'Cobra Kai' Star Ralph Macchio and Wife Phyllis Fierro Are High School Sweethearts

If you've been watching Cobra Kai on Netflix, then you already know that Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and Ali (Elisabeth Shue) don't end up together. While his on-screen romance may have burned out after the first Karate Kid film, Macchio is still married to his high school sweetheart Phyllis Fierro.

The couple first met at a birthday party when Macchio was 15 years old, long before his part in Karate Kid made him a household name.

"This is 1970 or whatever," Ralph told People. "She was a friend of my cousin, and we just smiled and talked and danced a little. Probably the Hustle!"

The pair quickly fell in love and got married in 1987, less than a year after Karate Kid II was released. Now, they have been happily married for more than 33 years and share two kids together: Daniel, 25, and Julia, 28. For the sake of his wife and kids, Macchio has taken a "one foot in, one foot out" approach to Hollywood—and he credits his wife with making that possible.

"Without her and without the foundation and the family we established, 'one foot in, one foot out' would have been very, very difficult on my own," Ralph explained. "Because there would not be balance."

As Mr. Miyagi once said, "balance is key." But that's not their only secret to a long-lasting marriage. Macchio says his relationship with his wife is rooted in their "commitment" to each other.

"It's the belief through the easy times, through the tough times, whatever we encounter, that we are meant to be together," he said. "We know that we will overcome all because we believe in that, the foundation of that."

So, in case you were wondering whether Ralph is as great of a husband as Daniel is on Cobra Kai...the answer is yes! ❤️

Kelly O'Sullivan

Senior Editor

Kelly O’Sullivan is the senior editor for The Pioneer Woman and manages the website’s social channels, in addition to overseeing content strategy and news.