---
name: "William Zabka"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/william-zabka"
fi1m_id: "william-zabka"
imdb_id: "nm0951420"
tmdb_id: 56124
wikidata_id: "Q966693"
roles: ["Actor","Director"]
born: "20 October 1965"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 64
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-04T19:32:48.102729+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# William Zabka

## Identity

William Zabka

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/william-zabka
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** william-zabka
- **IMDb ID:** nm0951420
- **TMDB ID:** 56124
- **Wikidata ID:** Q966693
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Zabka, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q966693, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0951420/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/56124

Actor and director. Born 20 October 1965 in New York City, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor, Director
- **Born:** 20 October 1965, New York City, New York, USA
- **Active:** 1984–present
- **Also known as:** Billy Zabka, William Michael Zabka
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 6: 4 acting, 1 directing, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Ralph Macchio](https://film.one/person/ralph-macchio.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 64, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 64 (4), 2010s 70 (1), 2020s 64 (1)
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 2, Adventure 2, Comedy 2, Drama 2, Family 1, Sport 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $349m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Zabka, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q966693, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0951420/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/56124

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*The Karate Kid*](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid.md) (81), [*Cobra Kai*](https://film.one/tv/cobra-kai.md) (70)
- **Apple TV:** [*Back to School*](https://film.one/film/back-to-school.md) (72)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

William Zabka is an American actor born on 20 October 1965 in New York City. He is best known for his role as Johnny Lawrence in the 1984 film *The Karate Kid*.

During the 1980s he appeared in the films *Just One of the Guys* (1985), *National Lampoon's European Vacation* (1985) and *Back to School* (1986), and co-starred in the television series *The Equalizer* (1986–89). He wrote and produced the short film *Most* (2003), which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film.

Zabka reprised the role of Johnny Lawrence in the series *Cobra Kai* (2018–2025).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

### Performed in (4) — the average rests on these

- *Karate Kid: Legends* (2025), Fi1m 64, as Johnny Lawrence — [page](https://film.one/film/karate-kid-legends.md)
- *Back to School* (1986), Fi1m 72, as Chas — [page](https://film.one/film/back-to-school.md)
- *National Lampoon's European Vacation* (1985), Fi1m 40, as Jack — [page](https://film.one/film/national-lampoons-european-vacation.md)
- *The Karate Kid* (1984), Fi1m 81, as Johnny — [page](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid.md)

### Directed (1)

- *Cobra Kai* (2018), Fi1m 70, as Johnny Lawrence — [page](https://film.one/tv/cobra-kai.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Karate Kid Part II* (1986), Fi1m 62, as Johnny Lawrence (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid-part-ii.md)

## Complete filmography (48)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Karate Kid: Legends* (2025), as Johnny Lawrence — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/karate-kid-legends.md)
- *The Cobra Kai Movie* (2024), as William Zabka
- *Beyond the Bonsai* (2022), Actor
- *Jud's Decision* (2020), as Craft Service
- *Cobra Kai* (2018), series, as Johnny Lawrence · Co-Executive Producer, Director — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/tv/cobra-kai.md)
- *The Man in the Silo* (2016), as Kevin
- *The Dog Who Saved Summer* (2015), as Officer Johnny/Apollo
- *I Hate Christian Laettner* (2015), as Johnny Lawrence (archive footage)
- *Where Hope Grows* (2014), as Milton Malcolm
- *Cross* (2011), as Saw
- *Hot Tub Time Machine* (2010), as Rick
- *Smiley Face* (2007), as Prison Guard
- *Cake: A Wedding Story* (2007), as Sam
- *Sweep the Leg* (2007), as Johnny Lawrence/Hilmself · Director, Writer, Music Score Producer
- *Psych* (2006), series, as Coach Baggs
- *How I Met Your Mother* (2005), series, as William Zabka — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/how-i-met-your-mother.md)
- *Wild Roomies* (2004), as Slick Salesman
- *Most* (2003), Writer, Producer
- *Antibody* (2002), as Otto Emmerick
- *Dark Descent* (2002), as Marty
- *Python 2* (2002), as Greg Larson
- *Ablaze* (2002), as Curt Peters
- *Landspeed* (2002), as Bob Bailey
- *Hyper Sonic* (2002), as The Executive
- *Gale Force* (2002), as Rance
- *Epoch* (2001), as Rover Driver Joe
- *Falcon Down* (2001), as John - Security Guard
- *Project: Human Weapon* (2001), as Rojack
- *Python* (2000), as Greg Larsen
- *Interceptors* (1999), as Dave
- *High Voltage* (1997), as Bulldog
- *To the Ends of Time* (1996), as Alexander
- *Shootfighter II* (1996), as Ruben
- *The Power Within* (1995), as Raymond Vonn
- *Unlawful Passage* (1994), as Howie
- *Shootfighter: Fight to the Death* (1993), as Ruben
- *Protect and Surf* (1989), as Russell Cooper
- *A Tiger's Tale* (1988), as Randy
- *Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story* (1986), as Kim Fisher
- *The Karate Kid Part II* (1986), as Johnny Lawrence (uncredited) — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid-part-ii.md)
- *Back to School* (1986), as Chas — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/back-to-school.md)
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Scott McCall
- *National Lampoon's European Vacation* (1985), as Jack — Fi1m 40, [page](https://film.one/film/national-lampoons-european-vacation.md)
- *Just One of the Guys* (1985), as Greg
- *Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story* (1984), as Rick Peterson
- *E/R* (1984), series, Actor
- *The Karate Kid* (1984), as Johnny — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/the-karate-kid.md)
- *The Greatest American Hero* (1981), series, as Clarence Mortner Jr.

## Gallery

- ![William Zabka](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-05a7d298f140.jpg) William Zabka — Supercon Conventions, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/William_Zabka_2018.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![With Greg at the Chiller Theatre Expo at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, NJ, April 27, 2013. pictured (left to right): Greg, William Zabka, and Rob](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-95103f495998.jpg) With Greg at the Chiller Theatre Expo at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, NJ, April 27, 2013. pictured (left to right): Greg, William Zabka, and Rob — Rob DiCaterino, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Chiller_Theatre_Expo%2C_Parsippany%2C_NJ%2C_27_April_2013.jpg/1280px-Chiller_Theatre_Expo%2C_Parsippany%2C_NJ%2C_27_April_2013.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![With Greg at the Chiller Theatre Expo at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, NJ, April 27, 2013. pictured (left to right): Greg, William Zabka, and Rob](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-e7a5fa282921.jpg) With Greg at the Chiller Theatre Expo at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, NJ, April 27, 2013. pictured (left to right): Greg, William Zabka, and Rob — Rob DiCaterino, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Chiller_Theatre_Expo%2C_Parsippany%2C_NJ%2C_April_27%2C_2013.jpg/1280px-Chiller_Theatre_Expo%2C_Parsippany%2C_NJ%2C_April_27%2C_2013.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![61109191269 (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-905ca1255f88.jpg) 61109191269 (2019) — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Cobra_Kai_61109191269_%2849133109268%29.jpg/1280px-Cobra_Kai_61109191269_%2849133109268%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![William Zabka](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-01a2eaf24fb1.jpg) William Zabka — Image via TMDB
- ![William Zabka](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-fe31b456f320.jpg) William Zabka — Image via TMDB
- ![William Zabka](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-7c6b11b89921.jpg) William Zabka — Image via TMDB
- ![61109191270 (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-2cb359695ce6.jpg) 61109191270 (2019) — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Cobra_Kai_61109191270_%2849133795912%29.jpg/1280px-Cobra_Kai_61109191270_%2849133795912%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![61109191271 (2019)](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-af76d3436f4a.jpg) 61109191271 (2019) — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Cobra_Kai_61109191271_%2849133791962%29.jpg/1280px-Cobra_Kai_61109191271_%2849133791962%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![William Zabka](https://film.one/media/person/118104/gallery-c74cac500c5f.jpg) William Zabka — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 2004: Best Live Action Short Film (nominated), for *Most*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/william-zabka