Has William Zabka Ever Wanted to Move on From The Karate Kid?
In the 1984 film The Karate Kid, William Billy Zabka played Johnny Lawrence, a ruthless Cobra Kai student who violently bullies Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio). The actor returned to the martial arts franchise in 2018 by continuing his characters storyline in the acclaimed series Cobra Kai.  William Zabka Discussed Johnny During a Recent Interview  While Zabka has starred in numerous projects, he is best known for playing Johnny. During a May interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor was asked if there was a period of time during his career that he want[ed] to distance [himself] from this character. The actor revealed that he believed he had, but not consciously.  I think, sure, I mean as an artist, you want to move on. You want to do new things, said the 55-year-old. He clarified that he never had any animosity towards  Johnny or Karate Kid and asserted that it has only been a blessing for [his] career. He did acknowledge that portraying Johnny in The Karate Kid, caused him to be typecast as a bully in the 1980s. I played a lot of similar type characters, you know. [In] the 80s I was, kind of the quintessential bad guy, said Zabka. I was  you know thats how I was, kind of, defined. And most of my roles came out of that in my subsequent career and all that. But I never consciously pushed away from it. If anything I would embrace it.  He explained that he always wanted to do something different and new. For this reason, he wanted to make sure that Johnny was a multifaceted character in Cobra Kai.  If I went back and played a version of [Johnny] of when he was 18, a, kind of, more unredeemed character, except for at the very ending, that wouldnt have been exciting. I didnt want to double down on Johnnys quote unquote d***ness, you know, explained Zabka with a laugh. The Hot Tub Time Machine star went on to say that he needed Johnny to have a heart and go through a redemption arc on Cobra Kai. As fans are aware, the writers on the show fulfilled Zabkas request and the character has been given a depth that was absent in the original Karate Kid movie. Im playing a brand new character in many ways. Hes, you know, hes got 30 years of his life and backstory in between then and now. So thats super exciting. If Karate Kid didnt exist, this character could still exist, easily, stated Zabka. William Zabka Made Similar Comments About Johnny in a June Interview  William Zabka shared similar information about playing Johnny on Cobra Kai during a June interview on SiriusXM Faction Talks The Jim Norton & Sam Roberts Show. He described his character, who has been attempting to better his life throughout the shows three seasons, as an antihero.  Hes not the quintessential villain of the story of The Karate Kid. Hes a three-dimensional person. So in many ways, Johnny Lawrence is a brand new character. Hes Johnny Lawrence today, said the actor. To see more of Zabka, check out Cobra Kai, available to stream on Netflix. READ NEXT: Chad McQueens Daughter Reveals if He Will Be in Cobra Kai