Ron Howard is perhaps one of the best-known former child actors. The Arrested Development star and critically acclaimed producer and director rose to fame as a young child on shows like The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, and Happy Days. At age 69, he has had four children and all of them were practically the spitting image of him in their youth. They’re all adults today and have their own families and success. Meet Ron Howard’s children: Bryce, twins Paige and Jocelyn, and Reed.
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Ron Howard’s Early Success Led to a Lifelong Career
Ron Howard has pretty much lived and breathed Hollywood since the day he was born on March 1, 1954. His mother was an actress, and his father was an actor, director, and producer who used to work in the Air Force. Ron was born in Oklahoma, but his family relocated to Hollywood in 1958. His first film role was the following year in The Journey.
Ron Howard was consistently cast in film and TV from 1959 on. He landed the role of Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1968. From 1964 to 1974, he played Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. Despite his lengthy times on both shows, Howard continued to work in dozens of other projects until about the late 80s. For about 15 years, he dabbled a little with acting but mostly with voice work, such as for The Simpsons and Frasier. His last notable acting role was as himself and the narrator in Arrested Development, which he also executive produced.
He’s Won 2 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes, and 3 Emmys
The reason for the fallback from on-camera work was Ron Howard’s success as a producer and director. He’s produced 141 projects to date, many of them award-winning.
He won two Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director for A Beautiful Mind in 2002. Frost/Nixon garnered him two Oscar nominations for the same awards in 2009. The animated children’s series Curious George won two Daytime Emmys. Arrested Development and From the Earth to the Moon each won a Primetime Emmy as outstanding series. Howard has won two Golden Globes, one as Best Actor in a TV series for Happy Days in 1978, and the other for Best Motion Picture – Drama for A Beautiful Mind. In 2017, he won a Grammy for Best Music Film for The Beatles: Eight Days a Week.
Through all his success, Ron Howard has also made a fortune. His estimated net worth is $200 million.
Ron Howard Has Been Married to High School Sweetheart Cheryl for Almost 50 Years
Ron Howard is married to his high school sweetheart Cheryl. They were both students at John Burroughs High School in Burbank and went on their first date in 1970. They married in June of 1975. Ron told People that he undoubtedly knew she was the one right away.
“I met her, and there was never anybody else,” he said. “She’s unbelievably supportive and always has been. Our compatibility has endured through all kinds of experiences.” He was a junior when they met.
Cheryl Howard Is an Actress and Author
Cheryl Howard was born as Cheryl Alley on December 23, 1953, in Glendale, California. Glendale is very close to Hollywood and Burbank, where Ron grew up. Like her husband, Cheryl is an actress. She was cast in two short films in 1969 and has an uncredited role from 1977’s Grand Theft Auto. After marrying Ron, Cheryl has made several cameos. Some of the projects she’s appeared in include Willow (1988), Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code, and Arrested Development.
Speaking with Television Academy, Ron Howard called Cheryl his “good luck charm.”
“At a certain point, I became very superstitious about making sure that she appears, that’s she’s at least identifiable in one frame,” he said. “They don’t have to be big cameos, but she’s gotta be in there.”
Cheryl is also a published author and has traveled around the world to do research for one of her books, In the Face of Jinn. She also holds a master’s degree in screenwriting and a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Ron Howard and His Wife Have 4 Children and 6 Grandchildren
After being together for a decade and married for 5 years, Ron and Cheryl Howard welcomed their first child. Ron once told David Letterman that he and his wife chose each of their children’s middle names based on where they were conceived.
“The challenge of parenting is conveying to your kids your love,” Ron once told Parade. “Live through example, not words. Forget about the past and don’t worry too much about the future. Try to offer a set of coping mechanisms that actually relate to your life.”
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard was born on March 2, 1981. As her name suggests, she was conceived in Dallas, Texas. Like her famous father, Bryce is a lauded actress, director, and producer. She’s made many cameo appearances alongside her parents (Arrested Development, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind are some examples) but has spearheaded her own success apart from them as well.
Bryce played Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man 3, Victoria in The Twilight Saga and its sequels, and Claire Dearing in the Jurassic World franchise. She also played Hilly Holbrook in The Help and was Golden Globe nominated as Best Actress for the TV series As You Like It. Bryce has produced three films and directed ten projects, including The Mandalorian.
Bryce Howard married actor Seth Gabel in 2006. They have two children: Beatrice and Theodore.
Paige Carlyle Howard
Paige and her identical twin sister Jocelyn were born on February 5, 1985. They share the same middle name, which is a reference to the Carlyle Hotel in New York City. Paige is a writer and also an award-winning actress. She played Natalie Welsh in the web series stalkTALK, Sue O’Malley in Adventureland, and made a cameo appearance on Arrested Development.
Paige won the L.A. Indies Award for Supporting Actress for the 2013 film The Employer. She and her co-stars on stalkTalk were also the recipients of the New York International Film and TV Festival Gold Medal award for best web series in 2011.
Paige married actor and artist Timmy Abou Nasr on May 1, 2022.
Jocelyn Carlyle Howard
Jocelyn chose to stay out of the Hollywood industry for the most part. However, she made a cameo appearance on an episode of Arrested Development. She stays out of the spotlight except for the occasional appearance on her family’s social media. Jocelyn has three children: Quinn, Sawyer, and Elodie.
Reed Cross Howard
Reed Cross was born on April 12, 1987. His middle name comes from the London street where his family lived when he was conceived. Like his older sister Jocelyn, Reed’s been a one-and-done actor with a cameo appearance on Arrested Development. He loves golfing and is married to his love Ashley. Reed and Ashley wed in August of 2015 at the Winvian Farm. They share a daughter, Aspen Leigh.