The best Ralph Macchio movies and TV shows include his portrayal as one of the most iconic characters in movie history, but his career is so much more than just Daniel LaRusso. Macchio got his start at 19, playing younger high school characters in the TV show Eight Is Enough and the S.E. Hinton young adult adaptation, The Outsiders. However, all this led to his most defining role, one that almost pigeonholed him for most of his career due to its overwhelming popularity.
In 1984, Ralph Macchio signed on to appear in the coming-of-age young adult film The Karate Kid, and it made him a major star. Since that time, his most notable roles have all been in that franchise, including two sequels in which he starred, the Netflix streaming series Cobra Kai, and a 2025 release featuring Jackie Chan – Karate Kid: Legends. However, while most fans know Macchio primarily as Daniel LaRusso, he has also had several other notable roles, including one of the most beloved cult films of the 1990s, My Cousin Vinny.
You are watching: Ralph Macchio’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows
10
Teachers (1984)
Eddie Pilikian
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Teachers
R
Comedy
Drama
Release Date
October 5, 1984
Runtime
107 minutes
Director
Arthur Hiller
Writers
W.R. McKinney
Producers
Aaron Russo
Cast
See All
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JoBeth Williams
Lisa Hammond
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Nick Nolte
Alex Jurel
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Judd Hirsch
Roger Rubell
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Ralph Macchio
Eddie Pilikian
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In the same year that Ralph Macchio starred in The Karate Kid, he also appeared in the black comedy Teachers, which was released four months later. Directed by Arthur Hiller (Love Story), Teachers tells the story of a school facing a damaging lawsuit from a former student who claims they graduated despite being illiterate. The school then tries to force a popular teacher to quit. Nick Nolte plays the teacher, while Ralph Macchio plays a student named Eddie whom he is mentoring.
The film received mixed to positive reviews, with some praising the satire but criticizing the “jarring tonal shifts.” Most of the acclaim went to the cast playing the teachers, but some critics said the film didn’t go far enough in its critique of the problems in secondary education. At 23, Macchio played the only major student in the movie, which made him the focus of a story about students struggling to get an education in a system that is barely focused on that goal.
9
Psych (2014)
Nick Conforth
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Psych
Comedy
Mystery
Crime
8/10
60
9.2/10
Release Date
2006 – 2014-00-00
Network
USA
Showrunner
Steve Franks
Directors
Mel Damski, Steve Franks
Writers
Andy Berman, Steve Franks
Cast
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Dulé Hill
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Kirsten Nelson
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Ralph Macchio only appeared in two episodes of the television comedy Psych, but he was so memorable that he ended up returning for the 2017 release of Psych: The Movie. When Shawn Spencer’s (James Roday) dad, Henry (Corbin Bernsen), and Police Chief Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson) believe Shawn and Gus (Dule Hill) need better training, they send them on a three-week crash course at the police academy. Macchio plays trainer Nick Conforth, a man who wasn’t suited for active police duty himself.
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Macchio was hilarious as Lassie’s (Timothy Omundson) former rival, who ended up failing as a police officer and now has to settle for training others. He later returned in the final season as a different character in an absurdist remake episode. His reappearance in Psych: The Movie as Officer Conforth was a welcome surprise for fans because of the popularity of the role and performance.
8
The Deuce (2017-2018)
Officer Haddix
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The Deuce
Drama
Release Date
2017 – 2019-00-00
Network
HBO Max
Directors
David Simon
Writers
David Simon
Cast
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James Franco
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Maggie Gyllenhaal
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Before he returned to the mainstream as Daniel LaRusso in Cobra Kai, Ralph Macchio took on a role in a different TV series. This was The Deuce, which details the golden age of pornography and starred James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal in the lead roles. Ralph Macchio had a recurring role as Officer Haddix in 17 episodes of the series, which ran for three seasons and a total of 25 episodes. Officer Haddix was a jaded vice cop in Times Square during an era when the police force was corrupt.
This was a different look for Macchio, as he played a mostly corrupt cop with a “shoot first, ask questions later” attitude.
The series focuses mainly on the legitimization of the sex industry in the 1970s. At the same time, Macchio was part of the storyline dealing with how the police responded to the changes concerning pornography and prostitution at the time. However, this was a different look for Macchio, as he played a mostly corrupt cop with a “shoot first, ask questions later” attitude. The series received mostly positive reviews, but only picked up one Golden Globe nomination (for Gyllenhaal).
7
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Ugly Betty (2008-2009)
Archie Rodriguez
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ugly betty
Drama
9.0/10
Release Date
2006 – 2010-00-00
Network
ABC
Directors
Silvio Horta
Writers
Silvio Horta
Cast
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America Ferrera
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Ana Ortiz
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One of Ralph Macchio’s earlier TV roles was in 2008, when he landed a recurring part on the sitcom Ugly Betty. The sitcom stars America Ferrera as Betty Suarez, a writer working for a fashion magazine who often feels she doesn’t fit in. The show also focuses on Betty’s home life with dad Ignacio (Tony Plata) and sister Hilda (Ana). That is where Ralph Macchio fits in, as he plays Archie Rodriguez, a local city council member who is dating Betty’s sister Hilda.
Macchio appeared in the third and fourth seasons of the show for a total of 11 episodes. He was involved in several moments with Hilda, but things fell apart when she cheated on him with her ex-boyfriend, Bobby Talerico (Adam Rodriguez), and ended up pregnant. This ended their relationship, and she eventually married Bobby before the series concluded. The series ended after its fourth season, but it won three Primetime Emmy and two Golden Globe Awards during its run.
6
Hitchcock (2012)
Joseph Stefano
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Hitchcock
PG-13
Drama
6/10
Release Date
November 22, 2012
Runtime
98 Minutes
Director
Sacha Gervasi
Writers
John J. McLaughlin
Cast
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Anthony Hopkins
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Helen Mirren
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In 2012, Sacha Gervasi directed a biopic about Alfred Hitchcock, with Anthony Hopkins starring as the iconic director and Helen Mirren as his wife, Alma Reville. The film had an impressive cast, with Scarlett Johansson starring as Janet Leigh, Jessica Biel as Vera Miles, and Michael Wincott as Ed Gein. While his character isn’t as well-known to mainstream audiences, Ralph Macchio starred as Joseph Stefano, the screenwriter who adapted Robert Bloch’s novel Psycho.
This was an important role, since the movie mostly followed Hitchcock’s life after the release of North by Northwest and during the making of the horror classic Psycho. Reviews were mixed to positive, with a 60% rating on Rotten Tomatoes but it did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. However, the actor who received the most attention was Helen Mirren, who received a Golden Globe nomination and ultimately became a finalist for several critics’ awards.
5
Crossroads (1986)
Eugene Martone
One of the least talked-about Ralph Macchio roles was in the 1986 movie Crossroads. Released two years after The Karate Kid, Macchio starred as 17-year-old Eugene Martone, a young man with a massive interest in blues music who studies at Juilliard. He begins studying the mythical story of Robert Johnson and about how he sold his soul to the Devil at the crossroads for his musical success. He delves deep into researching Johnson and his mysterious “missing song,” and this leads to his own crossroads encounter.
This happens when he helps one of Johnson’s old friends, a man named Willie, escape from prison in exchange for information about the missing song. This is when Eugene learns that the legends were true and the devil does exist at the crossroads. The story is a retelling of the Robert Johnson tale, and anyone who has heard “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” is likely familiar with how the film ends. Directed by Walter Hill (48 Hrs), Crossroads has an 82% “fresh” Rotten Tomatoes score.
4
The Outsiders (1983)
Johnny Cade
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The Outsiders
Drama
Release Date
1990 – 1990-00-00
Network
FOX
Directors
Bill Duke, Janet Greek, Gwen Arner, Jan Eliasberg, Lee H. Katzin, Michael Toshiyuki Uno, Sharron Miller
Writers
Alan Shapiro, Bruce Kirschbaum, David Abramowitz, Ira Steven Behr, James Kearns, Jeb Rosebrook, Joe Byrne, Robert Harders, Todd Robinson, Tammy Adler
Cast
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Beth Grant
Mrs. Jones
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Billy Bob Thornton
Buck Merrill
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Brandon Hooper
Louis
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Christian Frizzell
Soc #1
Creator(s)
S.E. Hinton
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While not his first film role, The Outsiders was Ralph Macchio’s breakout movie. Of course, this was true for the entire cast of Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of the S.E. Hinton novel. The 1983 film starred young talent including C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Ralph Macchio, and Rob Lowe in his first-ever movie role. Taking place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the story follows two youth gangs – the wealthy Socs and the poor greasers.
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Ralph Macchio may be most famous for The Karate Kid, but before that, he played a pivotal role in The Outsiders alongside many future A-listers.
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The main characters were Dally (Swayze), Ponyboy (Howell), and Soda Curtis (Lowe), three brothers who had to take care of themselves after their parents’ deaths. Macchio stars as Johnny Cade, Ponyboy’s best friend, who was the catalyst for the major rumble in the film, and also as the heart and soul of the story when he sacrifices himself for his friends. The film received mostly positive reviews, with praise going towards the cast and the script’s ability to make them sound like real kids.
3
The Karate Kid (1984)
Daniel LaRusso
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The Karate Kid
PG
Family
Drama
Action
Sport
8/10
34
8.5/10
Release Date
June 22, 1984
Runtime
126 minutes
Director
John G. Avildsen
Writers
Robert Mark Kamen
Sequel(s)
The Karate Kid Part II, The Karate Kid Part III
Cast
See All
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Ralph Macchio
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Pat Morita
Franchise(s)
The Karate Kid
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The movie that made Ralph Macchio a star is the same role that typecast him and stunted his career for decades. In 1984, Macchio took on the part of Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid. The movie follows a single mother who moves to a new town with her teenage son, and he finds that making friends is not easy in his new town. When the local bullies, all members of a karate dojo, target him, Daniel meets a karate sensei named Mr. Miyagi and begins training to defend himself, eventually coming into his own.
To understand what this meant to his career, Macchio got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – right next to Pat Morita’s.
The film was a massive success and remains one of the best martial arts dramas of all time, as well as a defining hit of the 1980s. It made $130 million on an $8 million budget and spawned a franchise that has included sequels, spinoffs, and TV shows. Pat Morita even picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Macchio returned for the first two sequels but didn’t return for the fourth movie. To understand what this meant to his career, Macchio got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – right next to Pat Morita’s.
2
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
Bill Gambini
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My Cousin Vinny
R
Comedy
10.0/10
Release Date
March 13, 1992
Runtime
120 minutes
Director
Jonathan Lynn
Writers
Dale Launer
Producers
Paul Schiff
Cast
See All
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Joe Pesci
Vincent ‘Vinny’ Gambini
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Marisa Tomei
Mona Lisa Vito
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While everyone associates Ralph Macchio with The Karate Kid franchise, there is another movie that is even better and ranks as one of the best cult classics of the 1990s. In 1992, Macchio starred in My Cousin Vinny. In this movie, he played a college student named Bill Gambini who ends up being arrested for a murder he never committed. He and his best friend have to stand trial in a small town in front of a no-nonsense judge, played by Fred Gwynne, who seems ready to throw them both in jail without a trial.
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However, while Macchio was great in this role, it was Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei who stole the show as Vinny Gambini, Bill’s cousin, who arrives to represent him, and Vinny’s fiancée, Mona Lisa Vito. Vinny, however, has no trial experience and barely passed the bar, so this isn’t an easy case to win. The biggest shock of all came at the Academy Awards that year when Tomei won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the movie, which has an 85% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
1
Cobra Kai (2018-2025)
Daniel LaRusso
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Cobra Kai
TV-14
Drama
Comedy
Action
8/10
327
9.1/10
Release Date
2018 – 2025-00-00
Network
Netflix, YouTube Premium
Showrunner
Jon Hurwitz
Directors
Hayden Schlossberg, Jon Hurwitz, Joel Novoa, Jennifer Celotta, Steven K. Tsuchida, Sherwin Shilati, Marielle Woods, Steve Pink, Lin Oeding, Michael Grossman
Writers
Josh Heald, Ashley Darnall, Chris Rafferty, Bill Posley
Cast
See All
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Ralph Macchio
Daniel LaRusso
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William Zabka
Johnny Lawrence
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In 2018, Ralph Macchio returned to the role that made him famous, starring as Daniel LaRusso in the streaming series Cobra Kai. For years, The Karate Kid had developed an interesting side story, with many people feeling Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) got a raw deal in the movie, especially since the real villain was Martin Kove’s John Kreese. This series allowed Johnny to have his day in the sun, and interestingly, it almost portrayed Daniel as the antagonist.
The series primarily focuses on the next generation of karate students, with Daniel and Johnny differing on how they should be trained. However, when villains return (John Kreese and Terry Silver), Johnny and Daniel have to put their lifelong feud aside and work together to help the kids, whose future is in their hands. The series lasted for six seasons and even received Primetime Emmy Award nominations. While Johnny was the hero here, Ralph Macchio slid back into the role of Daniel with ease.
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Category: Entertainment