Cobra Kai's Ralph Macchio Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions

Cobra Kai star Ralph Macchio takes the WIRED Autocomplete Interview and answers the internet's most searched questions about himself. Who taught Ralph Macchio karate? How many languages does Ralph speak? Does he respond to fan mail? Is he from New Jersey? Why does he look so young?? Ralph answers all these questions and much more! Director: Alexandra Coccia Director of Photography: Constantine Economides Editor: Ron Douglas Talent: Ralph Macchio Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Brandon White Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Assistant Camera: Christopher Alfonso Audio: Rebecca O’Neill Production Assistant: Patrick Sargent Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Director: Alexandra Coccia Director of Photography: Constantine Economides Editor: Ron Douglas Talent: Ralph Macchio Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Brandon White Production Manager: Eric Martinez Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila Assistant Camera: Christopher Alfonso Audio: Rebecca O’Neill Production Assistant: Patrick Sargent Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Assistant Editor: Justin Symonds

Video Transcript

- Hi, I'm Ralph Macchio, and this is the "Wired" Autocomplete Interview.

[upbeat music] Have I ever Googled myself?

I would love to say no, but, of course, who hasn't?

It's a dangerous and slippery slope.

[upbeat music] Okay, "Who is Ralph Macchio in 'Cobra Kai'?"

Really?

Someone Googled that.

Ralph Macchio is Daniel LaRusso in "Cobra Kai."

It's as unique an experience playing a character 30 years later that everyone grew up with, and then finding flaws in this character as an adult that were different from the flaws maybe as he was as a teenager.

That exploration for an actor is so fulfilling.

To see people, a younger generation, latch onto it, it's pretty awesome.

"Who taught Ralph Macchio karate?"

That would be a gentleman by the name of Pat E. Johnson.

If you've seen "The Karate Kid" film, he played the referee in the final tournament, and that was Pat Johnson.

He taught all of us, trained me in goju-ryu style, Okinawan classic karate, and Pat Morita as well.

He was a big part of creating all those sequences.

"Who is Ralph Macchio best friend?"

Well, that's tough.

Now I'm calling out everybody I know.

I have a few great friends.

My wife is my best friend.

That sounds like the diplomatic answer, but it is a truthful answer.

We have been married 35 years and are blessed with two great adult kids.

Though, come on, how is that possible?

We move on.

Okay, "How was Ralph Macchio discovered?"

Interestingly, I was at a dance recital.

Some talent agent saw me and I went in on a few commercials and I got a Bubble Yum commercial.

"How many 'Karate' movies with Ralph?"

One, two, three 'Karate' movies with Ralph.

It's as simple as that.

Now this, "Macchio."

I was never good at following instructions.

"How many languages does Ralph Macchio speak?"

English and New York.

That's all I got.

That's enough of that.

[board clacking] "Does Ralph Macchio respond to fan mail?"

Early on in my career all the time, getting them, reading them, writing back, signing pictures.

As things started to grow it was less easy to do, and then what you wind up doing is insulting all the people that you didn't answer.

So then it's try to be good and it kicks you back in the butt.

It would be wonderful to answer everyone back.

You try to answer back with good work and cheers, you know?

That's the best I could do.

"Does Ralph Macchio have a black belt?"

No.

It's eggshell, kind of beige.

I know a little more martial arts than that, but I do not have a black belt.

"Does Ralph Macchio use a stunt double?"

Most often I don't.

I really try to do all the stuff.

Certainly it was easier back in the day.

Yeah, I've hurt myself a few times.

You know, I've never broken anything.

That's just made the biggest mistake ever saying that out loud.

"Does Ralph Macchio [paper crinkling] "play guitar?"

It all depends on what play guitar means to you.

I do play a little basic guitar.

I was doing this movie "Crossroads" where I really learned blues guitar, classical guitar, electric, acoustic, but it was all done to play back by the professionals.

Alright, there's that.

[board clacking] Next, "Is Ralph Macchio left-handed?"

No.

That's why when they said to hold this on this side I was like, "What?

Wait, I can't pull with the left hand."

But I'm doing okay.

"Is Ralph Macchio from New Jersey?"

No, he's from New York.

Daniel LaRusso, "The Karate Kid" character, is from Newark, New Jersey, and people just don't wanna believe that I'm not from Newark, New Jersey.

"Is Ralph Macchio vegan?"

No.

He'd like to be.

I say I'm gonna do this, I don't need the steak, and then sometimes I knuckle under.

Listen, I'm not done living.

Next time I come back might be a different answer.

"Is Ralph Macchio a nice guy?"

Should I let you all in on the secret?

This whole good guy thing has just been a facade for decades on end.

I do try to put my best foot forward, and I think it's important, you know, you put it out, hopefully you get it back.

Maybe tomorrow I'm gonna change that.

Alright, what do we got next?

"Was Ralph Macchio..." Okay, we need new glue.

"Was Ralph Macchio in 'Godfather II'?"

I wish.

You know, one of the greatest films ever made.

I did work with Francis Ford Coppola who directed "Godfather II."

He directed "The Outsiders," film I'm proud of, so that's as close as I got.

I mean, I worked with De Niro on Broadway in a play called "Cuba and His Teddy Bear," so I have a connection.

I wonder why they think I would be associated with that film.

I guess Italian American.

Could that be it?

My love for red wine, that could be it, too.

I was going for something deeper and I was just coming up empty.

Let's move on.

"Was Ralph Macchio..." Okay, alright.

[production crew chuckling] Alright, "Was Ralph Macchio in Menudo?"

Chuckling at this.

I would make jokes about my Menudo-ishness, but I was way too old for the Menudo kids.

But thank you.

Thank you very much for Googling that.

"Was Ralph Macchio on 'Dancing," I think it's, "'with the Stars'?"

The answer to that is yes.

Season 12, 2011, and I didn't suck, but I didn't win.

Nice guys finish fourth.

Okay, next.

"Why Ralph Macchio?"

You just stop there.

Something I hear around the house all the time.

"Why did Ralph Macchio stop 'Karate Kid'?"

I don't think that's totally true.

Why did I stop 'Karate Kid' in 1988?

'Cause it was time.

And then, who knew?

When I finished "Karate Kid III," I thought there would be no way in hell I'd play Daniel LaRusso ever again.

Not that I disliked, but it was time at that point.

And interestingly enough, "The Karate Kid III" storyline is now giving the season five of "Cobra Kai's" storyline.

So be careful what you think you know.

"Why is Ralph Macchio thanked in 'Thor'?"

That's a good question.

There is a Ralph Macchio that is not this one who's involved in the Marvel Spider-Man Stan Lee Universe.

I learned this when I looked myself up at one point and it was not me.

People did often, after 'Thor' came out, saying, "Why were you thanked for that?"

And I just, you know, I pretended that I was in my estate and all the money comes to me, and I played that out for a little bit.

"Why does Ralph Macchio look so young?"

It's my parents' fault.

It's good genes.

It's youthful boyishness that I lean into.

Don't know, I wish I had the... My voice is cracking.

See, I'm finally going through puberty right now on "Wired."

Okay, "Ralph Macchio book."

It is called "Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me," and it is equal parts nostalgia and contemporary relevance that takes the readers through the journey through my eyes from walking in the shoes of Daniel LaRusso from 1983 up until today, and the ups and downs and celebratory look at something that has touched so many people as well as my life.

"Ralph Macchio first movie" was called "Up the Academy."

It was directed by Robert Downey Sr., Downey Jr.'s dad.

It was an R-rated comedy for Warner Brothers.

"Ralph Macchio gangster movie."

Was I any gangster movie?

"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead" I played a gangster.

I was in a film called "A Good Night to Die" that had gangster elements in it as well.

"Ralph Macchio 'Jeopardy'."

I got to do a run on "Jeopardy" recently, a whole category about "Cobra Kai," and that was kind of fun.

My best game show run.

And there we go.

Well entertained by my Google search.

Couple of surprises, which is what we aim for, and a couple of, yeah, of course they're gonna ask that.

I look forward to doing it again, and maybe I could have a few highlights in life and career to change a few of those questions.