Ralph Macchio, the actor in Cobra Kai, laments the Karate Kid’s treatment of Elisabeth Shue

0843c6ef24a9457b85f6a4f72b7ade29

Ralph Macchio, who played Elisabeth Shue in Cobra Kai, expressed remorse about the choice to remove her from The Karate Kid Part II.

Ralph Macchio gained notoriety with 1984’s The Karate Kid, but his career slowed down in the 1990s as he stopped being cast in leading parts following his supporting role in My Cousin Vinny.

But Cobra Kai, the tardy Karate Kid sequel that began on YouTube but is now a true phenomenon on Netflix, has helped him get back on track.

Tomorrow marks the release of the actor’s autobiography, Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me. While promoting the book, he talked about the choice to exclude Shue from the movie sequel.

Elisabeth Shue was dropped for The Karate Kid Part II; why?

In the first Karate Kid, Elisabeth Shue plays Ali, Daniel LaRusso’s love interest. But in The Karate Kid: Part II, she was completely absent. Instead, Daniel took a trip to Okinawa with his instructor Mr. Miyagi, where he started a new relationship with Tamlyn Tomita’s character Kumiko.

This is due to a plan by the filmmakers, which doesn’t sit well with Macchio 40 years later, for LaRusso to have a new love interest in each succeeding Karate Kid film in the James Bond tradition.

What did Ralph Macchio have to say about it?

Ralph Macchio, the actor in Cobra Kai, laments the Karate Kid's treatment of Elisabeth Shue 2

“I never looked at it from the standpoint of Ali’s character or the perspective of Elisabeth as an actor,” says actor Robert Macchio in response to a question from The Guardian about his thoughts on the elimination of Shue. As I became older, I realized there were mistakes I made and things I should have done differently.

Though he continues: “They probably would have told me, ‘Get outside, Macchio, and start practicing your karate kicks,'” Macchio says he regrets not phoning his co-star at the moment or confronting the producers. I believe the discourse would be different now.

“Women were frequently viewed as disposable in movies. Now I see that. Then? I missed seeing it. The youth was squandered on the young in this instance. I was consumed by everything going on in my life.

How Cobra Kai completed the circle

Cobra Kai’s third season saw the return of Elisabeth Shue’s Ali, who once more found himself stuck between Daniel and his archenemy Johnny (William Zabka). nonetheless, to be granted a more respectful exit.

They discussed the past once the first shock of being reunited on stage dissipated, according to Macchio. For both of us, it became extremely emotional, Macchio told The Guardian. These individuals were romantic leads in the movies. Not everything was handled properly. After then, years went by during which time life got in the way. But as actors, we also received another opportunity. And that was quite fantastic.”

Netflix is presently offering Cobra Kai for streaming.

Exit mobile version