Alamy Wax on, wax off ... On June 22, 1984, audiences were first introduced to Los Angeles' new kid, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who learned both karate skills and lasting life lessons from the insightful Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki "Pat" Morita). The film became a smash hit, earning over $100 million worldwide and kicking off a multi-film franchise known as the "Miyagi verse." Whilethe 2010 rebootstarringJackie ChanandJaden Smithoffered a standalone story centered on kung fu,The Karate Kid,Part II(1986),Part III(1989),The Next Karate Kid(1994) and the Netflix seriesCobra Kaiall exist within the same shared universe. Now, both worldsare set to collidewith the newest installment,Karate Kid: Legends, which hits theaters on May 30, 2025. Legendsreunites Macchio's Daniel and Chan's Mr. Han as they train their new prodigy, Li Fong (Ben Wang). "Seeing how important Li Fong is to Mr. Han and Daniel's relationship to Miyagi — there's a parallel there," Macchio said in afirst-look teaser. "And now, combining those worlds in an authentic way, the kung fu and karate, it's something fresh." Ahead of the release ofLegends, here's a look back at where everything started (after all, "balance is key") and see where the original stars are today — and which onesreprised their rolesalong the way. Photo 12/Alamy; Sean Zanni/Getty Macchio was best known for his role as Johnny Cade in 1983'sThe Outsidersbefore playing Daniel LaRusso, the new kid at his L.A. high school. After Daniel is bullied by his classmates, he is encouraged to take karate lessons to defend himself. Apart from scoring another starring role in the 1992 hit comedyMy Cousin Vinny, Macchio has appeared on series and reality TV shows, includingUgly Betty,How I Met Your Mother,The DeuceandDancing with the Stars. Embracing the impact of his workinThe Karate Kid, Macchio went on to reprise the same character inPart II,Part IIIandLegends, as well as onCobra Kaifrom 2018 to 2025. "I knew of the impact ofThe Karate Kidfilm for decades and decades and how it's a piece of pop culture and a piece of your childhood. So I knew it was beloved. I knew the characters were beloved ... It's equal parts nostalgia and, kinda now, contemporary relevance," he said during a 2022appearance onJimmy Kimmel Live!"When I get 8- and 10-year-old kids that are inspired by these characters and the themes of that movie, there's only one thing to do: Embrace it." Off-screen, Macchio has been married to nurse practitionerPhyllis Fierrosince 1987. Together, theyshare two children: sonDaniel(named after hisKarate Kidcharacter) and daughter Julia (who had a role on season 4 ofCobra Kai, playing Daniel LaRusso's cousin). In 2022, Macchio told PEOPLE how proud he was watching Julia on the set ofCobra Kai. "She knocked it out of the park," he said. "I was the proud father on setthat day. As soon as she ran our first take, everybody was like, 'Holy crap, she's got this character.' " Macchio received a star next to the late Morita on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2024. He was joined by family and friends, and formerKarate KidandCobra KaicostarsWilliam ZabkaandTamlyn Tomitaspoke at the celebration. "I've just learned to be so gratefuland appreciative at this age in my life, absorbing and learning and sharing the wisdom that I've gained from others, paying that legacy forward, whether that be with the young cast ofCobra Kaior friends of my kids," Macchio said at the ceremony. United Archives GmbH/Alamy; Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Morita played the iconic role of Mr. Miyagi, a maintenance worker in the LaRussos' new apartment building. However, Mr. Miyagi also has a secret: He's a karate expert. BeforeThe Karate Kid, Morita was already recognizable for his portrayal of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi onHappy Daysfrom 1975 to 1983. Still,The Karate Kidwas the actor's career-defining role. Morita was nominated for anOscarfor Best Supporting Actor in 1985 for his performance as Miyagi. He reprised his role as Mr. Miyagi in bothKarate Kidsequels, as well as the fourth film,The Next Karate Kid, oppositeHilary Swankin her first major role. After his time in the martial arts franchise, Morita starred on the Nickelodeon seriesThe Mystery Files of Shelby Wooas Mike Woo, Shelby's (Irene Ng) grandfather. The show was groundbreaking for being the network's first show with an Asian lead. Morita was married to actressEvelyn Guerrerofrom 1994 until hedied of kidney failurein 2005 at the age of 73. His impact and memory have lived on, even onCobra Kai. In 2022, Macchio wrote a guest essay for PEOPLE honoring Morita's mark as Mr. Miyagi. "The legacy of your work and contribution to the world inyour portrayal of Mr. Miyagi shines brighter than ever," Macchio wrote to his late costar. "He lives and breathes in a new chapter of theKarate Kiduniverse." Maximum Film/Alamy; Charley Gallay/Getty Zabka played Johnny Lawrence, a bully who beats up Daniel and later becomes his adversary in the All Valley karate tournament. After starring inThe Karate Kid,Zabka landed roles in 1985'sNational Lampoon's European Vacationand 1986'sBack to School. He also returned forTheKarate Kid Part II. Throughout the early 2000s, Zabka became a regular on Syfy (then named the Sci-Fi Channel) and starred in many of their made-for-TV movies, includingPython(2000),Python 2(2002) andAntibody(2002). In 2018, Zabka reprised his role as Johnny onCobra Kai,where his character and Daniel eventually put their rivalry to rest — a development he said he was thankful for. "For years, I had dads dragging their kids over to meet me just to point out the biggest bully on the planet," he told PEOPLE in 2021. "To have people rooting for my character, for me to feel that, is something I've never experienced. It's remarkable." Since 2008, Zabka has been married to his wife, businesswoman Stacie Zabka, with whom he raised three children. Columbia Pictures/Album/Alamy; Manny Carabel/Getty Elisabeth Shueplayed Ali Mills, Daniel's crush and Johnny's ex-girlfriend. A few years afterThe Karate Kid, Shue starred in the 1987 cult hitAdventures in Babysitting, which spawned a Disney Channel remake in 2016. Shue continued to land massive roles, starring inCocktail(1988),Back to the FuturePart II(1989) andPartIII(1990). She earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in 1996 for her role inLeaving Las Vegas. Her last major role before taking a break was in 2000'sHollow ManoppositeKevin Bacon. After that film, Shuewent back to Harvardto complete her degree in political science — she had withdrawn in 1989 to focus on acting full-time,per theHarvard Crimson. Shue returned to acting in the 2010s and has had leading roles on several shows — includingSuper Pumped,On the Verge,The BoysandCSI: Crime Scene Investigation— as well as in films such asBattle of the Sexes(2019),Greyhound(2020) andThe Good Half(2023). Shue also reprised her role as Ali Mills on two episodes of season 3 ofCobra Kaiin 2021. "I was a little worried about going on the show at first because I didn't like the way my character had been written out ofKarate Kid2," she said during a 2025 panel discussion at MegaCon Orlando. "It's all about the vindication of Ali. We needed that. Without Ali, there is noKarate Kid. There is no Cobra." In 1994, Shue marriedDavis Guggenheim, a filmmaker known for the 2006 Oscar-winning documentaryAn Inconvenient Truthand the 2023Emmy Award-winningStill: A Michael J. Fox Movie. Together, the couple has three children. AJ Pics/Alamy; Gerardo Mora/Getty Martin Koveplayed John Kreese, Johnny's karate mentor, who encourages his students to play dirty and harass Daniel. Kove reprised his role inPart IIandPart III, and after appearing on the season 1 finale ofCobra Kai, he joined the main cast in the following season. In terms of where Kreese ended up, Kove told PEOPLE in 2025 that he was proud of the character's arc throughout the series. "I've been pushing vulnerability for this characterfor a long time, and sometimes he gets it, sometimes he doesn't," he said. "But the way it ended ... it just was rich. It's what I like to do more than kicking ass and all that." Kove continued, "I like the fact that they took the character all the way from the darkest place inKarate Kid.I signed on to do the deal only if they'd write vulnerable scenes and show how he got to be the way he was, and they did, slowly, in five seasons, exactly what I wanted to do." Outside of theKarate Kidfranchise, Kove had a starring role on the hit seriesCagney & Laceyand appeared inWyatt Earp(1994),Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood(2019) andFight Another Day(2024). In 2021, hecompeted on season 30ofDancing with the Stars; however, hewas eliminated in the first round. According to theTampa Bay Times, Kove has been dating Mary Scavo Squire since 2016. He's also a father to twins Rachael and Jesse — the latter played the bully who torments the younger version of Kreese in flashbacks during seasons 3 and 4 ofCobra Kai. Columbia Pictures; Amanda Edwards/Getty Randee Heller played Lucille LaRusso, Daniel's hardworking single mom who relocates with her son from New Jersey to California. Before joining the cast ofThe Karate Kid, Heller had already made entertainment history when she held a recurring role as Alice onSoap, becoming one of TV's first openly lesbian characters. After skippingThe Karate KidPart II, Heller returned forPart IIIin 1989. Since then, she's had a busy career, with regular appearances on series likeWho's the Boss,Mad Men,WilfredandCobra Kai. Heller's role onMad Menearned her an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actress in a drama series thanks to her scene-stealing performance as secretary Ida Blankenship. She also starred in the 2024 heist comedyMurder at Hollow CreekwithMickey Rourke,Jason PatricandPenelope Ann Miller. She shares two children with her longtime partner, TV producer Robert Griffard. Columbia Pictures; David Crotty/Getty Chad McQueen played Dutch, an aggressive Cobra Kai student who ran with Johnny's crew. The Karate Kidis Chad's best-known project. Aside from that, he starred in low-budget and straight-to-video films such asDeath Ring(1992),Firepower(1993) andThe Fall(2001), which was his final acting credit. He left entertainment to pursue sports car racing in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2006, he experienced a near-fatal crash while training for the 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race. Chad recovered from his injuries and later founded his own company, McQueen Racing, which builds custom high-performance cars. Chad is the son of racing and acting legendSteve McQueenand actress Neile Adams. From 1987 to 1990, he was married to Stacia Toten. Together, they had one child,Vampire DiariesactorSteven R. McQueen. In 1993, Chad married Jeanie Galbraith, and they had two children, Chase and Madison. On Sept. 11, 2024, the actor and race car driverdied at age 63. His former castmate, Zabka,paid tribute to himtwo days after, writingon Instagram: "Sadly, we lost the legendary Chad McQueen yesterday. I have so many great memories of him when we were filmingTheKarate Kid. He was truly one of [a] kind. He marched to the beat of his own drum and always made me laugh." Tony O'Dell Instagram Tony O'Dell played Jimmy, another Cobra Kai student and a good friend of Johnny. The Karate Kidwas O'Dell's first major role. In 1986, he returned forPart II, and that same year he began starring as Alan Pinkard on the hit seriesHead of the Class. In 2019, he reprised his role as Jimmy onCobra Kai. "I don't think they could've handled [the show] any better," O'Dell said during a 2021 appearance on theCobra Kai Kompanionpodcast. "How the characters have developed and changed, how they are handling the series, the way it looks on camera, the music, just all of it." In addition to acting, O'Dell has had a long career behind the camera working as an acting and dialogue coach onThe George Lopez Show,Girl Meets WorldandNight Court. He also worked withZendayaon her Disney Channel showsShake It UpandK.C. Undercover. Tony O'Dell Instagram; Rob Garrison Twitter Rob Garrison played Tommy, a friend of Johnny and a Cobra Kai student. AfterThe Karate Kid, Garrison starred in the 1986 filmsIron EagleandThe Karate Kid Part II. In the late '80s and early '90s, he continued making appearances on shows likeMacGyverandCoachbefore retiring from acting. Later in his life, Garrison had health issues but was able to guest star on an episode ofCobra Kaiin 2019. Later that year, hedied at age 59from liver and kidney failure. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Macchio honored his late costar. "Rob Garrison was a kind gentleman from the first day I met him to the last day we spoke. I am so glad he had the opportunity to show his range and genuine heart with his performance last season onCobra Kai." At the end of season 3's premiere episode in 2021, there was a tribute to Garrison: "Rob Garrison 1960–2019" and "Cobra Kai never dies." Columbia Pictures; Ron Thomas Instagram Ron Thomas played Bobby Brown, a Cobra Kai student who is instructed to injure Daniel with an illegal move that ultimately gets him kicked out of the competition. Thomas returned forThe Karate Kid Part IIand had a minor role in 1987'sThe Big Betbefore retiring from acting. He reprised his role as Bobby Brown on seasons 2, 3 and 5 ofCobra Kai. According to his website, Thomas is a martial artist and offers motivational speeches and online classes about mindfulness as Sensei Ron Thomas. Read the original article onPeople
