Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio

Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio-256 pages

In this memoir, Macchio discusses his experiences auditioning for and playing the lead role of Daniel LaRusso in "The Karate Kid," which released in 1984. I enjoy reading these types of memoirs (I previously read and thoroughly enjoyed As You Wish by Cary Elwes) and this one did not disappoint. It's fun to learn behind-the-scenes tidbits, such as Macchio sharing that Pat Morita was not the first choice for the role of Mr. Miyagi. In fact, one of the producers wouldn't even consider him for the role because of his previous comedic roles. Macchio also shares thoughts on his relationships with his co-stars (Elisabeth "Lisa" Shue, William "Billy" Zabka, Pat Moritz, et al.). He devotes an entire chapter to each of these co-stars mentioned. I especially liked his story of how the fly-catching with chopsticks scene was "attempted," according to him. Another story I enjoyed reading about is how the iconic crane kick was filmed and that it took something like 30 takes to shoot well. Macchio discusses all that led to Cobra Kai, the hit Netflix series, including many fan theories and pitches by industry professionals over time. I am a huge fan of the original trilogy of films and Cobra Kai. I have also seen both My Cousin Vinny and The Outsiders. I really enjoyed reading this book and would rate it five stars.