It may be hard to believe, but it’s been three decades since Ralph Macchio was introduced to the world as The Karate Kid.  In the film, Macchio played Daniel LaRusso, a teenage boy who takes up karate after being bullied by a fellow high schooler.   Keisuke Miyagi, the maintenance man at Daniel’s apartment complex, becomes his teacher, and helps Daniel become a very talented and competitive fighter.  The film spawned three sequels and a remake, and helped to solidify Macchio as one of the 80s most memorable characters.  After starring in the first three Karate Kid films, Macchio went on to star in several other films including 1992’s comedy, My Cousin Vinny.

However, as the 90s came and went, so did Macchio’s career.  Although he appeared in several films and television shows, it seemed that Macchio’s glory days were long gone.  Fortunately, for Macchio, his career received a boost during the 2000s, and all he had to do was be himself – literally.  Over the last several years, Macchio has made appearances in both television and film projects where he has been able to play some version of himself.  Instead of fighting against the offers to play himself, Macchio has welcomed them. However,  during an interview he said that he is selective about his appearances because he doesn’t want to become the pun of a bad joke.  Macchio told Time Magazine’s Lily Rothman: “It has to be smart and not feel like you’re just running alongside the train. You don’t want to be window dressing for the sake of a name or a joke.  He continued, ” I embrace it. It’s awesome to have a footprint, that something that’s almost 30 years ago is now part of the American lexicon. And it’s embraced in a positive way. In the case of both of these projects, there was an angle that made it fun and not just a one-way street of “here’s the Karate Kid joke.” It was a character. Then it becomes smart and less “look who they dug up.” The fans love it, but from an industry standpoint you have to be careful.”  Macchio’s appearance in movies and shows has seemed to add something special to every project he’s been a part of.  Although he is worried about the jokes becoming stale, it seems like the world just can’t get enough of the beloved karate kid. Here are the best Ralph Macchio cameo appearances.

4. He’s Way More Famous Than You

The 2013 comedy film, He’s Way More Famous Than You follows an indie film star, Halley Feiffer who loses her boyfriend, agent, and career all at once.  Halley decides that the solution to her problems is to simply become more famous.  After stealing a movie script, Halley attempts to enlist real life stars who can help her accomplish her goal.  Ralph Macchio, who appears as himself becomes caught up with Halley’s plot for success.  Although Macchio was 51 at the time of the appearance, Entertainment Weekly’s Jeff Labreque stated that Macchio was “still baby-faced and not looking a day over 31.”  During an interview, Macchio shared that he landed the role after his friend actor/producer, Michael Urie, reached out to him. Macchio said that Urie called him saying: “We’re doing this movie [He’s Way More Famous Than You] for a dollar and fifty cents, and it’s really funny, and would you help me out?” When you do these types of passion projects, you’re doing someone a favor — but you also have to believe in it.”

3. Head Case

In 2007, Macchio made a cameo appearance on the Starz comedy series, Head Case.  The show follows Dr. Elizabeth Goode, a therapist whose unconventional and sometimes insulting method of treatment has made her doctor of choice for Hollywood’s most troubled stars.  During his cameo during the show’s first season, “Dr. Goode helps Ralph Macchio unleash his inner child.”  Macchio told the A.V. Club’s Will Harris that he enjoyed his appearance in Head Case, stating: “! I really liked the Head Case appearance. [Alexandra Wentworth] is really smart and funny. To me, if it’s smart, I think it only flatters and puts you in a good light.”

2. How I Met Your Mother

The CBS series, How I Met Your Mother, is a comedy series which aired from 2005 to 2014.  The show told the story of Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) and his group of friends.  In 2013, Macchio appeared on an episode of the show titled “The Bro Mitzvah.”  The episode received mostly positive reviews. Angel Cohen of Television Without Pity gave the show a B-; however, he praised Macchio’s performance.  Macchio himself said that he enjoyed his appearance on the show and stated that it was “an interesting angle of me-being-me.”  However, Macchio initially turned the role down, but decided to change his mind after receiving some pressure from his kids.  Macchio stated: “…I initially passed, but my kids stopped talking to me. The writers called me from the show and they came up with the whole Barney-mirroring thing. It was finding the angle.”

1. Entourage

HBO’s Entourage was extremely popular during its seven-year run from 2007 to 2011. The show featured Mark Wahlberg as an executive producer, and accrording to Wahlberg, “Entourage was initially conceived when his assistant asked if he could film Wahlberg and his friends, calling them “hilarious.” Macchio appeared on the show in the third episode of the show’s second season. During the episode Johnny Drama hopes that family man, Ralph Macchio can help lift his ban from the Playboy mansion by pretending to take the fall for something Johnny has actually done. During an interview, Macchio, who again enjoyed playing himself, stated: “Entourage was the first time I ever poked fun like that. Because I knew Kevin [Dillon] through his brother, Matt, it just seemed like the concept of him and me, back in the day, being at the [Playboy] Mansion and tossing back shots of Cuervo, that was a good bit. If you look back at those times that I have played myself and poked fun, they’re good ones. A lot of times, you see actors do that, and it becomes old news really fast, so I’m glad I’ve only peppered those out and didn’t do them too heavily.”

(Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)