William Zabka | |
---|---|
Born | William Michael Zabka October 20, 1965 New York City, New York, U.S. |
Education | California State University, Northridge (withdrew) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1982–present |
Spouse | Stacie Zabka (m. 2008) |
Children | 2 |
William Michael Zabka ( /ˈzæbkə/ ; born October 20, 1965) [1] [2] is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Johnny Lawrence in The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and the TV series Cobra Kai (2018–present). [3] In 2004, he was nominated for an Academy Award for co-writing and producing the short film Most . [4]
Zabka was born in New York City, the son of Nancy, a business liaison, producer, and production assistant, and Stan Zabka, a director, writer and composer. [5] He has a brother and a sister. His father was born in Des Moines, Iowa of Czech descent. [6] He worked as production manager on a number of motion pictures, including the Chuck Norris film Forced Vengeance (1982). [7]
In 1983, Zabka graduated from El Camino Real Charter High School in Los Angeles before briefly attending California State University, Northridge and majoring in film. [8]
Zabka's breakout acting role came in his first movie, The Karate Kid (1984). He played Johnny Lawrence, the main antagonist to the title character and protagonist played by Ralph Macchio. He had no training in karate at the time but was an accomplished wrestler. [9] His participation in the film inspired him to learn the martial art of Tang Soo Do and he later earned a second-degree green belt. [3]
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). He later tried to step away from playing the class bully character. He mentioned in an interview how he was sometimes hassled in public by random people because of the villainous characters he was best known for. [10] [11]
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 (aka The Bridge) shot on location in the Czech Republic and Poland. Most 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. [10] [11] [12]
In 2007, Zabka directed and starred in a music video for the band No More Kings' song, "Sweep the Leg". The video stars Zabka as a caricature of himself, living in a trailer in the desert and obsessed with his role in The Karate Kid. The video includes cameos by several of the original Karate Kid cast members, including Martin Kove and Ralph Macchio. [13] [14] [15]
In 2010, Zabka directed Rascal Flatts in their music video for the song "Why Wait" and also directed the video for their 2017 hit "Yours If You Want It". Also in 2010, Zabka made a cameo appearance in the comedy movie Hot Tub Time Machine .
In 2013, Zabka and Macchio guest starred in the season 8 episode of How I Met Your Mother , "The Bro Mitzvah". Zabka also appeared in several episodes of the sitcom's ninth season, playing a fictional version of himself. Zabka also directed commercials for clients including Little Tikes and Verizon at Heresy in Venice, California. [16]
On August 4, 2017, it was announced that Zabka would reprise his role as Johnny Lawrence in a 10-episode Karate Kid revival series for YouTube Red titled Cobra Kai that debuted in 2018. He also co-executive produces the series with Ralph Macchio. The series begins 33 years after the events of the first film, and revolves around a down and out Johnny who, seeking to rebuild his life, reopens the Cobra Kai dojo. It reignites his rivalry with a now-successful Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), who has been struggling to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of his now-deceased mentor, Mr. Miyagi. [17] [18]
He married Stacie Zabka in 2008 and they have two children. [19]
Film | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
1984 | The Karate Kid | Johnny Lawrence | |
1985 | Just One of the Guys | Greg Tolan | |
National Lampoon's European Vacation | Jack | ||
1986 | The Karate Kid Part II | Johnny Lawrence | Cameo |
Back to School | Chas Osborne | ||
Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story | Kim Fisher | TV movie | |
1988 | A Tiger's Tale | Randy | |
1989 | The Karate Kid Part III | Johnny Lawrence | Archive footage |
1991 | For Parents Only | Ted | Alternative title: Mean Parents Suck |
1992 | Shootfighter: Fight to the Death | Ruben | Alternative title: Shootfighter |
1994 | Unlawful Passage | Howie | |
1995 | Shootfighter II | Ruben | |
The Power Within | Raymond Vonn | Alternative title: Power Man | |
1996 | To the Ends of Time | Alexander | |
1997 | High Voltage | Bulldog | |
1999 | Interceptors | Dave | Alternative titles: Interceptor Force Predator 3: Intercepters The Last Line of Defence |
2000 | Epoch | Joe | Television movie |
Python | Greg Larsen | Television movie | |
Falcon Down | Security Guard John | ||
2001 | Ablaze | Curt Peters | |
Mindstorm | Rojack | Alternative titles: Artificial Telepathy Project: Human Weapon | |
2002 | Gale Force | Rance | |
Python II | Greg Larsen | Television movie, credited as Billy Zabka | |
Hyper Sonic | The Executive | ||
Landspeed | Bob Bailey | ||
Dark Descent | Marty (Opening credits only) | Alternative title: Descent Into Darkness | |
Antibody | Otto Emmerick | ||
2003 | Most | - | Alternative title: The Bridge, screenwriter & producer |
2004 | Roomies | Slick Salesman | Alternative title: Wild Roomies |
2007 | Smiley Face | Prison guard | |
Cake: A Wedding Story | Sam | Alternative title: Cake: A Wedding Comedy | |
Starting from Scratch | Bill Bowman | ||
2010 | Hot Tub Time Machine | Rick Steelman | |
Mean Parents Suck | Detective Ted Clement | ||
2014 | Where Hope Grows | Milton Malcolm | |
2015 | The Dog Who Saved Summer | Officer Johnny & Apollo (Voice) | Dual Role |
2016 | The Man in the Silo | Kevin | |
Television | |||
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1983 | The Greatest American Hero | Clarence Mortner Jr. | 1 episode |
1984 | Gimme a Break! | Jeffery | 1 episode |
CBS Schoolbreak Special | Rick Peterson | 1 episode | |
1984–1985 | E/R | Druggie Kid/Thief | 1 episode |
1985–1989 | The Equalizer | Scott McCall | 9 episodes |
2013 | Robot Chicken | Johnny Lawrence, Gibby, American Werewolf (voice) | Guest, season 6, episode 15, "Caffeine-Induced Aneurysm" |
2013–2014 | How I Met Your Mother | Clown/himself | Guest star (Season 8), recurring role (Season 9) |
2014 | Psych | Coach Bagg | Guest star: A Nightmare on State Street |
2015 | Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street | Sensei Jeff | Guest, season 2, episode 9, "Stanley and the Tattoo of Tall Tales" |
2018–present | Cobra Kai | Johnny Lawrence | Main role, also executive producer |
Video game | |||
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
2020 | Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues | Johnny Lawrence (voice) | |
2022 | Cobra Kai 2: Dojos Rising | Johnny Lawrence (voice) |
Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1985 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama | The Karate Kid | Nominated |
2004 | Academy Awards | Best Live Action Short Film | Most (shared with Bobby Garabedian) |
The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the Karate Kid franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue and William Zabka. The Karate Kid follows the story of Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), an Italian-American teenager from New Jersey who moves with his widowed mother to the Reseda neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, LaRusso encounters harassment from his new bullies, one of whom is Johnny Lawrence (Zabka), the ex-boyfriend of LaRusso's love interest, Ali Mills (Shue). As a result, LaRusso is taught karate by a handyman and war veteran named Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to help LaRusso defend himself and compete in a karate tournament against his bullies.
Ralph George Macchio Jr. is an American actor. He is best known for playing Daniel LaRusso in three Karate Kid films and in Cobra Kai, a sequel television series on Netflix. He also played Johnny Cade in The Outsiders, Jeremy Andretti in Eight Is Enough, Bill Gambini in My Cousin Vinny, Eugene Martone in Crossroads, and Archie Rodriguez in Ugly Betty, and had a recurring role as Officer Haddix in The Deuce.
The Karate Kid Part II is a 1986 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the second installment in the Karate Kid franchise and the sequel to the 1984 film The Karate Kid, starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. The Karate Kid Part II follows Daniel LaRusso (Macchio), who accompanies his karate teacher Mr. Miyagi (Morita) to see his dying father in Okinawa, only to encounter an old friend-turned-rival with a long-harbored grudge against Miyagi.
Cobra Kai is an American martial arts comedy-drama television series and a sequel to the original The Karate Kid films created by Robert Mark Kamen. The series was created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, and is distributed by Sony Pictures Television. The series was released on YouTube Red / YouTube Premium for the first two seasons, before moving to Netflix starting with the third. The series stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, who reprise their roles as Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence, respectively, from the 1984 film The Karate Kid and its sequels, The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989).
Martin Kove is an American actor. He is best known for his role as John Kreese, the main antagonist of The Karate Kid (1984). He reprised the role in The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), and the television series Cobra Kai (2018–present). Kove also appeared as Nero the Hero in Death Race 2000 (1975), and afterward as Clem in White Line Fever (1975). He was a regular on the TV series Cagney and Lacey (1982–1988), portraying Police Detective Victor Isbecki. He appeared in Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
The Karate Kid Part III is a 1989 American martial arts drama film, the third entry in the Karate Kid franchise and a sequel to The Karate Kid Part II (1986). It stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Robyn Lively, and Thomas Ian Griffith in his film debut. As was the case with the first two films in the series, it was directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen, with stunts choreographed by Pat E. Johnson and music composed by Bill Conti. In the film, the returning John Kreese, with the help of his best friend Terry Silver, attempts to gain revenge on Daniel and Mr. Miyagi which involves hiring a ruthless martial artist and harming their relationship.
No More Kings are the Los Angeles-based musical collaboration of singer/songwriter Pete Mitchell and producer/songwriter Neil Robins. No More Kings' music is known for its frequent references to figures in pop culture, most notably Johnny Lawrence from The Karate Kid, Michael and K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, Johnny 5 from Short Circuit, and Dungeons & Dragons. The band's songs are written by Mitchell along with his longtime friend Neil Robins of the Louisville-based band Dirt Poor Robins.
Tony O’Dell is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Cobra Kai member Jimmy in the 1984 film The Karate Kid, and the second season of its spinoff Cobra Kai, and as preppy Alan Pinkard on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class (1986–91).
Daniel LaRusso is a fictional character and the protagonist of The Karate Kid franchise. He is the protagonist of The Karate Kid's film trilogy and one of the two protagonists in its spin-off series Cobra Kai.
The Karate Kid is an American martial arts drama franchise created by Robert Mark Kamen. The series follows the journey of various coming-of-age teenagers who are taught in the ways of martial arts by an experienced mentor in order to stand up for themselves after being bullied, or assert their dominance towards others.
Jacob Bertrand is an American actor who began his career as a child actor appearing in the 2009 film Duress and playing guest roles on television series such as The Cape and The Middle. He is known for playing the titular character in the 2014 Disney XD series Kirby Buckets, and Jack Malloy in the 2016 Disney Channel Original Movie The Swap. Since 2018, Bertrand has played the series regular role of Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz in the YouTube Premium and Netflix series Cobra Kai.
John "Johnny" Lawrence is a fictional character of the Karate Kid media franchise. Played by William Zabka, he appears as the secondary antagonist of The Karate Kid, a minor character in The Karate Kid Part II, a flashback character in The Karate Kid Part III, and one of the two protagonists of the sequel television series Cobra Kai.
Robert Scott Garrison was an American actor known for his role as Tommy in the 1984 film The Karate Kid and the second season of its spinoff Cobra Kai.
Susanne Lieberstein Daniels is an American entertainment executive, producer, and author. She developed TV shows such as Dawson's Creek, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Gilmore Girls, and Cobra Kai, and YouTube livestream events with artists including Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Paul McCartney.
The first season of Cobra Kai was released on YouTube Red on May 2, 2018 and consisted of 10 episodes. The series is a direct sequel to the original four films in The Karate Kid franchise, focusing on the characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence over 30 years after the original film.
The second season of Cobra Kai, stylized as COBRA KAII, was released on YouTube Premium on April 24, 2019, and consisted of 10 episodes. The series is a direct sequel to the original four films in The Karate Kid franchise, focusing on the characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence over 30 years after the original film. This is the final season to be originally released on YouTube's streaming service as Netflix would acquire the streaming rights to Cobra Kai following YouTube's decision not to renew the series past a third season.
The third season of Cobra Kai, stylized as COBRA KAIII, was released on Netflix on January 1, 2021, and consisted of 10 episodes. The series is a direct sequel to the original four films in The Karate Kid franchise, focusing on the characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence over 30 years after the original film. This is the first season to be released on Netflix after YouTube decided to sell the series following the first two seasons. YouTube ordered the season in 2019 and initially set a 2020 release date which was delayed after Netflix's acquisition.
The fourth season of Cobra Kai, also known as Cobra Kai IV, released on Netflix on December 31, 2021, and consisted of 10 episodes. The series is a direct sequel to the original four films in The Karate Kid franchise, focusing on the characters of Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence over 30 years after the original film. It is the second season to be released in 2021 and second to initially release on Netflix after the first two seasons released on YouTube. The season was also released on DVD on September 13, 2022, a few days after the premiere of the show's fifth season.
Born October 20 in New York, NY; son of Stan Zabka (assistant director); mother, a production assistant
...at age 53 [as of April 2019]