Biography

He was not at all experienced in martial arts prior to the filming of The Karate Kid (1984). He was actually an accomplished wrestler. However, in the years since, he has earned a second degree green belt in Tang Soo Do.

Speaks Czech fluently. The Czech translation of his surname (pronounced "zhuh-b-kuh") is "little frog".

His parents are: Stanley William Zabka, a director/writer/composer whose credits include the Chuck Norris movie Forced Vengeance (1982); and Nancy Heimert, a business-liaison/producer/PA. William grew up with two siblings: brother Guy; and sister Judy. Both siblings are accomplished singers, musicians and songwriters...as is WZ himself, who plays guitar and piano.

His paternal grandfather was Czech, while his paternal grandmother was born in Nebraska to Czech parents. William's mother is of German ancestry.

Best known by the public for his role as Johnny Lawrence, the main villain of John G. Avildsen's classic The Karate Kid (1984) and the web television series Cobra Kai (2018).

My training in martial arts was kind of a crash course in how to look like a black belt. I know the moves of a black belt - my kicks, and my stretches, and my punches and all that.

Prior to The Karate Kid (1984), I did commercials - Kool-Aid, Pepsi, milk - and I had always been cast as the all-American nice guy.

Back when I was maybe 19, guys would go, "I can kick your butt!" So I had a few showdowns. To my advantage, I learned martial arts, and what you really learn is not to fight.

Sometimes you become a character, and sometimes the character becomes you.

Strangely, when I was a kid, my first acting job, at 5 years old, was a performance of "The Three Little Pigs". They cast me as the Big Bad Wolf.