Ralph Macchio to Romance Fran Drescher on TV Land's 'Happily Divorced' (Exclusive)

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Ralph Macchio and Fran Drescher

TV Land is looking to an '80s heartthrob to romance Fran Drescher on Happily Divorced.

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Former Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio has been tapped to appear on the cable network's Drescher vehicle, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.

Macchio, whose small-screen work includes stints on ABC's Ugly Betty and USA's Psych, will play Fran's new love interest on the comedy inspired by Drescher's own life.

Macchio's character is described as a nice guy from "the old neighborhood" who runs his father's old pizza joint. Macchio will first appear in a late-Season 2 episode as a suitor for Fran with the potential to recur in subsequent episdoes of the comedy. His arrival will create a potential love triangle when factoring in her on-again-off-again relationship with her ex-boyfriend (played by D.W. Moffett).

Should the series be renewed for a third season, Macchio has the potential to return for additional episodes.

Best known for his role as Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid and its sequels, the My Cousin Vinny star is repped by Buchwald/Fortitude and Untitled Entertainment. More recently, he placed fourth on last season's Dancing With the Stars.

Season 2 of Happily Divorced returned in March to 1.44 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit