra Kai season 5 is one other installment within the sequence that solely lined a few in-plot months. Issues picked up within the spring of 2019, simply after Hawk’s All-Valley Match win and Daniel’s determination to maintain Miyagi-Do karate going. Johnny and Robby head to Mexico to seek out Miguel (who’s miraculously totally recovered from his again damage that occurred solely a yr earlier). By the point Daniel confronted off with Terry Silver on the finish of Cobra Kai season 5, it’s early summer time of 2019, so the character remains to be 53. In real-world time, filming had wrapped in December 2021, with The Karate Child‘s Macchio having turned 60 a few months earlier than.
Ralph Macchio Was 62 In Cobra Kai Season 6
Cobra Kai’s last season consists of two batches of episodes
Filming wrapped on Cobra Kai‘s last season in June 2024. Macchio, who returned as soon as once more as Daniel LaRusso had simply turned 62 years previous in late 2023. By this level within the Karate Child/Cobra Kai timeline, Daniel LaRusso is older than Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi was on the time of the 1984 franchise-starter. Regardless of the actual fact Cobra Kai season 6 consists of two batches of episodes, Macchio’s birthday did not fall in the course of the manufacturing of both half of the ultimate season. Subsequently, his age did not change.
Ralph Macchio Was Additionally 62 In 2025’s Karate Child Film
The upcoming legacy sequel brings Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han from the 2010 Karate Child remake into the primary canon
Though there will not be any extra episodes of Cobra Kai produced, that does not imply the franchise’s revival is over. The brand new Karate Child film was initially slated for launch in late 2024, however the SAG-AFTRA strikes meant the upcoming legacy sequel needed to be pushed again to a launch date of Could 30, 2025. It was shot roughly alongside Cobra Kai season 6, so Macchio was 62. If it hadn’t been for the strikes and the ensuing rescheduling, it is attainable Macchio may have been 61 when he shot the brand new Karate Child film.
