Waxing On

Chapter One

Becoming the Kid

It was late spring 1983. The Outsiders, my first major film, based on the classic S. E. Hinton novel, was finishing up a fairly successful run at movie theaters, and the notices for my performance as Johnny Cade were pretty solid. Still, to this day, it's one of my favorite roles on film. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and featured a cast that rivals any as far as launching big careers, including those of Cruise, Swayze, Lane, Lowe, and Dillon, to name a few. So, I was feeling pretty confident that things might be lining up in a good way for me as well. I was back home in New York on Long Island in the house where I grew up. My beloved New York Islanders were poised to win their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup championship, I was listening to Springsteen's The River album on a loop, and summer was right around the corner. I wondered what would be next.

It had been a few years since I was back in my old room full-time. A poster of Scorsese's Raging Bull still lived above my bed. A framed collage of Gene Kelly was a focal point too. I wanted to be as cool and smooth as him when I was a little kid-an early influence from watching MGM movie musicals with my mom. I even took tap-dance lessons for a while in between Little League baseball games and working with my dad on Saturdays. My mom and I would often watch the four-thirty movie on WPIX, channel 11, after I got home from school. I was probably around six or seven years old when my love affair with movies and storytelling was born. My younger brother had taken more organically to the family laundromat and pump-truck businesses at that time. My mind was elsewhere, inside my imagination. In my early teens, between school plays and dance recitals, I would audition for commercials here and there. By the time I graduated high school I had landed two Bubble Yum spots and my first film role, in a movie titled Up the Academy. From there, I wanted to emulate my acting heroes.

An actor, producer, director with an extensive list of credits, Ralph Macchio is best known for his celebrated performance as Johnny in Frances Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders; the hit film My Cousin Vinny; and most notably for the title role in the popular classic The Karate Kid and its successors. Expanding further on the Karate Kid Universe, Ralph continues to reprise his iconic role of Daniel LaRusso in the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai. He lives on Long Island with his family.

[Macchio s] down-to-earth writing style suits the behind-the-scenes tales and his heartwarming meetings with fans well Macchio s sweet, nostalgic memoir is as family-friendly and instructive as its inspiration. Kirkus

Macchio, star of 1984 s The Karate Kid, produces another feel-good hit with this breezy reflection on his experience making the movie Macchio writes, The film is a prime example of when Hollywood gets it all right. It teaches and inspires through pure entertainment. Fans will find this just as entertaining. Publishers Weekly

"Waxing On is a refreshing look into a film that touched our hearts and an era that defined so many of us. Through honest and witty reflection, the reader is plunged back into the unforgettable world of The Karate Kid, and the magic that happens when Hollywood is on point. Macchio shares his unique perspective with humor and humility as well as with surprising relatability. I was a fan before, but now I feel like a friend."  Brooke Shields, New York Times bestselling author of There Was a Little Girl

"I love my fellow Greaser , Ralph. But if I m being completely honest, I ve never gotten over the existential pain of The Karate Kid s ongoing success and relevance. What does that movie have that Youngblood doesn t?! Well, after reading Ralph s fun and insightful recounting, I now totally get it. Long live The Karate Kid!"  Rob Lowe, New York Times bestselling author of Stories I Only Tell My Friends

"A breezy read that disproves the clanky, "Nice guys finish last,' cliche, but re-defines it as, 'Nice guys LAST.' This memoir will put you in the BEST mood, I promise."  Patton Oswalt, New York Times bestselling author of Silver Screen Fiend

"Ralph Macchio is ready to send the secrets of The Karate Kid to the mat once and for all."
New York Post

"A loving tribute to an underdog story that still resonates, generation after