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United States William Zabka is an actor and producer known for his iconic roles in film and television, including the 'Karate Kid' franchise and 'Cobra Kai'.
William Zabka starred in the year-long 'Midas is the Best' national brand campaign, which included tire-focused commercials and celebrated Midas's 70th anniversary. This campaign promoted Midas's Limited Lifetime Tire Guarantee and a national $70 synthetic oil change bundle.
William Zabka directed and starred in the music video for the band's song 'Sweep the Leg.' The video featured Zabka as a caricature of himself, living in a trailer and obsessed with his role in 'The Karate Kid,' with cameos from other original 'Karate Kid' cast members.
William Zabka directed the music videos for Rascal Flatts' songs 'Why Wait' (2010) and 'Yours If You Want It' (2017). The video for 'Yours If You Want It' was nominated for Group Video of the Year at the 2018 CMT Music Awards.
William Zabka directed commercials for Little Tikes, among other clients, at Heresy in Venice, California.
William Zabka directed commercials for Verizon Wireless, among other clients, at Heresy in Venice, California.
William Zabka participated in Funko's POP! Talk Special Edition, a live event at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, where he discussed 'The Karate Kid' and 'Cobra Kai'.
William Michael Zabka was born in New York City on October 20, 1965. His father, Stanley Zabka, was a director, writer, and composer, and his mother, Nancy Heimert, was a business liaison, producer, and production assistant. His early life saw him move from Long Island to the San Fernando Valley, California, at age 10. In 1983, he graduated from El Camino Real Charter High School in Los Angeles and briefly attended California State University, Northridge, majoring in film.
Zabka’s acting career began while he was still in college, leading to his breakout role as Johnny Lawrence in ‘The Karate Kid’ (1984). Although he had no prior martial arts training, he was an accomplished wrestler. This role led him to learn Tang Soo Do, in which he later earned a second-degree green belt. He continued to build his filmography throughout the 1980s with roles in comedies like ‘Just One of the Guys’ (1985) and ‘Back to School’ (1986), as well as reprising his role in ‘The Karate Kid Part II’ (1986). He also appeared in the TV series ‘The Equalizer’ from 1986 to 1989.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Zabka transitioned into behind-the-scenes work, focusing on independent films and filmmaking. He achieved critical recognition in 2004 when his short film ‘Most’ (2003), which he wrote and produced, was nominated for an Academy Award in the Live Action Short Film category. His career saw a significant resurgence with the YouTube Red and Netflix series ‘Cobra Kai’ (2018–2025), where he reprised his role as Johnny Lawrence. He also served as a co-executive producer on the series, which earned him praise for his nuanced portrayal and ability to convey complex emotions. Recently, in 2026, Zabka was cast in a recurring role for the Amazon Prime Video series ‘Scarpetta’.
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