Ralph Macchio Net Worth: Hidden Facts You Need to Know!

By Willie Neal On Nov 1, 2022

The American actor Ralph Macchio got his start in television commercials for Dr. Pepper and Bubbly Yum. Most famously known for playing “Daniel La Russo” in the venerable film series Karate Kid and the follow-up television series Cobra Kai.

He was cast in the television series Eight is Enough, and the movies The Outsiders and The Karate Kid after being seen at a dance recital when he was 16 years old. The baby-faced actor’s roles eventually dried up, and My Cousin Vinny (1992) became his next big hit.

He made a Dancing With the Stars appearance in 2011, at which point he started producing and acting in new films. It was eventually revealed in 2017 that Macchio would star alongside William Zabka, who played Johnny Lawrence in the original Karate Kid movie, in a YouTube Red series based on that movie.

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Early Years of Ralph Macchio

Ralph George Macchio Jr. was born on November 4, 1961, to Rosalie and Ralph Macchio Sr. in Huntington, Long Island, New York.

At age 3, Macchio enrolled in tap dancing lessons. At age 16, while impersonating Eddie Cantor in a local dance recital, he was discovered. Macchio was sent on commercial auditions after being introduced to an agent. In 1979, Macchio received his high school diploma from Half Hollow Hills West.

Professional Career of Ralph Macchio

Macchio debuted in Dr. Pepper and Bubble Yum commercials. His first significant role as Jeremy Andretti in the television series “Eight is Enough” helped him gain notoriety. He made his acting debut in the 1980 film Up in the Academy.

After the show ended, he went on the audition list for Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 movie The Outsiders, which is based on the same-titled novel by S. E. Hinton, and was cast as Johnny Cade alongside Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, and Matt Dillon.

Breakthrough

When Macchio was chosen to play Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid in 1984, he quickly gained international notoriety. In the sequels The Karate Kid II and The Karate Kid III, he played the same character again.

In the end, he portrayed Chris, a sexually conflicted character, in the independent film Naked in New York. After that, he played J. In a 1996 revival of the 1962 musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Pierrepont Finch starred. He received favorable comments for his portrayal in the same from both the audience and the reviewers.

Over the following few years, Macchio made appearances in cameo and guest roles in movies and television shows. In 2008, he made several appearances on ABC’s Ugly Betty, and in 2010, he played Carl Morelli in a production of “A Room of My Own.”

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Then, Macchio returned to the role of Daniel LaRusso in Cobra Kai, a Netflix action comedy-drama that debuted on YouTube in 2018 and features episodic storytelling. Macchio and William Zabka are the show’s co-executive producers.

Personal Life

Since 1987—more than 35 years ago—Macchio has been wed to nurse practitioner Phyllis Fierro. When he was 15 years old, they first connected at a cousin’s sweet 16. They go to a lot of events together and have two kids, named Julia and Daniel Macchino. The couple’s eldest daughter frequently shares candid photos of her family on Instagram.

Ralph Macchio’s Net Worth

Ralph Macchio’s net worth is projected to be $8 million as of 2022. After appearing in the Karate Kid movies, he became well-known in the entertainment industry and now makes $600k a year from acting.

His name is well-known in the industry because he has been acting since he was a young child. He has entertained us for almost 40 years in a variety of roles.