What Is ‘The Karate Kid’ Star Ralph Macchio’s Net Worth?

Ralph Macchio's net worth

Actor Ralph Macchio is best known for playing Daniel La Russo in "Karate Kid." He later played the same character in the sequel television series, "Cobra Kai." Ralph Macchio is also known for playing Cade in the show "The Outsiders" and has the recurring role of Officer Haddix in "The Deuce." The renowned actor has a net worth of $8 million as of October 2023, per Celebrity Net Worth.

Ralph Macchio's sources of income

He started acting at 22 and did many TV shows and movies. The primary sources of his income have always been acting and producing. 

Career highlights

His journey in the entertainment industry began when he was taking tap dance classes and was noticed by an agent in his teens. He bagged a few commercials during the late '70s and early '80s and made his screen debut in 1980. He was seen in the 1980 Mad Magazine film "Up the Academy", which was an R-rated film about boys at a military academy. He then landed a recurring role in the hit family comedy-drama TV series, "Eight is Enough."

After a few more roles and appearances, he landed his breakthrough role in the movie "Outsiders", which was based on the eponymous novel by SE Hinton. The film follows two gangs of teenage boys and features other famous actors like Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe in their early days. He soon landed the lead role in "The Karate Kid," which was loosely based on a newspaper article about a young boy who deals with bullying at school by mastering martial arts. The titular character was renamed from Danny Webber to Daniel LaRusso to match Macchio's Italian-American heritage. The film's enormous success resulted in two more sequels, "The Karate Kid Part II" and "The Karate Kid Part III." 

He appeared in several projects including "Crossroads", which was released in 1986 and "My Cousin Vinny " where he played the young New Yorker who was on trial for murder in Alabama. He was seen opposite legendary actor Robert De Niro in the Broadway show "Cuba and His Teddy Bear" in 1986. After a short break from acting, he returned to the TV sitcom "Ugly Betty." In 2018, he returned to the YouTube-produced reboot of "The Karate Kid," titled "Cobra Kai" He reportedly received $100,000 per episode for the first two seasons. 

Ralph Macchio's personal life

Ralph George Macchio Jr. was born in Huntington, New York on November 4, 1961 to Rosalie (née DeSantis) and Ralph Macchio, Sr. who owned a ranch. He is married to nurse practitioner Phyllis Fierro, who was introduced by his grandmother when he was just 15 years old. The couple got married in 1987 and have two children. 

Ralph Macchio's assets

Not much is known about his assets. However, he has long owned a seafront house in Montauk, NY. The property is also available for rent with a monthly fee of $40,000. The estimated worth of the home is somewhere around  $4 million. 

Ralph Macchio's social media following

Ralph Macchio's awards

Primetime Emmy Awards- nominated in the year 2021 for "Cobra Kai"

Kids' Choice Awards, USA- nominated in 2023 and 2022 for "Cobra Kai"

Long Island International Film Expo- Winner 2002, 2001 for "Love Thy Brother"

Razzie Awards- nominated in 1990 for "The Karate Kid Part III"

Santa Barbara International Film Festival- nominated in 2014 for "Across Grace Alley"

Stony Brook Film Festival- 2002 winner for "Love Thy Brother"

LifeArt Festival- winner 2022 for "Cobra Kai"

American Short Film Awards- winner 2014 for "Across Grace Alley"

FAQs

Is Ralph Macchio full Italian?

His father is of half Italian and half Greek descent and his mother is Italian. 

Is Ralph Macchio good at karate in real life?

No, the actor has had no formal training in martial arts.

Why did Ralph Macchio stop making "Karate Kid" movies?

After three films, Macchio didn't think there was more to add to the story so he stopped making them.