Do you remember “Johnny Lawrence” from the 80’s action drama “The Karate Kid”? It was Zabka who is known for the role of a bully teen in this film. He is one of the few antagonists who is remembered for his roles in Hollywood.
Though this teen star started his career performing negative roles, he worked in many kinds of roles throughout his life, leading William Zabka’s net worth to be approximately $3 million(as of 2021).
Now, Zabka is also a well-known actor, director and writer. Let’s get to know about this prominent actor and his lifestyle in a brief discussion.
Early Life and Education
William was born in New York, United States of America on 20th October 1965.
His parents were both involved in the film industry.
His mother, Nancy was a production assistant, and his father, Stan was a writer, director, and composer. His father is somewhat famous for his assisting director work in the show “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”.
William has two siblings, a brother, Guy Zabka, and a sister, Judy Zabka.The Zabka brothers and sisters are said to be talented singers, musicians, and songwriters.
At the age of 18, Zabka completed his graduation from “El Camino Real Charter High School” which is located in Los Angeles. Later, he continued his education majoring in films in California State University in Northridge.
Career
Zabka began performing in his teenage years. He made his first formal appearance through the television show, “The Greatest American Hero,”.
William’s career breakthrough was his role of “Johnny Lawrence”, a school bully character from the film “The Karate kid”(1984) and its sequels.
He performed in various movies such as “Just One of the Guys”, “A Tiger’s Tale”, “Unlawful Passage”, “Shootfighter II”, “High Voltage”, “Falcon Down”, and many more.
He sometimes made guest appearances playing different roles in television series like “The Equalizer”, “To the Ends of Time”, “Python”, “Robot Chicken”, “How I Met Your Mother” , “Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street” etc. He even produced a “Cobra Kai”, which is an official sequel of 80’s action film “The Karate Kid”.
Award and Recognition
William worked on a wide range of projects including films and television series.
The 80’s drama “The Karate Kid” almost started a worldwide craze for Karate. He, himself, was inspired to learn “Tang Soo Do” (a combination of Korean and Chinese martial arts) and achieved a green belt in it.
His work and passion for acting helped him gain worldwide recognition. In an interview, Zabka stated people treated him harshly for his villainous roles. Later, he worked on many mature roles. And once again he won many hearts proving his amazing acting skills.
He was nominated in “Young Artists Awards” and in “Academy Awards” for his films like “The Karate Kid” and “Most”.
Asset, House and Car
William Zabka, along with his wife, Stacie Zabka and two children lives in New York, USA. The location of the house is not revealed for privacy concerns.
It is surprising how well William Zabka has kept his personal life out of the spotlight while leading a public life for more than three decades. Even if he has a large net worth, Johnny Lawrence actor William Zabka does not live a luxurious lifestyle. He has never been seen splurging on luxury items and wants to keep his asset information under wraps.
According to sources, William has a collection of cars but the names and brands are not known.
Income Detail and Net Worth
William Zabka’s net worth is accumulated to be $3 million. He is an accomplished wrestler, actor and producer.
Early in his career, he pursued wrestling. But he did not continue it, rather he acted and produced many movies and television series. His acting profession provides the majority of his income. But it is said that he may also own some unknown businesses.
Box office collections of his movie “The Karate Kid” and its sequels are $91 million, $115.1 million and $38.9 million respectively.
Cobra Kai, (launched on YouTube Red and Netflix ) where he is an executive producer, is his most notable production job. William earned over $2 million from Cobra Kai in its first two seasons.
Zabka also earns per post through sponsorship and other things from his large fan following of 1.6M in Instagram.
William Zabka : At A glance
| Real Name | William Michael Zabka |
| Popular Name | William Zabka |
| Date of Birth | October 20, 1965 |
| Birth Place | New York |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 55 |
| Height | 1.84 m |
| Spouse | Stacie Zabka |
| Children | 2 |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Net worth | $3 Million |
FAQ
Did William Zabka’s children watch “The Karate Kid”?
Ans. In an interview, Willam Zabka who played the antagonist in the film “The Karate Kid” stated that his children did not watch the film.
Did William know karate before the film “The Karate Kid”?
Ans. Formerly, Willam did not know anything about karate but was a professional wrestler. Later, he was inspired by the movie and practiced “Tang Soo Do”. At some point, he even achieved a second degree green belt in it.
Are Ralph Macchio and William Zabka friends?
Ans. William Zabka told Popcluture.com in an interview that after many years of acting together, Ralph and he had become good friends as they share the same history in the film “The Karate Kid”.
Verdict
William Zabka’s net worth is the result of his perseverance and hard work in the film business. His career spans more than three decades, and the fact that he is still popular today is remarkable.
