Ralph Macchio Wife, Kids, Age, Net Worth, Height, Where Is He Now?

American actor Ralph Macchio began acting in 1980 and four years later, he broke into the mainstream playing the role of Daniel LaRusso in the martial arts film, The Karate Kid which became a big commercial and critical hit. Though Macchio has gone ahead to work on other projects, none seems to have gained prominence like his work on Karate Kid. In 2018, fans of the film were treated to a nostalgic experience when Macchio returned to reprise his role in the 2018 series, Cobra Kai which debuted on YouTube Red.

Ralph Macchio Bio (Age)

Macchio was born Ralph George Macchio Jr. on November 4, 1961, to Ralph Macchio, Sr. and Rosalie (née DeSantis). He was raised alongside his two younger brothers. Ralph is of Italian and Greek descent. As a kid aged 3, Macchio took an interest in tap dancing. He continued to dance as a hobby until the age of 16 when he was discovered by an agent who would subsequently introduce him to acting.

Macchio was initially indifferent about the idea of acting but continued to audition for roles anyway. His early roles were in commercials. He became a teen favorite for his role as Jeremy Andretti, Betty Buckley’s cousin in the TV series, Eight Is Enough. Following the show’s end, Macchio became one of the then-upcoming actors including Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, and Rob Lowe to score a part in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 film, The Outsiders.

Ralph Macchio would come to gain international recognition for snapping the role of high school senior Daniel LaRusso in Karate Kid (1984). Though Macchio was 22 years old at the time when the movie was filmed, his young looks made him the perfect fit for the role.

With the success of Karate Kid, Ralph becomes a favorite of many teens, however, his career struggled afterward as his subsequent films were barely successful. He appeared in the two sequels of the Karate Kid that would follow. Struggling in film, Macchio tried his hands at a theater where he recorded mild success.

Where Is He Now?

After the last Karate Kid film was released in 1989, Ralph Macchio was unable to match the success of his role as Daniel LaRusso with any other role. He acted mostly in TV films and short films that generated little traction.

On the small screen, Ralph guest-starred in numerous TV shows appearing only in just one episode of the shows. However, his career received the much-needed boost in 2011, when he contested in the twelfth season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. He was eliminated in the semi-finals and came fourth place overall.

Macchio appeared in a handful of big films after the dance show, including; He’s Way More Famous Than You, Hitchcock,  A Little Game, and Lost Cat Corona. He also added a producer to his repertoire scoring a gig with National Geographic.

No doubt, his biggest gig in recent years has been his return to the Karate Kid story with Cobra Kai. In addition to acting, Macchio is the co-executive producer of the show alongside William Zabka. Cobra Kai aims to chronicle the unfolding events 34 years after the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament.

Ralph Macchio Net Worth

Ralph Macchio’s primary source of income is his acting career. Over the years, he has come to star in a host of projects all of which have contributed to giving him a net worth estimated at $3 million.

Wife and Kids

Ralph Macchio is married to Phyllis Fierro who is a nurse. The couple got married on April 5, 1987, when Macchio was 26 years old. Macchio had known Phyllis at 15 years old when he was introduced to her by his grandmother. The couple now shares two kids together including; daughter Julia and son Daniel born in 1992 and 1996 respectively.

Macchio’s daughter Julia is already following in his footsteps. She had a small part playing the role of a club-goer in the 2013 film, Girl Most Likely. During the screening of the film at Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema, Macchio escorted her daughter to the red carpet event hosted by Cinema Society and Brooks Brothers.

At the premiere, Macchio revealed that Julia had scored the part in the film completely by herself without her famous father’s help.

Height and Other Body Facts

Ralph Macchio stands at a height of 5 feet 8.5 inches, which is about 1.74 m.

Weight: 72 kg

Shoe Size: 10

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Dark Brown