When Ralph Macchio was first approached about doing a “Karate Kid” series about the adult lives of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, he was skeptical.
“I was like, ‘I’m a car salesman?’” said Macchio, who starred in the original 1984 film as Daniel, a teenage transplant to Southern California, who learns karate and defeats his bully, Johnny (William Zabka), on the mat.
“They didn’t have me at hello,” he said.
But at a meeting that lasted over three hours in the courtyard of the Greenwich Hotel, in Lower Manhattan, the creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg won him over with their vision for that series, “Cobra Kai.” It wasn’t only a nostalgia play. It also looked to introduce a whole new generation of karate kids.
“As they started talking about the younger characters — Miguel, Samantha, that next generation — and the parenting part,” Macchio said, “I started leaning forward.”
Now, six seasons later, “Cobra Kai,” which is set in the San Fernando Valley approximately 30 years after the events of “The Karate Kid,” will release its final five episodes on Netflix on Thursday. The series, which stars Macchio and Zabka, puts a new lens on Johnny, who begins as a deadbeat dad, haunted by his fall from grace in the 1980s, but finds new purpose in reopening the Cobra Kai dojo and reigniting his rivalry with Daniel.
“It ends in a way that has all those ’80s movie feels and cheers and tears, and yet sees it through a ‘Cobra Kai’ kind of lens,” Macchio said in a recent video call from his Long Island home. Dressed in a black T-shirt, a zip-up hoodie and a pair of large black headphones, he still looked ready to do a few crane kicks in the backyard — despite a professed aversion to conflict.
“I’ve never been in a real fight,” Macchio said. “I save that for the movies. I’m so not the fighter. I’d rather negotiate myself out.”
Although “Cobra Kai” is finished, Macchio will reprise his role as the adult Daniel in the next “Karate Kid” movie, “Karate Kid: Legends,” which is scheduled to release on May 30. (Jackie Chan also returns as Mr. Han, a character from the 2010 “Karate Kid” film.) Set three years after the events of “Cobra Kai,” it follows a teenage kung fu prodigy, Li Fong (Ben Wang), who struggles to fit in after moving to New York City from Beijing with his mother. He enters a karate competition, with Daniel and Mr. Han as his mentors.
In conversation, Macchio was chipper and gregarious; at 63, he still had the youthful looks and charm of his wide-eyed ’80s character. He also still has the yellow 1947 Ford convertible from the 1984 film, which he keeps parked in his garage and occasionally drives.
Macchio shared what it was like embracing a less heroic role for Daniel in “Cobra Kai,” what keeps him coming back to the franchise and what his ideal death for Daniel would be. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
“Cobra Kai” wraps up on Thursday after six seasons. How are you feeling?
I’m feeling great, because when does this happen? A show based on a movie from 34 years prior creating a new fandom and new generations of fans around a franchise. It feels like it’s landing at the right time and not overstaying its welcome. I’m excited for fans around the world to see Johnny and Daniel and all the characters come in for a landing.
What was the last day on set like?
It’s less goodbye for me and more “See you next time.” As all over the place and as big as “Cobra Kai” got with these brawls and the accidental deaths and all these zillions of characters, it still was born out of Daniel and Johnny’s rivalry and now, in turn, friendship. And that’s kind of life imitating art imitating life — not that Billy and I were ever rivals, but we were never as close as we are today.
You’ve said no to a lot of “Karate Kid” spinoff proposals over years. What made this a yes?
One of the most important things for me was that I wanted the Pat Morita Miyagi character to be woven throughout the series. Without Pat Morita’s performance, we’re not having this conversation today. I don’t think that movie sails without that character. So I wanted to protect that.
Is there a specific moment when you remember saying, “Daniel LaRusso absolutely would not do that”?
There’s a scene in Episode 5 of this season when Daniel punches Johnny in the face. And I said, “It really has to be warranted.” And they said, “Well, he’s off-balance, these things are going on,” but it’s not just that. That was a debate because it’s a great scene for William: He gets punched in the face, and he normally would have punched back, but he doesn’t, which is a beautiful thing. It shows his growth. I don’t know if we agreed completely whether it was warranted enough, but at the end of the day, we shot the scene. It works. There’s redemption. But I wanted that to be hotter so there would not be a question of why he would lash out at that.
What was it like watching a new Kid, Xolo Maridueña, effectively play the Daniel role as Miguel?
I don’t like being the old guy, but I like being the guy telling them stories from back in the day, and they all lean in, and they love hearing them. And I’m quite inspired by their work ethic — I remember standing here watching Miguel put the headband on. Xolo was just coming out of his shoes with excitement, and it was just like: “Wow, I was in this backyard painting fences before you guys were born. And now I’m teaching you how to paint the fence and wax the car.” It’s the one time I got truly emotional early on in the show.
Do the “Karate Kid” reunion projects you’ve done feel like a comfort blanket, or are they still challenging?
Both. It’s a comfort blanket because I feel that confidence when I walk into it, because I feel no one knows better, because I’ve experienced it all. But, on the flip side, it’s how do you keep it fresh? There are certainly some episodes in “Cobra Kai” when I felt like we were trying not to repeat ourselves, but it’s tough not to when you’re in the same town, having the same argument about the same sport. That’s been the challenge.
How are you like and not like Daniel?
I’m far more analytical and prepared on the upfront for as many curveballs as possible. I’m not a complete control addict, but I like to hear something out and digest it before I jump. But Daniel — because it makes it far more entertaining — jumps first and then deals with the repercussions later.
We’re very much alike in the sense that his family, his mom, his mentor in Miyagi, are what he holds the highest. He’s a good-hearted person who cares and is vulnerable yet open and positive. That’s who I’d like to believe I am.
You also have a reputation for being a nice guy in real life.
I always joke that I was like the anti-“True Hollywood Story” — if they did one on me, it’d be like a minute. But that’s not really true. There are definitely bumps and warts. My biggest flaw, I would say, is that sometimes, if I feel out of control of a situation, or if I’m fearful of something or concerned, my decision making is not my best.
Are you game to do more “Karate Kid” spinoffs in the future, or is this film the end?
Listen, I said it was the end for me when I got done with the last 1980s “Karate Kid” movie. So I will say never say never. If “Karate Kid: Legends” does well, I would love to see a “Cobra Kai” movie in two or three years. As long as there’s a way to be truthful to the characters, to propel a story in a way that opens it up to generations, it’s something I’d be open to having a conversation about.
If you got to choose how your character died ——
—— going off a cliff with the ultimate spinning tornado kick.
Content Source: www.nytimes.com