Macchio began tap dancing lessons at the age of 3 and was discovered by a talent agent when he was 16 years old. He was then cast as Jeremy Andretti in the television series "Eight Is Enough". After "Eight is Enough" ended, he won the role of Johnny Cade in the 1983 film "The Outsiders". It was this role that led him to be cast as Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 film, "The Karate Kid" and two of its sequels, "The Karate Kid Part II" and "The Karate Kid Part III". Macchio appeared in the 1986 film "Crossroads", portraying music student Eugene Martone. Also in 1986, Macchio starred in Cuba and His Teddy Bear on Broadway, alongside Robert DeNiro. In 1992, he starred opposite Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei in the hit comedy "My Cousin Vinny", playing Billy Gambini, who was wrongfully accused of murder while passing through a small Alabama town. In 1996, Macchio performed the lead role of J. Pierrepont Finch in the U.S. tour revival of the 1962 Tony Award-winning musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying", and received positive reviews. Referring to his performance as a chorister in a high school production of the same musical, Macchio said, "I was known as the 'Dancing Kid,' not that I was all that great. But I had been dancing since the age of three, taking lessons at the June Claire School of Dance in Babylon, Long Island."