Ralph Macchio about getting into his last kicks in ‘Cobra Kai’

When Ralph Macchio was first contacted by making a “karate kid” series about the adult lives in Daniel Larusso and Johnny Lawrence, he was skeptical.

“I was like,” I’m a car seller? “Said Macchio, who starred in the original 1984 film as Daniel, a teenage transplant to southern California, who learns karate and defeats his bully, Johnny (William Zabka), on the mat.

“They didn’t have me hello,” he said.

But at a meeting that lasted over three hours in the yard at the Greenwich Hotel, in Lower Manhattan, creators won the creators Josh Head, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg him with their vision for that series, “Cobra Kai.” It wasn’t just a nostalgia game. It also seemed to introduce a whole new generation of karate children.

“When they started talking about the younger characters – Miguel, Samantha, the next generation – and custody,” said Macchio, “I started to lean forward.”

Now, six seasons later, “Cobra Kai”, put in the San Fernando Valley about 30 years after the events of “The Karate Kid,” will release its last five episodes on Netflix on Thursday. The series, which plays Macchio and Zabka, puts a new lens on Johnny, which begins as a deathbeat father, haunted by his fall from grace in the 1980s, but finds a new purpose in reopening Cobra Kai Dojo and reigning his rivalry with Daniel.

“It ends up in a way that has all these ’80s movie feelings and cheering and tears, and yet it sees through a’ Cobra Kai ‘kind of lens,” Macchio said in a recent video call from his Long Island home. Dressed in a black t-shirt, a zipper hoodie and a pair of large black headphones, so he still got ready to make a pair of crane kicks in the backyard-despite a well-known reluctance to conflict.

“I’ve never been to a real fight,” Macchio said. “I save it to the movies. I’m not the fighter jet so. I’d rather negotiate myself out. “

Although “Cobra Kai” is complete, Macchio will recreate his role as the adult Daniel in the next “Karate Kid” movie, “Karate Kid: Legends”, which is scheduled for release on May 30. (Jackie Chan also returns as Mr. Han, a character from 2010 “Karate Kid” movie.) Set three years after the events of “Cobra Kai”, it follows a teenage kung fu wonder child, Li Fong (Ben Wang) who Fighting to fit in after moving to New York City from Beijing with his mother. He participates in a karate competition with Daniel and Mr. He as his mentors.

In conversation, Macchio was wood chipper and Gregarious; As a 63-year-old, he still had the youthful appearance and charm of his strained 80s character. He also still has the yellow 1947 Ford Convertible from the 1984 movie, which he continues to park in his garage and occasionally runs.

Macchio shared what it was like to embrace a minor heroic role for Daniel in “Cobra Kai”, what holds him back to the franchise and what his ideal death for Daniel would be. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

“Cobra Kai” wraps Thursday after six seasons. How are you doing?

I feel good because when is this happening? A show based on a movie from 34 years before creating a new fandom and new generations of fans around a franchise. It feels like it is landing at the right time and not overpowering its welcome. I am excited for fans all over the world to see Johnny and Daniel, and all the characters come in for a landing.

How was the last day of set?

It’s less goodbye for me and more “See you next time.” As everywhere and as big as “Cobra Kai” came with these fights and the unintended deaths and all these zillions of characters, it was still born out of Daniel and Johnny’s rivalry and now, in return, friendship. And it is kind of life that imitates art that imitates life – not that Billy and I were ever rivals, but we were never as close as we are today.

You’ve said no to a lot of “karate kid” -spinoff suggestions for years. What did this do to yes?

One of the most important things for me was that I wanted the Pat Morita Miyagi character to be woven throughout the series. Without Pat Morita’s performance, we don’t have this conversation today. I don’t think movies are sailing without that character. So I would protect it.

Is there a specific moment when you remember saying, “Daniel Larusso would definitely not do it”?

There is a scene in section 5 of this season where Daniel beats Johnny in the face. And I said, “It really has to be eligible.” And they said, “Well, he’s offalance, these things are going on,” but it’s not just that. It was a debate because it is a fantastic scene for William: He is being beaten in the face and he would usually have beaten back, but he does not, which is a beautiful thing. It shows his growth. I don’t know if we fully agreed if it was justified enough, but at the end of the day we shot the scene. It works. There is redemption. But I wanted it to be warmer, so there would not be a question of why he would tilt it out.

What was it like to see a new child, Xolo Maridueña, Effective Play Daniel role as Miguel?

I don’t like being the old guy but I like to be the guy who tells them stories from back on the day and they all lean and they love to hear them. And I’m quite inspired by their work ethics – I remember standing here and watching Miguel put the headband on. Xolo just got out of his shoes with excitement and it was like: “Wow, I was in this backyard painted fence before you were born. And now I teach you how to paint the fence and grow the car. “It’s the once I was really emotional early in the show.

Do they feel “karate kid” projects you’ve done, like a comfort rug, or are they still challenging?

Both. It’s a comfort rug because I feel that confidence when I go into it because I feel no one knows better because I’ve experienced it all. But on the flip side it is, how do you keep it fresh? There are certainly some episodes in “Cobra Kai” when I felt we were trying not to repeat ourselves, but it’s hard not when you’re in the same city that has the same argument about the same sport. That has been the challenge.

How do you like and dislike Daniel?

I am far more analytical and prepared in advance for as many wickerballs as possible. I’m not a full control addict but I like to hear something out and digest it before I jump. But Daniel – because it makes it far more entertaining – jumps first and then deals with the consequences later.

We are very similar in the sense that his family, his mother, his mentor in Miyagi, is what he has the highest. He is a good -hearted person who cares and is vulnerable, yet open and positive. That’s the one I would like to think I am.

You also have a reputation for being a lovely guy in real life.

I always joking that I was like the anti-“true Hollywood story”-if they did one on me, it would be like a minute. But that’s not right. There are certainly shocks and warts. My biggest mistake, I would say, is that sometimes, if I feel out of control over a situation, or if I’m afraid of something or worried, my decision making is not my best.

Are you played to make more “karate kid” spinoffs in the future, or is this movie ending?

Hear, I said it was the end for me when I finished the last 1980s “Karate Kid” movie. So I will say never say never. If “Karate Kid: Legends” is doing well, I would very much like to watch a “Cobra Kai” movie in two or three years. As long as there is a way to be truthful to the characters, to run a story in a way that opens it to generations, it is something I would be open to having a conversation about.

If you should choose how your character died ——

—— goes out of a cliff with the ultimate spinning tornado kick.