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The original The Karate Kid (1984) stars Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi, the teacher and mentor Daniel turns to after moving to Los Angeles. Elisabeth Shue, William Zabka, Martin Kove and Randee Heller round out the central cast as Ali Mills, Johnny Lawrence, John Kreese and Lucille LaRusso.
Principal cast and characters
| Actor | Character | Role in the story |
|---|---|---|
| Ralph Macchio | Daniel LaRusso | A teenager starting over in Los Angeles who becomes a target of the Cobra students and asks Miyagi to teach him karate. |
| Pat Morita (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita in some records) | Mr. Miyagi | Daniel’s handyman, martial arts teacher and central adult mentor. |
| Elisabeth Shue | Ali Mills | Daniel’s friend and romantic interest, whose connection to the Cobra leader helps set the conflict in motion. |
| William Zabka | Johnny Lawrence | The Cobra student and rival at the center of Daniel’s conflict with the group. |
| Martin Kove | John Kreese | The Cobra leader associated with the conflict between Daniel and the students. |
| Randee Heller | Lucille LaRusso | Daniel’s mother. |
Sony’s synopsis describes Daniel asking his handyman Miyagi—whom he discovers is a martial arts master—to teach him karate. The film’s central relationships follow from that request: Miyagi becomes his mentor, Ali is the new connection that draws him into the Cobra students’ orbit, and Johnny and Kreese represent the opposing side of the conflict.
How the characters connect
Daniel and Miyagi: student and mentor
Daniel arrives in Los Angeles facing the challenge of starting over. Miyagi is first introduced through his work as Daniel’s handyman, but Daniel soon learns that he is a martial arts master and asks him for instruction. Their teacher-student relationship is the heart of the film’s premise.
Daniel, Ali and the Cobra students
Ali Mills becomes an important part of Daniel’s new life. Sony’s official summaries connect Daniel’s relationship with Ali to the Cobra students’ antagonism; Johnny Lawrence is the rival named in cast listings, while John Kreese is identified as the Cobra leader. The conflict is therefore tied to both Daniel’s place in a new school and his relationship with Ali.
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- From Academy Award�-winning director John G. Avildsen (1976, ROCKY) comes the highly entertaining, coming-of-age classic that will have you cheering! Starring Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki ?Pat? Morita in his Academy Award�-nominated performance (Best Supporting Actor, 1984) as Mr. Miyagi.
Lucille LaRusso: Daniel’s family
Randee Heller plays Lucille LaRusso, Daniel’s mother, who moves with him as he begins again in Los Angeles.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Names and credits to know
- Ali Mills: Some official regional summaries shorten her name to Ali; cast listings identify her as Ali Mills.
- John Kreese: Use this spelling for Martin Kove’s character. A Sony Canada search-result snippet has shown “Breese,” but the corroborated cast listing gives Kreese.
- Pat Morita: Some records include his given name, Noriyuki, alongside his familiar professional name.
This guide covers the principal character pairings supported by the cited film and cast records, not every small speaking or tournament role. Sony’s official film page and regional pages establish the film’s premise and several pairings; AFI Catalog provides film and production-credit context, and Rotten Tomatoes lists additional cast-role pairings.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
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- The Karate Kid (1984) / Karate Kid: Part II / Karate Kid III
- Cobra Kai - Season 1 2 3 & 4
- Ralph Macchio
- William Zabka
- Martial Arts
Rank #3
- Good performance
- Ideal Product
- High quality
Rank #2
- KARATE KID (1984): From Academy Award�-winning director John G. Avildsen (1976, ROCKY) comes the highly entertaining, coming-of-age classic that will have you cheering! Starring Ralph Macchio and Noriyuki ?Pat? Morita in his Academy Award�-nominated performance (Best Supporting Actor, 1984) as Mr. Miyagi. KARATE KID (2010): When 12-year-old Dre Parker's mother's latest career move has landed him
Sources
- Sony Pictures Entertainment: The Karate Kid
- Sony Pictures UK: The Karate Kid (1984)
- AFI Catalog: The Karate Kid
- Sony Pictures Canada: The Karate Kid (1984)
- Rotten Tomatoes: The Karate Kid cast and crew
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