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Ralph MacchioAmerican actor
Date of Birth: 04.11.1961
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio is an American actor best known for his roles as Daniel LaRusso in the action film "The Karate Kid," Bill Gambini in the comedy "My Cousin Vinny," and Johnny Cade in the drama "The Outsiders." He was born on November 4, 1961, in Huntington, New York, to Italian immigrants.
Early Career
Macchio made his first appearance on television in commercials for "Bubble Yum" and "Dr Pepper." In 1980, he landed a role in the teen comedy film "Up the Academy," and his earliest television work was playing Jeremy Andretti in the fifth season of the series "Eight Is Enough."
Rise to Fame
In 1983, Macchio portrayed Johnny Cade in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders," alongside a group of young actors who went on to have successful Hollywood careers, including Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, and Matt Dillon. However, it was in 1984, after the release of the first "Karate Kid" film, that Macchio gained international fame. Despite being in his twenties, he played high school student Daniel LaRusso and continued his success in the sequels, "The Karate Kid Part II" (1986) and "The Karate Kid Part III" (1989). Macchio's face began appearing on the covers of numerous teen magazines, including "Tiger Beat," "16," and "Teen Beat."
Later Career
In 1986, Macchio starred as music student Eugene Martone in the film "Crossroads." In 1992, he had a notable role as Billy Gambini, who is wrongly accused of murder, in the popular comedy "My Cousin Vinny," alongside Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei. This marked Macchio's first significant role as an adult. In 1993, he played the role of Chris, a homosexual character, in the romantic comedy "Naked in New York."
In 1996, Macchio was offered the lead role in a revival of the musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," which had previously won a Tony Award in 1962. Interestingly, Macchio had played the same role in a school production during his youth. He had been dancing since the age of three and had taken lessons at the June Claire School of Dance in Babylon, Long Island.
Throughout the mid-90s, Macchio appeared in films sporadically, often in cameo or supporting roles, such as in the thriller "A Good Night to Die" (2003) and the comedy "Beer League" (2006). In 2005, he portrayed himself in the TV series "Entourage," and in May 2007, he made another appearance as himself in an episode of the series "Head Case."
Recent Years
In 2008, Macchio starred in a commercial for "VitaminWater" alongside NASCAR driver Carl Edwards. He played the role of Edwards' "spiritual guide" dressed in a kimono, reminiscent of his character in "The Karate Kid." In October 2008, he appeared in several episodes of the TV series "Ugly Betty" as local politician Archie Rodriguez.
Despite more than a quarter-century passing since the release of "The Karate Kid," Macchio ranked first on VH1's list of "100 Greatest Teen Stars" in 2008. More recently, he participated in the twelfth season of "Dancing with the Stars" and finished in fourth place.
Ralph Macchio met his future wife, Phyllis Fierro, a practicing nurse, through his grandmother when he was 15 years old. They got married in 1987 and have two children, Julia and Daniel.
