A popular theory regarding The Karate Kid postulates that Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) is the real villain of the film, and that Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) is actually the good guy in the story. In The Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio plays Daniel, a boy who moves to Los Angeles with his mother and enrolls in a school where he makes new friends — and new enemies. He grows infatuated with popular high school student Ally Mills (Elizabeth Shue) and becomes the target of her jealous ex-boyfriend, Johnny, and his gang of bullies.