Ralph Macchio Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame as His ‘Cobra Kai’ Costars Praise His ‘Old-Fashioned Class’

“I’ve just learned to be so grateful and appreciative at this age in my life,” Macchio said Nov. 20 as he accepted his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next to his late ‘Karate Kid’ co-star Pat Morita.

Ralph Macchio is showered with love as he receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The actor, 63, was honored by friends and family on Wednesday, November 20, when he received a star next to his late The Karate Kid contributor Pat Morita in Hollywood.

William Zabka and Tamlyn Tomitawho also starred with Macchio in The Karate Kid and later Cobra Kai, spoke at the ceremony, where Zabka called Macchio “a gift” in his life.

“His passion and authenticity is infectious and challenging and everything you want and hope for in a creative partner,” said Zabka, 59. “As eloquent as he is as an artist, it doesn’t stop on screen. He’s just as genuine and sincere and good as a father, as a husband and an all-around family man.”

“I love him like a brother,” he added.

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Tomita, 58, also praised Macchio’s presence on and off camera, calling his “integrity,” “perseverance” and “good old fashioned class.”

“You have no idea how much I look up to you, how much I have loved you and learned from you and that I will always be the woman who will fight for your honor,” she said tearfully. “You are so deserving of the star and may it shine forever.”

Macchio then took the microphone to thank his mother and father, his two children, Daniel and Juliaand his wife of 37 years Phyllis Fierro. He became emotional as he continued to recognize his friends and fans who support him.

“I’ve just learned to be so grateful and appreciative at this age in my life, to absorb and learn and share the wisdom I’ve gotten from others and pass on that legacy, whether it’s with the young cast. Cobra Kai or friends of my children,” he said. what is sometimes not always a happy world.”

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Born in Huntington, New York, Macchio appeared in Eight is enough and the adult drama from 1983 The outsiders before landing the role of Daniel LaRusso in the 1984s The Karate Kid.

Karate Kids runaway success spawned four more films over the years with a sixth film – Karate Kid: Legends — with Macchio and Jackie Chan set in 2025. The franchise also inspired the sequel series Cobra Kai, which debuted on YouTube in 2018 before migrating to Netflix.

Over the years, Macchio, 63, has also appeared in TV and film projects, including My cousin Vinny, Ugly Betty, How I Met Your Mother, Deuce and Dancing with the stars.

The actor met future wife Fierro when he was just 15 at a cousin’s birthday party in his grandmother’s basement. The two tied the knot in August 1987 and share Julia, 31, and Daniel, 29.

Related: Ralph Macchio says something new The Karate Kid The film is about carrying the honesty and truth of the franchise forward (Exclusive)

“Part of the beauty of the success of Cobra Kai is how much my kids enjoy it. To bring something that was such a big part of my life 35 years ago and see it be such a present part of their lives today, it’s really wonderful,” told PEOPLE in January 2021, adding, “I’m still a geek dad!”

Although his children are all grown now, Macchio also acknowledged that he is constantly learning new things about parenting.

“You skin your knees like it’s the second day of first grade,” he explained. “‘Failure is probably the wrong word, but you learn all the time through the journey.’

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“Everything I do now, more often than 10, 15 years ago, I think about it for the sake of my children as they get older,” he continued. “They are adults, but they are always your children.”