Renowned cult classics have undoubtedly provided us with several mentor-like figures, but among all, Pat Morita’s Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid remains the most beloved one. But what if we say that the actor was initially turned down for the role of karate guru by the film’s producer Jerry Weintraub?
While Pat Morita being unwanted sounds totally shocking, here’s another bizarre titbit from Ralph Macchio’s The Karate Kid. According to director John G. Avildsen, Columbia Pictures initially demanded the drunken Mr. Miyagi scene to be excluded from the final cut of the film before it hit the theatres.
Producer Jerry Weintraub Wasn’t Keen to Cast Pat Morita
When it comes to the iconic Karate Kid movies, no one can compare to the beloved mentor Mr. Miyagi. Flawlessly depicted by Pat Morita, the character became a pop culture icon who influenced generations with his wisdom. Now, despite the actor delivering a riveting performance as Daniel LaRusso’s Karate mentor, Morita was initially rejected.
According to MSN, producer of the 1984 The Karate Kid, Jerry Weintraub wasn’t quite interested in Pat Morita. Given his background in comedy, Weintraub initially failed to trust Morita’s versatility as an actor. Considering that the role of Mr. Miyagi was quite a serious one, the producer was worried about Morita’s performance.
“I wish you could get a real Japanese guy to play this guy.” Jerry Weintraub stated.
Eventually, when Pat Morita grew a beard and used a Japanese accent during the screen test, Jerry Weintraub gained a newfound confidence in the actor. With the producer having a change of heart, the actor eventually went on to play the proficient martial artist. However, this wasn’t the end of Morita’s struggles in The Karate Kid.
Director Had to Fight for Pat Morita’s Oscar-Nominated Scene
While being initially rejected from the role of Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid, Pat Morita later faced the issue where Columbia Pictures wanted to edit one of his iconic scenes. According to reports, there was an emotional scene in the movie where drunken Mr. Miyagi opened up to Daniel about the loss of his wife and son in childbirth while he was serving during World War II.
However, although this scene had its importance as it portrayed Mr. Miyagi’s emotional side, Columbia Pictures shockingly wanted the scene to be edited. Before the film hit theatres, the company demanded that director John G. Avildsen cut the scene. Thankfully, the director stood his ground and refused to remove the iconic scene as it served the purpose of showcasing the martial artist’s characterization.
“[Mr. Miyagi’s] size and demeanor were so vulnerable and unlike some kind of superhero, that it was very refreshing that it came out of that package.” John G. Avildsen stated.
Eventually, as the filmmaker won the battle against Columbia Pictures, the scene stayed in the film. The scene served the purpose of pulling the veil off the enigmatic character of Mr. Miyagi, bringing out his flesh-and-blood characterization and throwing light upon his past and his regrets. This attention to the emotional side of the character became such a cult classic sequence that John G. Avildsen believed that this was the particular scene that landed Pat Morita his Oscar nod.
The Karate Kid is available on Prime Video.
