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

• 2025Karate Kid: Legends — Johnny Lawrence
• 2024The Cobra Kai Movie — William Zabka
• 2022Beyond the Bonsai
• 2020Jud's Decision — Craft Service
• Cobra Kai — Johnny Lawrence, Co-Executive Producer, Director
• 2016The Man in the Silo — Kevin
• 2015I Hate Christian Laettner — Johnny Lawrence (archive footage)
• 2015The Dog Who Saved Summer — Officer Johnny/Apollo
• 2014Where Hope Grows — Milton Malcolm
• 2011Cross — Saw
• 2010Hot Tub Time Machine — Rick
• 2007Cake: A Wedding Story — Sam
• 2007Smiley Face — Prison Guard
• Psych — Coach Baggs
• How I Met Your Mother — William Zabka
• 2004Wild Roomies — Slick Salesman
• 2003Most — Writer, Producer
• 2002Ablaze — Curt Peters
• 2002Antibody — Otto Emmerick
• 2002Dark Descent — Marty
• 2002Gale Force — Rance
• 2002Hyper Sonic — The Executive
• 2002Landspeed — Bob Bailey
• 2002Python 2 — Greg Larson
• 2001Epoch — Rover Driver Joe
• 2001Falcon Down — John - Security Guard
• 2001Project: Human Weapon — Rojack
• 2000Python — Greg Larsen
• 1999Interceptors — Dave
• 1997High Voltage — Bulldog
• 1996Shootfighter II — Ruben
• 1996To the Ends of Time — Alexander
• 1995The Power Within — Raymond Vonn
• 1994Unlawful Passage — Howie
• 1993Shootfighter: Fight to the Death — Ruben
• 1989Protect and Surf — Russell Cooper
• 1988A Tiger's Tale — Randy
• 1986Back to School — Chas
• 1986Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story — Kim Fisher
• 1986The Karate Kid Part II — Johnny Lawrence (uncredited)
• 1985Just One of the Guys — Greg
• 1985National Lampoon's European Vacation — Jack
• The Equalizer — Scott McCall
• 1984Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story — Rick Peterson
• E/R
• 1984The Karate Kid — Johnny
• The Greatest American Hero — Clarence Mortner Jr.

Appearances as themselves (9)

• Cobra Kai: Inside the Dojo — Self
• 2024Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson — Self
• 2021More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story — Self
• The Netflix Afterparty — Self
• Reunited Apart — Self
• 2017John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs — Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — Self - Guest
• 2005The Way of The Karate Kid — Self / Johnny
• MTV Movie & TV Awards — Self - Presenter