William Zabka
Acting • Born 1965-10-20
Biography
William Michael "Billy" Zabka (born October 20, 1965) is an American actor, martial artist, screenwriter, and film producer. Zabka is best known for his role of Johnny Lawrence in The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid Part II (1986), and decades later reprises the role of Johnny in the Netflix series Cobra Kai (2018-), along with Ralph Macchio as Daniel. During the 1980s, Zabka appeared in the comedy movies Just One of the Guys (1985) and Back to School (1986). Zabka also co-starred on the CBS television series The Equalizer as the son of the title character (1986–89). He also played Jack, Audrey's jock boyfriend, in National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985). During the 1990s and 2000s, he acted mostly in independent films while studying to be a filmmaker. In 2003, he wrote and produced the short film Most, shot on location in the Czech Republic and Poland. Most (aka The Bridge) had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival 2003 and won numerous awards at prestigious film festivals, including Best of Festival at the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films in 2003. In 2004, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Most in the Live Action Short Film category.
Filmography
52 credits
Dark Descent
Movie • 2002
Marty
The Karate Kid
Movie • 1984
Johnny Lawrence
Epoch
Movie • 2001
Rover Driver Joe
Hot Tub Time Machine
Movie • 2010
Rick
National Lampoon's European Vacation
Movie • 1985
Jack
Wild Roomies
Movie • 2004
Slick Salesman
Just One of the Guys
Movie • 1985
Greg
The Karate Kid Part II
Movie • 1986
Johnny Lawrence
Smiley Face
Movie • 2007
Prison Guard
Antibody
Movie • 2002
Otto Emmerick
Python 2
Movie • 2002
Greg Larson
Back to School
Movie • 1986
Chas
Shootfighter II
Movie • 1996
Ruben
Shootfighter: Fight to the Death
Movie • 1993
Ruben
Cross
Movie • 2011
Saw
Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story
Movie • 1986
Kim Fisher
Hyper Sonic
Movie • 2002
The Executive
Gale Force
Movie • 2002
Rance
High Voltage
Movie • 1997
Bulldog
Cake: A Wedding Story
Movie • 2007
Sam
Interceptors
Movie • 1999
Dave
Project: Human Weapon
Movie • 2001
Rojack
The Man in the Silo
Movie • 2016
Kevin
Python
Movie • 2000
Greg Larsen
Where Hope Grows
Movie • 2014
Milton Malcolm
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs
Movie • 2017
Self
Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story
Movie • 1984
Rick Peterson
The Power Within
Movie • 1995
Raymond Vonn
Ablaze
Movie • 2002
Curt Peters
A Tiger's Tale
Movie • 1988
Randy
Protect and Surf
Movie • 1989
Russell Cooper
Unlawful Passage
Movie • 1994
Howie
Falcon Down
Movie • 2001
John - Security Guard
The Way of The Karate Kid
Movie • 2005
Self / Johnny
To the Ends of Time
Movie • 1996
Alexander
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story
Movie • 2021
Self
Sweep the Leg
Movie • 2007
Johnny Lawrence/Hilmself
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
Movie • 2024
Self
Landspeed
Movie • 2002
Bob Bailey
The Dog Who Saved Summer
Movie • 2015
Officer Johnny/Apollo
Karate Kid: Legends
Movie • 2025
Johnny Lawrence
The Cobra Kai Movie
Movie • 2024
William Zabka
I Hate Christian Laettner
Movie • 2015
Johnny Lawrence (archive footage)
The Equalizer
TV • 1985
Scott McCall
E/R
TV • 1984
The Netflix Afterparty
TV • 2021
Self
Cobra Kai
TV • 2018
Johnny Lawrence
How I Met Your Mother
TV • 2005
William Zabka
Psych
TV • 2006
Coach Baggs
Reunited Apart
TV • 2020
Self
Cobra Kai: Inside the Dojo
TV • 2024
Self
MTV Movie & TV Awards
TV • 1992
Self - Presenter