The Truth Behind The Real-Life Feud Between Ralph Macchio & William Zabka
The Karate Kid duo hated each other for a long time.
Before YouTube Red decided to continue the Karate Kid storyline as the Cobra Kai TV series, the famous martial arts franchise was fondly remembered as nostalgia fuel, not a great piece of filmmaking per se.
While many fans grew up watching Ralph Macchio and William Zabka beat the crap out of each other, no one thought that the actors would ever reprise their roles, especially with the two of them feuding with each other for decades.
While Macchio and Zabka always acted like total professionals and put their personal feelings aside while filming the original movies, the duo actually couldn't stand each other in real life, all because of a physical altercation during one of the scenes.
When the cast was filming the iconic Halloween fight scene in the first part of The Karate Kid, one wrong move by Zabka angered Macchio, as the actor managed to unintentionally knock out the film's main star. When Macchio came to his senses after the injury, the feud was born, with both actors continuing to hate each other for decades to come.
Macchio and Zabka made it seem like they didn't hold a grudge during their public meetings, but their feud wasn't over until the death of actor Pat Morita in 2005 when the two co-stars decided to reconcile.
To their surprise, they found that they shared many interests, so the stars embarked on a friendship the moment they ended their feud. Thanks to this, the two actors started seeing each other more often, which prompted YouTube executives to approach them with an idea for a sequel series, Cobra Kai.
So it looks like Macchio and Zabka's making up with each other not only saved their own careers, but also managed to cement the Karate Kid's legacy, as Cobra Kai would never have become a reality if the two were still feuding in 2018.
Fans are more than grateful that Macchio and Zabka became good friends after ending the two-decade conflict, as seeing the two actors enjoy each other's company is a true gift for longtime Karate Kid followers.