'The Karate Kid' Cast: Where Are Ralph Macchio and the Cast Now?

Fans young and old can connect to Daniel LaRusso’s story on The Karate Kid. “It’s relatable,” Ralph Macchio, who played Daniel in the film previously said about the movie’s theme of bullying to ScreenRant. “Daniel Russo was the every kid next door. And I think that’s one of the things I’m most proud of with that character is he was relatable in a way that he kind of had no business winning anything.”

Even though the film came out in 1984, it still resonates with young people today. “I have people to this day, [who are] up into their 40s, 50s and 60s, [and] the younger generation that are moved by this film,” Ralph explained. “[They] tell me stories of how it got them through a difficult time or if they had an ailment and it was the movie that they just kept on the loop and, you know, because it made them feel good.”

Now 35 years after the film was released, Ralph and former costars William Zabka, Elisabeth Shue, Chad McQueen and Rob Garrison have lived a life beyond their wildest dreams. Thanks to The Karate Kid, each actor can say they’ve been apart of a project that they’ll never forget.

Scroll below to see where Ralph and the rest of the gang are up to today!

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Ralph Macchio

After waxing on as “Daniel-san” in this film and two sequels, Ralph, 57, was off to do theater, movies such as My Cousin Vinny and Hitchcock and TV appearances on Ugly Betty and Dancing With the Stars. Last year, he and William Zabka reprised their The Karate Kid roles for the ongoing YouTube series Cobra Kai.

William Zabka

While dojo bully Johnny showed “no mercy” to Daniel, William, 53, demonstrated a lot of agility in his career. Besides roles in movies à la National Lampoon’s European Vacation and Back to School and on TV’s The Equalizer and How I Met Your Mother, he got into writing, directing and producing — getting an Oscar nod for the 2003 short Most.

Elisabeth Shue

Subsequent to rooting for Daniel as cheerleader Ali, Elisabeth, 55, got applause for her Oscar-nominated turn in Leaving Las Vegas and also starred in Adventures in Babysitting, Cocktail, the Back to the Future sequels, Death Wish and TV’s CSI. She also started a family with director Davis Guggenheim, with whom she celebrates a 25th anniversary this year.

Chad McQueen

Following his turn as Johnny’s Cobra Kai pal Dutch, Steve McQueen’s son, Chad, 58, got his kicks from motorsports. And, while an accident in 2006 ended his racing career, he went on to start McQueen Racing, which develops “limited-edition custom cars, motorcycles and accessories.” FYI: His son Steven R. McQueen was Jimmy Borelli on TV’s Chicago Fire.

Rob Garrison

Cobra Kai cohort Tommy was known for yelling, “Get him a body bag!” Yet Rob, 58, bagged only a few more roles in movies like Iron Eagle and on TV shows such as Coach, before returning to his hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia, where he now works as a manager for a food hospitality company. But he did just appear on Cobra Kai … as, ironically, a dying Tommy.