Bryce Dallas Howard’s Surprising Confession
Bryce Dallas Howard has revealed something surprising: she’s never actually seen the classic sitcom “Happy Days,” even though her father, Ron Howard, starred in it. That must be a bit awkward, right?
The 44-year-old actress, known for her role in “Jurassic World,” shared this during an appearance on Busy Phillips’ QVC+ talk show. She joked, “I’m busy this week,” which made the confession even more amusing.
“Okay, I’m going to admit something—I’ve never watched an episode of ‘Happy Days’,” she said, a bit sheepishly. Phillips’ shocked reaction was palpable, “What? Wait, sorry. What?”
Continuing, Howard explained, “I’m kind of a child’s prototype here… I guess I just took that fact for granted,” stopping to take in Phillips’ astonishment. “I know!” she added awkwardly.
Phillips pointed out that not only does Ron Howard play Ritchie Cunningham, but Henry Winkler, who portrayed Fonzie, is also Dallas Howard’s godfather. “I love him so much. I love my dad and I love the people from ‘Happy Days,'” she stated. “It’s just easy to overlook, I don’t know why.”
Interestingly, Phillips noted that “Happy Days” was always on TV when she got home from school, so she found it hard to believe Dallas Howard hadn’t seen it, even a little.
“I watched them get ‘wiser,'” Dallas Howard said about her father’s and Winkler’s time on the show.
When Phillips mentioned that neither Ron nor Winkler have actually seen “Happy Days,” Dallas Howard shrugged and said, “Yeah, hey,” adding that they never really asked her about it. She suspects her brother hasn’t watched it either.
Though she’s missed out on “Happy Days,” Howard did see her father’s earlier work in “The Andy Griffith Show,” where he played Opie Taylor. “I like to watch ‘The Andy Griffith Show,'” she shared, calling it “really cute and sweet.”
The “Andy Griffith Show” was on air from 1960 to 1968, and Howard was only five when the pilot premiered, which seems a bit surreal, doesn’t it?
“Happy Days” aired from 1974 to 1984. Howard mentioned that her son, Theodore, is now older than her dad was when he started filming “Happy Days.”
Despite Ron Howard’s early career, he and her mother, Cheryl, were firm that she shouldn’t act as a child. “If I had the chance, I would have taken it,” she revealed, but her parents were against it. They wanted her to have a different childhood.
As a teenager, she worked various jobs—waitressing, babysitting, dog walking—to gain experience outside of acting. “When I first started, it took a while to make a living, so I’m glad they set those boundaries,” she said, reflecting on her journey.
Still, Dallas Howard grew up on film sets, soaking in the atmosphere, even if she was told to steer clear of the actors. She gravitated towards the camera crew and other behind-the-scenes roles, but it wasn’t until high school that she considered acting for herself.
Now, Dallas Howard is a well-known actress, widely recognized for her character Claire in the “Jurassic World” series. She also had a notable role in “The Help” and will appear as Elly Conway in the upcoming film “Argylle.” Oh, and don’t forget her portrayal of Gwen Stacy in “Spider-Man 3.”
In a recent interview, Dallas Howard reflected on the most valuable advice she received from her father. “He once said, ‘If you’re training to become a boxer, you’re not just training to throw punches; you also need to learn how to take a punch,’” she recalled. This nugget of wisdom, she believes, is crucial for anyone wanting to succeed. “If you just smash it, it’s game over,” she explained.
