William Zabka
Known for Acting · 54 credits
- Born
- 1965-10-20 (age 60)
- Place of birth
- New York City, New York, USA
- Also known as
- Billy Zabka · William Michael 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.
Known For
TV Shows (10)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self
How I Met Your Mother
2005
as William Zabka
Psych
2006
as Coach Baggs
Cobra Kai
2018
as Johnny Lawrence
The Equalizer
1985
as Scott McCall
MTV Movie & TV Awards
1992
as Self - Presenter
Reunited Apart
2020
as Self
E/R
1984
The Netflix Afterparty
2021
as Self
Cobra Kai: Inside the Dojo
2024
as Self
Movies (44)
Karate Kid: Legends
2025
as Johnny Lawrence
The Karate Kid
1984
as Johnny Lawrence
Where Hope Grows
2014
as Milton Malcolm
Hot Tub Time Machine
2010
as Rick
The Karate Kid Part II
1986
as Johnny Lawrence
National Lampoon's European Vacation
1985
as Jack
Python
2000
as Greg Larsen
Just One of the Guys
1985
as Greg
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
2024
as Self
Ablaze
2002
as Curt Peters
Smiley Face
2007
as Prison Guard
Back to School
1986
as Chas
Epoch
2001
as Rover Driver Joe
Cross
2011
as Saw
Shootfighter: Fight to the Death
1993
as Ruben
High Voltage
1997
as Bulldog
Dark Descent
2002
as Marty
Antibody
2002
as Otto Emmerick
Landspeed
2002
as Bob Bailey
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story
2021
as Self
I Hate Christian Laettner
2015
as Johnny Lawrence (archive footage)
Gale Force
2002
as Rance
Falcon Down
2001
as John - Security Guard
Interceptors
1999
as Dave
Shootfighter II
1996
as Ruben
The Dog Who Saved Summer
2015
as Officer Johnny/Apollo
The Man in the Silo
2016
as Kevin
Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story
1986
as Kim Fisher
Python 2
2002
as Greg Larson
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs
2017
as Self
To the Ends of Time
1996
as Alexander
The Power Within
1995
as Raymond Vonn
Wild Roomies
2004
as Slick Salesman
Hyper Sonic
2002
as The Executive
Sweep the Leg
2007
as Johnny Lawrence/Hilmself
A Tiger's Tale
1988
as Randy
Protect and Surf
1989
as Russell Cooper
The Way of The Karate Kid
2005
as Self / Johnny
Project: Human Weapon
2001
as Rojack
Cake: A Wedding Story
2007
as Sam
The Cobra Kai Movie
2024
as William Zabka
Beyond the Bonsai
2022
Unlawful Passage
1994
as Howie
Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story
1984
as Rick Peterson
About William Zabka
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… With 54 credits spanning from 1984 to 2025, William Zabka has appeared in 44 films and 10 TV shows.
Fans searching for William Zabka movies, William Zabka filmography, or the latest projects starring William Zabka can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular William Zabka Movies
- Karate Kid: Legends (2025) — as Johnny Lawrence
- The Karate Kid (1984) — as Johnny Lawrence
- Where Hope Grows (2014) — as Milton Malcolm
- Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) — as Rick
- The Karate Kid Part II (1986) — as Johnny Lawrence
Where to Watch William Zabka Films
Most William Zabka movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring William Zabka, check our movies catalogue and browse page.