Robyn Lively is an American actress whose career began when she was a child and continued across movies and television for more than four decades. She became widely recognized in the 1980s through films such as Teen Witch, The Karate Kid Part III, and Wildcats, while later building a strong television résumé with shows including Twin Peaks, Doogie Howser, M.D., Saving Grace, 9-1-1: Lone Star, and Cobra Kai.
In recent years, Lively has remained active on television and in films. Her newer credits include Landman, High Potential, Lioness, It Ends with Us, and Someone Like You. She is also part of the well-known Lively acting family and is the older half-sister of actress Blake Lively.
Robyn Lively Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Robyn Elaine Lively Johnson |
| Born | February 7, 1972 |
| Age | 54 years old in 2026 |
| Birthplace | Powder Springs, Georgia, USA |
| Profession | Actress |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) |
| Husband | Bart Johnson |
| Married | September 25, 1999 |
| Children | Three |
| Best Known For | Teen Witch, The Karate Kid Part III, Twin Peaks, Doogie Howser, M.D. |
| Recent TV Work | Landman, High Potential, Cobra Kai, 9-1-1: Lone Star |
| Famous Relative | Blake Lively |
| Estimated Net Worth | About $2.5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth |
Who Is Robyn Lively?
Robyn Lively is an actress who started working professionally while she was still a child. She grew up in an entertainment family and began appearing on television in the late 1970s before moving into larger film and television roles during the 1980s.
Her breakthrough period included Wildcats, The Karate Kid Part III, and especially Teen Witch, in which she played Louise Miller. The 1989 musical fantasy film became one of the defining titles of her early career and remains the role most closely associated with her name.
Unlike some actors whose careers were concentrated in one period, Lively continued appearing in television dramas, procedural series, family productions, and films throughout the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s.
Robyn Lively Young and Her Early Career
Robyn Lively was born in Powder Springs, Georgia, on February 7, 1972. She entered acting at a young age and appeared in productions including Summer of My German Soldier and Boone.
During the 1980s, she built an impressive résumé for a young performer. Her credits included Punky Brewster, Knight Rider, The Best of Times, Wildcats, Starman, and other television and film projects.
Her early performances also brought award recognition. She received multiple Young Artist Award nominations during the 1980s and was later nominated for a Daytime Emmy for her work in an ABC Afterschool Special.
Robyn Lively Movies
Robyn Lively has appeared in numerous movies throughout her career. Some of the most notable Robyn Lively movies include:
- The Best of Times (1986)
- Wildcats (1986)
- Not Quite Human (1987)
- Teen Witch (1989)
- The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
- Letters to God (2010)
- Ouija (2014)
- Miss Arizona (2018)
- Through the Glass Darkly (2020)
- National Anthem (2023)
- Ganymede (2023)
- Someone Like You (2024)
- It Ends with Us (2024)
Her filmography also includes a mixture of theatrical releases, television movies, independent productions, and later dramatic projects. IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes both list Teen Witch, The Karate Kid Part III, Wildcats, Letters to God, Someone Like You, and It Ends with Us among her credits.
Robyn Lively in Teen Witch
Teen Witch remains one of the most recognizable movies in Robyn Lively’s career. Released in 1989, the film follows Louise Miller, a high school student who discovers that she is descended from a witch and begins experiencing magical changes in her life. Lively played the central character and carried much of the movie.
The film did not become a major mainstream hit when it was initially released, but it developed a lasting following over the years. For Lively, the role became an enduring part of her career and is still one of the first titles associated with her name.
Robyn Lively in The Karate Kid Part III
Another important 1989 project was The Karate Kid Part III. Lively played Jessica Andrews, a character who becomes involved with Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi.
The movie starred Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita and gave Lively another prominent role during the same period that Teen Witch was establishing her as a recognizable young actress.
Robyn Lively TV Shows
Television has been a major part of Robyn Lively’s career. Her television credits include:
- Boone
- Punky Brewster
- Knight Rider
- Doogie Howser, M.D.
- Twin Peaks
- Savannah
- The X-Files
- The Mentalist
- Criminal Minds
- Saving Grace
- Cold Case
- Hawaii Five-0
- The Good Doctor
- All Rise
- Light as a Feather
- The Rookie
- 9-1-1: Lone Star
- Cobra Kai
- Lioness
- Landman
- High Potential
Her later television work shows that her career did not end with her 1980s success. She continued taking guest and recurring roles in major network and streaming productions.
Robyn Lively and Twin Peaks
One of the more memorable television appearances from Robyn Lively’s career came in Twin Peaks.
Lively appeared in the second season of the original series as Lana Budding Milford. The character is connected to Dougie Milford and becomes part of the strange social world surrounding the town of Twin Peaks.
Her appearance gave her a role in one of television’s most distinctive drama series of the early 1990s. IMDb credits Lively as Lana Budding Milford, while contemporary retrospectives of Twin Peaks also identify her among the show’s notable guest performers.
Is Robyn Lively in Landman?
Yes. Robyn Lively is in Landman. She plays Ellie, a waitress at the Patch Cafe. Her Landman credit is part of her recent television work, and IMDb lists her as appearing in three episodes of the series.
The series comes from Taylor Sheridan and follows the oil industry in West Texas. Lively’s role is a supporting appearance rather than one of the show’s central characters.
Interestingly, her husband Bart Johnson also appears in Landman, playing Patrick Ramsey.
Robyn Lively in High Potential
Robyn Lively also appeared in High Potential, the ABC crime-comedy drama starring Kaitlin Olson.
She played Lorraine Sternblatt in the episode “Chasing Ghosts.” This is one of the television credits from the later stage of her career and demonstrates the variety of guest roles she has taken on in recent years.
Does Robyn Lively Exist in Cobra Kai?
Yes. Robyn Lively appeared in Cobra Kai. She played Jessica Andrews, the same character she portrayed in The Karate Kid Part III. Her appearance came in the episode “Extreme Measures,” bringing a character from the original Karate Kid universe back into the modern series.
IMDb lists Lively’s Cobra Kai credit as Jessica Andrews in 2022.
The return was especially notable because Jessica Andrews had originally appeared in The Karate Kid Part III more than three decades earlier.
Robyn Lively and Blake Lively: Are They Related?
Yes. Robyn Lively and Blake Lively are half-sisters. Robyn is the older half-sister of Blake Lively. Their mother is Elaine Lively. Robyn’s biological father is Ronald Otis Lively, while Blake is the daughter of Elaine and actor Ernie Lively.
Ernie later became Robyn’s adoptive father after marrying Elaine, and he was also Blake’s biological father.
The Lively family includes several actors. Robyn’s siblings and half-siblings include Lori Lively, Jason Lively, Eric Lively, and Blake Lively.
Blake and Robyn Lively’s Age Difference
Robyn was born in 1972, while Blake was born in 1987. That makes Robyn approximately 15 years older than Blake.
This is why searches such as “Robyn Lively younger” can be confusing: Robyn is not younger than Blake. She is her older half-sister.
The two are also connected professionally. Robyn appeared in It Ends with Us, the 2024 film starring Blake Lively. Robyn played Ms. Byland in the movie.
Robyn Lively Husband
Robyn Lively’s husband is actor Bart Johnson. The couple married on September 25, 1999, and have three children together. Johnson is also an actor and is known for his work in projects including the High School Musical franchise.
Their professional connection has continued into recent television work. Bart Johnson appeared in Landman as Patrick Ramsey while Robyn Lively appeared as Ellie.
Robyn Lively Children
Robyn Lively and Bart Johnson have three children:
- Baylen Johnson
- Kate Johnson
- Wyatt Blake Johnson
Their youngest son, Wyatt Blake Johnson, was given the middle name Blake in honor of his aunt Blake Lively, according to IMDb’s biographical information.
What is the height and Age of Robyn Lively?
Robyn Lively was born on February 7, 1972. As of 2026, she is 54 years old. She began acting as a child and has maintained a career spanning from the late 1970s into the 2020s.
Robyn Lively is listed at 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters) tall. IMDb’s biographical information gives her height as 5’8″, and other entertainment databases report the same measurement.
Robyn Lively Net Worth
Robyn Lively’s net worth is estimated at approximately $2.5 million by Celebrity Net Worth.
This figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a verified financial statement. Robyn Lively has not publicly released a detailed breakdown of her assets, earnings, investments, or annual income.
Her long acting career includes more than 100 acting credits, along with work across films, television series, television movies, and guest appearances. Celebrity Net Worth currently lists the estimated figure at $2.5 million.
Robyn Lively’s Recent Career
Lively has continued working steadily rather than relying only on her 1980s fame. Her recent credits include 9-1-1: Lone Star, Cobra Kai, National Anthem, Ganymede, Someone Like You, It Ends with Us, Lioness, Landman, and High Potential.
Her appearance in Cobra Kai was particularly notable because it connected her modern television career with her earlier work in The Karate Kid Part III. Meanwhile, Landman and High Potential added more recent television credits to a filmography that already spans several generations of American television.
Robyn Lively’s Career Legacy
Robyn Lively’s career stands out because of its longevity. She began as a child performer, became a recognizable young actress during the 1980s, appeared in cult favorites such as Teen Witch, worked in major television productions including Twin Peaks, and continued taking roles well into the 2020s.
Her career is also closely connected to one of Hollywood’s most recognizable acting families. Through Elaine and Ernie Lively, she is part of a family that includes several performers, including Blake Lively and Jason Lively.
Rather than being defined by one movie alone, Lively’s résumé reflects a long-running career that has moved between films, network television, streaming productions, and guest appearances.
Final Thoughts
Robyn Lively has built a career that stretches from childhood television appearances in the late 1970s to recent roles in Landman, High Potential, Cobra Kai, and other contemporary productions. Her best-known early roles include Teen Witch and The Karate Kid Part III, while Twin Peaks remains an important television credit.
Beyond her acting career, Robyn is part of the Lively family and is the older half-sister of Blake Lively. Married to Bart Johnson since 1999, she has three children and continues to appear in film and television projects decades after her initial breakthrough.