# In 1984, Robert Downey Jr was almost the Karate Kid. He joined the worst-ever season of ‘Saturday Night Live’ instead

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1984-robert-downey-jr-was-almost-the-karate-kid-he-joined-the-worst-ever-season-of-saturday-night-live-instead/
- Published: 2026-11-13T14:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-13T15:36:17+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1984-robert-downey-jr-was-almost-the-karate-kid/
- Topics: Entertainment, TV

## Key points

- Downey was considered for The Karate Kid’s lead role.
- He joined SNL’s poorly received 1985 season instead.
- The Karate Kid earned $130 million on an $8 million budget.

## Summary

Robert Downey Jr was considered for the lead in 1984’s The Karate Kid, but the role went to Ralph Macchio. Instead, Downey joined the cast of Saturday Night Live the following year, a decision that placed him in a poorly received season and ended with him being dismissed.

The film became a major hit, earning $130 million on an $8 million budget, while Downey appeared in the cult comedy Weird Science before joining SNL. The show’s founder assembled a cast of actors rather than its usual mix of comics and improvisers; ratings fell, and most of the cast were let go after a few months. Downey returned to films, then entered rehab in 1987 after developing a serious drug addiction.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.