William Zabka
Acting
1965-10-20 · New York City, New York, USA
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
Karate Kid: Legends
2025 · Movie
The Cobra Kai Movie
2024 · Movie
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
2024 · Movie
Cobra Kai: Inside the Dojo
2024 · Series
Beyond the Bonsai
2022 · Movie
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story
2021 · Movie
The Netflix Afterparty
2021 · Series
Jud's Decision
2020 · Movie
Reunited Apart
2020 · Series
Cobra Kai
2018 · Series
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs
2017 · Movie
The Man in the Silo
2016 · Movie
The Dog Who Saved Summer
2015 · Movie
I Hate Christian Laettner
2015 · Movie
Where Hope Grows
2014 · Movie
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014 · Series
Cross
2011 · Movie
Hot Tub Time Machine
2010 · Movie
Smiley Face
2007 · Movie
Cake: A Wedding Story
2007 · Movie
Sweep the Leg
2007 · Movie
Psych
2006 · Series
How I Met Your Mother
2005 · Series
The Way of The Karate Kid
2005 · Movie
Wild Roomies
2004 · Movie
Most
2003 · Movie
Antibody
2002 · Movie
Dark Descent
2002 · Movie
Python 2
2002 · Movie
Ablaze
2002 · Movie
Landspeed
2002 · Movie
Hyper Sonic
2002 · Movie
Gale Force
2002 · Movie
Epoch
2001 · Movie
Falcon Down
2001 · Movie
Project: Human Weapon
2001 · Movie
Python
2000 · Movie
Interceptors
1999 · Movie
High Voltage
1997 · Movie
To the Ends of Time
1996 · Movie
Shootfighter II
1996 · Movie
The Power Within
1995 · Movie
Unlawful Passage
1994 · Movie
Shootfighter: Fight to the Death
1993 · Movie
MTV Movie & TV Awards
1992 · Series
Protect and Surf
1989 · Movie
A Tiger's Tale
1988 · Movie
Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story
1986 · Movie
The Karate Kid Part II
1986 · Movie
Back to School
1986 · Movie
The Equalizer
1985 · Series
National Lampoon's European Vacation
1985 · Movie
Just One of the Guys
1985 · Movie
Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story
1984 · Movie
E/R
1984 · Series
The Karate Kid
1984 · Movie
The Greatest American Hero
1981 · Series