Age: 60
male
William Michael "Billy" Zabka (born October 20, 1965) is an American actor, martial artist, screenwriter, and film producer. Zabka is best known for his role of Johnny Lawrence in The Karate Kid (1984), The Karate Kid Part II (1986), and decades later reprises the role of Johnny in the Netflix series Cobra Kai (2018-), along with Ralph Macchio as Daniel. 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). 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, shot on location in the Czech Republic and Poland. Most (aka The Bridge) 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.
Teenager Jaime Reyes discovers a mysterious scarab in an abandoned lot near his home in El Paso. The alien artifact fuses to his spine, granting him a powerful armored suit and advanced weaponry. Struggling to control it, Jaime quickly draws the attention of the Black Beetle, a ruthless villain from the Reach, the scarab’s creators, sent to retrieve or destroy it. Outmatched and overwhelmed, Jaime searches for answers and is directed to Ted Kord—the original Blue Beetle from the 1980s. Long retired and haunted by his past failures, Ted reluctantly agrees to help. As they train together, Jaime learns to work with the scarab rather than fight it, tapping into its full potential while holding onto his humanity. When Black Beetle attacks El Paso, threatening Jaime’s family, Ted suits up one last time. Together, the two Beetles face off against the alien threat in a high-stakes battle that tests Jaime’s will and Ted’s legacy. In the final moments, Jaime unlocks a new form, pushing the scarab to its limits and defeating Black Beetle with Ted’s help. With Ted passing the torch, Jaime embraces his new role as a hero. He’s not just a kid with alien tech—he’s the Blue Beetle.
