Every once in a while, a franchise will have a major resurgence in Hollywood. Back in the 2010s, the Karate Kid franchise unbelievably sprang back to life, and in a flash, it was a relevant talking point in pop culture, something no one saw coming.
The franchise benefited from outstanding casting, notably with Ralph Macchio and William Zabka. The duo have brought the nostalgia and the passion to Cobra Kai, and their friendship is as solid as ever.
Before becoming close friends, however, these two were not fond of one another, and we have all the details below!
'The Karate Kid' Was A Smash Hit In The '80s
1984's The Karate Kid is one of the most beloved films to emerge from the 1980s. While it wasn't a groundbreaking piece of cinema that kicked off any revolutionary ideas or techniques, it was a fantastic movie that continues to resonate with fans all these years later.
Ralph Macchio and William Zabka starred as enemies in the movie, and they were brilliant opposite of each other. Their dynamics felt incredibly real, and they helped propel the movie to box office glory.
The success of the film birthed a major franchise, and it gave each actor a hot start in the business.
Over time, Macchio and Zabka would have wildly different careers, with their Karate Kid days forever linking them. That said, during the 2010s, the dup found themselves pit against each other one more time on a sequel series that far exceeded any expectations that were placed on it.
The Franchise Continued With 'Cobra Kai'
In 2018, Cobra Kai launched on YouTube, and in a twist that no one saw coming, it was an excellent series that soon became a red-hot talking point for audiences.
The show successfully ran for 3 seasons on YouTube, and eventually made its way to Netflix, where it has since become one of the streaming platform's most popular shows.
Having Ralph Macchio and William Zabka involved was huge for the show, of course, and they off screen friendship has been a driving point for the series.
Macchio and Zabka have praised one another through the years, and it's refreshing for fans of the franchise to see that its longstanding stars are close.
"A director picked both of us out [of] the universe and threw us in the same canvas. And then the movie exploded and turned into a classic. Over the years, Ralph and I had seen each other, we'd bumped into each other at different festivals and this and that, [a] memorial for Pat Morita," said Zabka.
As great as it is that these two have a dynamic friendship, things weren't always so smooth between them.
The Real Life Feud Between Ralph Macchio And William Zabka
So, what were things like between Ralpha Macchio and William Zabka before they grew to appreciate one another?
According to The Guardian, "When filming began in California, Macchio and the actor who played his tormentor, William Zabka, never fully warmed to one another. There was an accident during the filming of the Halloween fight that ended with Macchio being knocked out cold. This simmering tension fed usefully into the movie. When a cut was ready to be shown to a test audience in 1984, Macchio was invited along. The audience loved it."
Yeah, the tension that we saw between them on screen was real, and this undoubtedly helped their respective performances in the film.
Upon release, that first film was a massive hit, and it made both actors household names.
Through the years, the actors failed to connect, as they each went different way in Hollywood. Things, however, changed unexpectedly in the 2000s.
"This unexpected third act in his career can be traced back to 2005, when Pat Morita, who played Mr Miyagi, died. At Morita’s funeral, Macchio encountered William “Johnny the Bully” Zabka for the first time since the 1980s. “He caught my eye,” Macchio recounts in his memoir, “no smirk, just a simple smile.” They became friends. Later, Macchio agreed to appear as an adult Daniel LaRusso in a music video Zabka was making," The Guardian writes.
From that point, the duo kept things going, which helped lead them to where they are today.
It's amazing to see how far Ralph Macchio and William Zabka have come since their initial encounter, and fans are getting to enjoy every second of it.
