
William Zabka
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.
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Known For
Acting History
2025
The Alex Leyba Movie II as Self (archive footage)
2025Karate Kid: Legends as Johnny Lawrence
2024The Cobra Kai Movie as William Zabka
2024Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson as Self
2024Cobra Kai: Inside the Dojo as Self
2021More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story as Self
2021The Netflix Afterparty as Self
2020Reunited Apart as Self
2018Cobra Kai as Johnny Lawrence
2017John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs as Self
2016The Man in the Silo as Kevin
2015The Dog Who Saved Summer as Officer Johnny/Apollo
2014Where Hope Grows as Milton Malcolm
2011Cross as Saw
2010Hot Tub Time Machine as Rick
2007Smiley Face as Prison Guard
2007Cake: A Wedding Story as Sam
2007Sweep the Leg as Johnny Lawrence/Hilmself
2006Psych as Coach Baggs
2005How I Met Your Mother as William Zabka
2005The Way of The Karate Kid as Self / Johnny
2004Wild Roomies as Slick Salesman
2002Antibody as Otto Emmerick
2002Dark Descent as Marty
2002Python 2 as Greg Larson
2002Ablaze as Curt Peters
2002Landspeed as Bob Bailey
2002Hyper Sonic as The Executive
2002Gale Force as Rance
2001Epoch as Rover Driver Joe
2001Falcon Down as John - Security Guard
2001Project: Human Weapon as Rojack
2000Python as Greg Larsen
1999Interceptors as Dave
1997High Voltage as Bulldog
1996To the Ends of Time as Alexander
1996Shootfighter II as Ruben
1995The Power Within as Raymond Vonn
1994Unlawful Passage as Howie
1993Shootfighter: Fight to the Death as Ruben
1992MTV Movie & TV Awards as Self
1989Protect and Surf as Russell Cooper
1988A Tiger's Tale as Randy
1986Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story as Kim Fisher
1986The Karate Kid Part II as Johnny Lawrence
1986Back to School as Chas
1985The Equalizer as Scott McCall
1985National Lampoon's European Vacation as Jack
1985Just One of the Guys as Greg
1984Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story as Rick Peterson
1984E/R
1984The Karate Kid as Johnny Lawrence









