It wasn’t until Pat Morita’s death that Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reunited, leading to Cobra Kai and the rest is history

Many fans may not know that the stars of the iconic 1984 film The karate childRalph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso) and William Zabka (Johnny Lawrence), weren’t exactly friends in real life either.

According to The Guardian, an accident occurred during the filming of the Halloween fight that actually knocked Macchio out. This real-life misstep only added to the intensity of their on-screen feud. In fact, they lost touch for almost two decades! But life, as it often does, had a surprising way of bringing them back together.

The death of Pat Morita brought Ralph Macchio and William Zabka closer together

The turning point in their relationship came in 2005, during the funeral of their beloved co-star Pat Morita, who played the wise and inspiring Mr. Miyagi. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka both looked up to him, who was like a mentor and a friend to them. When the two saw each other at his memorial service after not speaking for years, they felt a deep sadness and began to see each other in a new light. As Macchio told People:

We hadn’t spoken for probably 15, 20 years when Pat passed. I remember seeing Billy at the memorial in Vegas, and I just had an emotional feeling. It was a comfort to see him there. And from that moment on, our adult friendship began to develop, and it was very meaningful.

In his memoirs, Waxing On: The Karate Kid and MeMacchio recounted that moment and wrote:

For the first time, after so many years of absence, I saw Billy from a different perspective.

The mutual feeling led to a strong bond between the two stars. This surprising reunion became the starting point for something much bigger — Cobra Kai!

Miyagi’s legacy lives on in Cobra Kai

Jump ahead to 2018 and Cobra Kai was born, and brought the Karate child rivalry between adult Daniel and Johnny. The show’s success came from the real-life connection between Macchio and Zabka, a bond that began in that Las Vegas funeral hall.

The connection between the characters on screen was amazing, making the show feel real and relatable to the audience. The sixth and final season of Cobra Kai more about Mr. Miyagi’s past.

“We always wanted to weave Miyagi into the show,” said Macchio. This journey through Miyagi’s history added tension to the story and served as a final tribute to the character that united the actors and the show.

Watch Cobra Kai on Netflix.