Ralph Macchio speech at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony

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https://www.maximotv.com  Ralph Macchio speech at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star unveiling ceremony on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 6633 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles, California, USA. This video is available for editorial use in all media and worldwide. To ensure compliance and proper licensing of this video, please contact us. ©MaximoTV  🇺🇸

Transcript

00:00We now declare today Ralph Macchio Day in Hollywood!

00:17Take it away.

00:23Oh boy.

00:26This is overwhelming and humbling and...

00:30Love you back there!

00:36Well, this is as overwhelming as I expected.

00:42Billy, what a journey we have been on.

00:45To have you here, thank you for your kind words, for being here, for being a brother,

00:50for being a friend, for your integrity, for your badassery as an actor,

00:56and your sensitivity as a human being.

00:59We grow stronger and stronger and just...

01:01If you asked me 40 years if this would be the guy speaking at my Hollywood star ceremony,

01:05I'd probably say, I'll probably never have to see that guy again.

01:09But thank God that's not the case.

01:11I love you and I thank you for being here.

01:13Tamlin, you are just one of a kind.

01:19Tamlin comes back from Japan just to make sure she's here.

01:23Thank you for your kind words. I love you.

01:25You guys make life richer and it means so much to me to have you here.

01:30Steve, Anna, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, thank you for this thoughtful placement.

01:36I'm going to get to that in a second, next to the great Pat Morita,

01:40but it's the fact that that was part of the decision in putting this together.

01:46It means the world to me and thank you so much.

01:49To my friends at Netflix, top to bottom, that support us in making this day happen.

01:55There's just too many to name, but Netflix's support has been incredible.

02:00Sony Pictures Television that produces the Cobra Kai series the last seven years.

02:07Once again, thank you so much. It means so much to have so many of you here,

02:11including Sony Pictures Feature Department.

02:15There's exciting stuff on the way with the new Karate Kid Legends movie.

02:19It means so much to have so many of you here.

02:22I do not take that lightly or for granted.

02:24I'm so glad I got you all out of the office.

02:27It really means a great deal.

02:29I was a kid, grew up on Long Island, New York.

02:32I was a daydreamer. I still am, but I was a big-time daydreamer.

02:36I grew up watching and wanting to be Gene Kelly,

02:39watching old movies with my mom and dad.

02:42Whether it was Spencer Tracy or Brando, I just had these dreams and aspirations.

02:47That's where the bug first bit me.

02:49As Steve mentioned, my mom and dad are watching right now.

02:54It means the world to me for them to experience this.

03:01They and my brother Steven provided the foundation for who I am.

03:05So I thank you, mom and dad, for allowing me the freedom to dream

03:09and providing me the love and support that has shaped me.

03:12I owe you so much. Look at what's happening.

03:15Look what you've done.

03:18I came out to L.A. with them first, probably about 1980.

03:23Walked these streets of Hollywood Boulevard looking for Gene Kelly and Marilyn Monroe.

03:27My dad brought me to buy my first car, a Santa Monica Mazda.

03:31The reason, a 626.

03:34I remember as I was driving here, I passed Las Palmas right about a block and a half down.

03:38I remember pointedly, in 1982, I sat in the car at the light.

03:42I looked to the left and saw all these stars in the right.

03:45It was the land of hopes and dreams.

03:47It was unobtainable for me at that point.

03:50But I was on my way to meet Francis Ford Coppola,

03:54who directed The Godfather and Apocalypse Now to that point.

03:57I was going to be directing a movie based on my favorite book as a 12-year-old boy.

04:03Well, I just remember that moment.

04:06It just seemed so big.

04:08Wait, I'll wait for this to pass.

04:11I just remember that moment.

04:14In thinking back and being here today, all I could say is, incidentally, nailed it.

04:22That much I could say.

04:24Then soon after that, I met this kid from New Jersey who would not leave well enough alone.

04:31Thank God in Daniel LaRusso and I was catapulted into what is now considered

04:37and known as the Karate Kid universe.

04:40Thanks to so many people who are here today.

04:43It's now reaching three and four generations.

04:45To have this star placed right next to my acting partner from that film,

04:50the great Pat Morita, is so meaningful to me, so powerful to me.

04:56Our partnership is something I always described as the soulful magic of the Karate Kid film.

05:02He's still here today, blessing all these stories that are moving forward.

05:08I can feel him here.

05:10Frankly, folks, it's only fitting I shall remain Miyagi adjacent until the end of time.

05:18I mean, that's where I...

05:20And it's amazing one-stop shopping for those tourists and Karate Kid fans.

05:24It's like, where's Morita? Where's Machio?

05:27Oh, it's just beautiful.

05:29So my life's journey has been with this unbelievable resurgence.

05:34I've learned one thing between the Netflix series of Cobra Kai that is rocking it right now

05:39and the upcoming Karate Kid Legends movie coming from Sony at the end of May.

05:44I've just learned to be so grateful and appreciative at this age of my life,

05:49absorbing and learning and sharing the wisdom that I've gained from others,

05:53paying that legacy forward, whether it be the young cast of Cobra Kai or friends of my kids.

05:59I get such joy out of sharing that wisdom and taking a piece of the legacy and passing that on.

06:08And I do not take it for granted that we get to spread a little bit of joy

06:12in what is sometimes not always a joyful world.

06:14So I feel incredibly blessed, lucky and honored.

06:18And this daydream from Long Island has too many to thank.

06:21But I must mention Robert Mark Kamen, who is here.

06:25I got him off campus, who wrote and created the Daniel Russo character and this Karate Kid franchise.

06:31Robert, you know, I cherish you. I love you.

06:33Our quips and banter and sarcasm is one of my favorite things of the day.

06:40And I just I love you and thank you for being here.

06:44John, Josh and Hayden, who were mentioned earlier, who created the Cobra Kai series

06:50and provided the rocket booster seven years ago.

06:53You guys, I, you know, have so much to say, but I will put it all in a few words.

06:59Thank you so much for caring.

07:02That's why. That's why.

07:05That's why. That's why.

07:09My L.A. friends who have provided food and shelter often during those arduously hideous pilot seasons.

07:16Stan, Andrew, among others. Thank you so much for for all of that.

07:21And my my friends and family who came out here to be here today.

07:26And my friends and family at home who are watching.

07:29Loyalty is so big with me. I've been with my reps for so long to my team at Untitled.

07:34Jason, Stephanie, Jennifer, Julia, Buckwald, Buckwald, the PR dream team, Jill Fritz.

07:40Oh, Stephen, for Tom and that whole staff.

07:42It's over to PR and my longtime business dudes for over 40 years.

07:47Tom Hansen, Don Steele, Gary Kress. I just love that the three of you are all east of the four or five right now.

07:54Thank you so much. Those watching from home and the fans all here and around the world, the fans who allow me.

08:04To do what I love to do, you never gave up on this guy, despite how hard the late 90s might have tried to extinguish.

08:12You have always been there here and around the world is always such a huge embrace from you guys.

08:17And I it's a two way street of inspiration. I thank you. Thank you.

08:22My beautiful wife, my best friend Phyllis, who simultaneously.

08:28Thank you. Who simultaneously grounds and elevates me.

08:35I love you so much. Our partnership in life is everything.

08:42None of this is happening without you. Thank you for choosing me.

08:46And life is all the richer to walk in lockstep with you.

08:50I am not here without you and my two heroes, my children, Julia and Dan.

08:56I'm so proud of you guys. I'm so proud of you.

09:00You make me way better, way better than I am.

09:03Here's a story that some of you know, but it's worth telling.

09:07It speaks to the unique narrative of my life and career.

09:11About 20 something years ago, my kids were probably four and seven at the time.

09:16My son found a large crate full of teen magazines that my mom had saved.

09:22My mom saves everything. Right, mom? She saves everything.

09:25And my son turns to my daughter, holding with two fistfuls of teen magazines

09:30in disbelief and realization when he yells out, Dad was huge and we missed it.

09:44So it is November 20th, 2024.

09:49And being here today and sharing this with you and all of you,

09:53all my friends around the world and here, it's overwhelming.

09:59It's everything. It's been an amazing journey.

10:03I am honored. I am humbled. Thank you so very much.

10:06I ain't done yet. And this is just an amazing day.

10:11Thank you so very, very much.

10:13Thanks.

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