Ralph Macchio is featured in a More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story exclusive clip. Most famous for his role as Daniel LaRusso from the 1984 film The Karate Kid, Macchio is currently starring in Cobra Kai, the continued story reboot of the iconic classic and one of the biggest shows on Netflix. In the former, he worked alongside comedian and actor Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, who played the legendary role of Mr. Miyagi, the handyman turned karate teacher, mentor, and best friend to Daniel. Prior to the career-defining Karate Kid, to which Morita would ultimately earn an Oscar nomination, Macchio was best known as “Johnny” in the movie The Outsiders, in 1983, and Morita as “Arnold” from the hit 70s sitcom, Happy Days.
Morita and Macchio’s Mr. Miyagi and Daniel would become a widely beloved pair, and their father & son-like bond one of the most endearing relationships in cinematic history. Together they’d reprise these roles twice over in the sequels — The Karate Kid Part II in 1986, and The Karate Kid Part III in 1989. Five years later, Morita would revisit Miyagi once more for 1994’s The Next Karate Kid, however this time without Macchio, and Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) becoming the new protégée. Macchio continued to be featured in hit films like My Cousin Vinny with Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei and appear in recurring roles on television shows like Ugly Betty. Morita would later star in Nickelodeon’s The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo and lend his voice talents to Disney classics Mulan and Mulan II. Morita sadly passed away at 73 years old in November 2005.
In the recently announced documentary More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story, Macchio speaks out about his co-star and friend. In an exclusive ScreenRant YouTube clip, he tells of two particularly memorable scenes during filming the original Karate Kid — the moment where Daniel first learns the method behind the madness of Miyagi’s unusual karate tutelage and the time his character discovers more about the prior life of his mentor. Here is the clip below:
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story is a tribute to the man who left an indelible mark on Hollywood and whose characters have meant so much to so many. From Love Project Films, the documentary will feature a full biography — his life and struggles, archival interviews of Morita, footage of his comedy career, and clips of his appearances throughout film and television. The doc will also host interviews from co-stars, family, friends, and those who knew him best, including Macchio, William Zabka, also from The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai, Henry Winkler, aka “The Fonz” from Happy Days, and fellow legendary comic Tommy Chong.
Despite having passed away more than 15 years ago, the legacy of Morita continues to live on. He was, and continues to be, the heart of The Karate Kid universe, and that spirit has carried over to Cobra Kai, reaching and inspiring a whole new generation of fans. The documentary More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story will be available across streaming services on February 5th, 2021.