Cast & creator
William Zabka
Best known for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, How I Met Your Mother, Psych
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.
Also known as: Billy Zabka, William Michael Zabka
46
film credits
13
television credits
54
1981–2025 · acting roles
6.1
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (59)
Showing 59 of 59 credits
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest
2014
How I Met Your Mother
William Zabka
2005
Psych
Coach Baggs
2006
Cobra Kai
Johnny Lawrence
2018Cobra Kai
Co-Executive Producer
2018Cobra Kai
Director
2018
The Equalizer
Scott McCall
1985
Karate Kid: Legends
Johnny Lawrence
2025
MTV Movie & TV Awards
Self - Presenter
1992
The Greatest American Hero
Clarence Mortner Jr.
1981
The Karate Kid
Johnny
1984
The Karate Kid Part II
Johnny Lawrence (uncredited)
1986
Reunited Apart
Self
2020
E/R
1984
Hot Tub Time Machine
Rick
2010
National Lampoon's European Vacation
Jack
1985
Smiley Face
Prison Guard
2007
Back to School
Chas
1986
Where Hope Grows
Milton Malcolm
2014
The Netflix Afterparty
Self
2021
Just One of the Guys
Greg
1985
Cobra Kai: Inside the Dojo
Self
2024
Shootfighter: Fight to the Death
Ruben
1993
To the Ends of Time
Alexander
1996
Epoch
Rover Driver Joe
2001
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson
Self
2024
The Dog Who Saved Summer
Officer Johnny/Apollo
2015
Most
Writer
2003Most
Producer
2003
Python
Greg Larsen
2000
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story
Self
2021
The Cobra Kai Movie
William Zabka
2024
John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs
Self
2017
High Voltage
Bulldog
1997
Python 2
Greg Larson
2002
Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story
Kim Fisher
1986
Ablaze
Curt Peters
2002
Cake: A Wedding Story
Sam
2007
Cross
Saw
2011
The Man in the Silo
Kevin
2016
A Tiger's Tale
Randy
1988
Landspeed
Bob Bailey
2002
Wild Roomies
Slick Salesman
2004
Interceptors
Dave
1999
Falcon Down
John - Security Guard
2001
The Power Within
Raymond Vonn
1995The Way of The Karate Kid
Self / Johnny
2005
I Hate Christian Laettner
Johnny Lawrence (archive footage)
2015
Shootfighter II
Ruben
1996
Gale Force
Rance
2002
Project: Human Weapon
Rojack
2001Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story
Rick Peterson
1984
Antibody
Otto Emmerick
2002
Jud's Decision
Craft Service
2020
Protect and Surf
Russell Cooper
1989
Hyper Sonic
The Executive
2002
Dark Descent
Marty
2002Beyond the Bonsai
2022
Unlawful Passage
Howie
1994