Ralph Macchio started his journey in the Karate Kid franchise playing teenage underdog Daniel LaRusso, but both the character and the actor have come a long way since then. The original movie was released in 1984, and at the time, no one knew what it would grow into. The Karate Kid Part II And The Karate Kid Part III were released in the following years, and then, decades later, the spin-off series Cobra Kai Brought the franchise back into the limelight. This means The Karate Kid has been a massive part of Macchio’s life, and he has celebrated many birthdays on the sets of the films and Netflix series.
As a character, Daniel is the perfect underdog. Young and a little reckless, his heart of gold always leads the way (with a little help from Mr. Miyagi). He proved himself a true hero and inspiration again and again in the Karate Kid Movies, with his initial story wrapping up with The Karate Kid Part III In 1989. Then Macchio returned to play Daniel-san 32 years later in the Cobra Kai SeriesWith the first season streaming in 2018. This time around, Daniel took a back seat to his old nemesis, Johnny Lawrence. Still, Machio’s The Karate Kid Character was much the same as he had always been – only a little older.
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Ralph Macchio was 22 in The Karate Kid
The movie that started the franchise premiered in 1984
Macchio’s character was 17 at the start of The Karate Kidwhich was set in 1984. In the film, he and Mr. Miyagi celebrated his 18th birthday shortly before the December 1984 All Valley Tournament (where Daniel had his first real fight with Johnny Lawrence). This is when Mr. Miyagi allowed Daniel to choose one of his classic cars as a birthday present. in contrast, Macchio was born in November 1961 And was 22 when filming began for the first The Karate Kid Movie. The actor had no trouble being believable as a teenager, even though he was technically a karate adult when he took on the role in 1983.
Ralph Macchio was 24 in The Karate Kid Part II
The first Karate Kid sequel arrived in 1986
The Karate Kid Part II Occurred in the summer after Daniel’s battle with Johnny Lawrence in the All-Valley Tournament, so Daniel and Mr. Miyagi’s trip to Japan took place in 1985. So, the character is still 18 through his and Ally’s breakup, as well as his big battle with Chozen. In fact, filming for the sequel began in September 1985, and The Karate Kid Part II came to theaters in June 1986. So, although only a few months have passed for Daniel in-place, Macchio has aged two years since he last played the character. The actor would have celebrated his 24th birthday while filming was still ongoing.
Ralph Macchio was 27th in The Karate Kid Part III
The original Karate Kid trilogy ended in 1989
The Karate Kid Part III Picked up at some point between Daniel and Miyagi’s 1985 summer vacation in Japan and the 1985 All-Valley Tournament in December. So, again, the character is only meant to be a few months older than when we last saw him. Much more time has passed in the real world, and filming for the 1989 film began in December 1988. This means that Macchio would have just celebrated his 27th birthday When he returned to play the now 19-year-old character – the biggest age difference between the actor and character until Cobra Kai Season 5.
Ralph Macchio was 56 in Cobra Kai Season 1
Macchio took a 32-year break from playing the Karate Kid franchise protagonist
Cobra Kai Season 1 is set in 2017, so Daniel is meant to be 52 years old (the same age Mr. Miyagi was in The Karate Kid). A lot happened with this character since he was last seen in The Karate Kid Part III. The series reveals that Daniel has gotten marriedHad two kids, opened a car dealership, and, unfortunately, said goodbye to Mr. Miyagi (in 2011, the same year actor Pat Morita died). Macchio and Daniel’s ages are a bit closer together this season, with the actor turning 56 during filming in 2017.
Ralph Macchio was 57 in Cobra Kai Season 2
Cobra Kai season 2 was the final installment produced by YouTube
Filming began for Cobra Kai Season 2 at the end of 2018, and the plot begins in the summer of 2018 when Daniel opens Miyagi-Do Karate with Samantha and Robbie as his only students. Only a few months have passed since the end of season 2, with the big school brawl Cobra Kai Took place on the first day of the 2018 school year. So, though Daniel is no older than last seasonMacchio celebrated his 57th birthday during 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 history of Cobra Kai Season 3 covered only a few monthsWith the premier picking up where season 2 left off. Daniel and Johnny teamed up to find Robbie after he escaped the school fight, and the two senses further dealt with the repercussions of the massive battle at the school. Daniel took his trip to Japan in the fall of 2018, and Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang joined forces sometime around December. In the real world, filming for Cobra Kai Season 3 began in the fall of 2019, so Macchio was about to turn 58.
Ralph Macchio was 59 in Cobra Kai Season 4
Cobra Kai season 4 debuts in late 2021
Cobra Kai Season 4 again picks up where the previous season left off. Although Daniel and Johnny tried to join their two dojos, it didn’t take long since they couldn’t agree on whose style of karate would take the lead. Eagle Fang and Miyagi-Do go their separate ways, and sometime in spring 2019, the All-Valley Tournament announces plans to create separate leagues for boys and girls. Daniel would be 53 in December 2018, but since filming for Cobra Kai Season 4 started in January 2021, Macchio would have been 59 while shooting scenes.
Ralph Macchio was 60 in Cobra Kai Season 5
Cobra Kai Season 5 is the penultimate run of the Karate Kid spinoff show
Cobra Kai Season 5 is another installment in the series that only covered a couple of in-space months. Things picked up in the spring of 2019, right after Hawk’s All-Valley Tournament victory and Daniel’s decision to keep Miyagi-Do Karate going. Johnny and Robbie go to Mexico to find Miguel (who has miraculously fully recovered from his back injury that happened just a year earlier). By the time, Daniel faced off with Terry Silver at the end of Cobra Kai Season 5, it’s early summer of 2019, so the character is still 53. In real-world time, Filming wrapped in December 2021with The Karate KidMacchio’s was 60 a couple of months earlier.
Ralph Macchio was 62 in Cobra Kai Season 6
The latest season of Cobra Kai consists of two batches of episodes
Filming wrapped up Cobra KaiLast season in June 2024. Macchio, who returned once again as Daniel LaRusso, just turned 62 in late 2023. Karate Kid/Cobra Kai time line, Daniel LaRusso is older than Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi was at the time of the 1984 franchise-starter. Despite the fact Cobra Kai Season 6 consists of two batches of episodes, Macchio’s birthday did not fall during the production of each half of the final season. Therefore, his age did not change.
Ralph Macchio is also 62 in 2025’s Karate Kid movie
The upcoming Legacy sequel brings Jackie Chan’s Mr. Han from the 2010 Karate Kid remake into the mainstream canon
Although there will be no more episodes of Cobra Kai Produced, this does not mean that the revival of the franchise is over. The new one Karate Kid The movie was originally slated for release in late 2024, but the SAG-AFTRA strikes meant the upcoming Legacy sequel had to be pushed back to a May 30, 2025 release date. Cobra Kai season 6, so Macchio would have been 62. If it weren’t for the strikes and the resulting rescheduling, it’s possible Macchio could be 61 When he shot the new one Karate Kid Movie.