There’s no doubt it must be somewhat odd being the child of one of Hollywood’s most well-known directors and actors. Just ask Paige Howard, the daughter of child-actor-turned-award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard.
Ron Howard, who first rose to fame thanks to his role on the classic TV series, “The Andy Griffith Show,” has been married to high school sweetheart Cheryl Alley for decades. Together, they share four children.
Although they’re in the world of entertainment, they still wanted to keep their kids out of the spotlight. As a result, they chose not to live in the Hollywood bubble. While growing up, Paige Howard recalls the odd feeling she got when fans approached her famous father.
During an interview, Paige, now 37, recalls that she was around nine years old when she started getting curious about what her dad did for a living. “I didn’t really know what it meant to be a celebrity,” she said. “I knew there was something different, but at the same time, it just felt so normal. We didn’t really know.”
While Ron Howard and his wife did everything they could to ensure their children had a normal upbringing, it was impossible to keep them totally out of Hollywood.
How Ron Howard’s daughter entered the entertainment world along with other family members
Today, Paige and her sister Bryce Dallas Howard are actresses in the industry. Paige also works as a producer. Their sibling Jocelyn appeared on “Arrested Development.” While their brother Reed looks like his dad’s twin and a carbon copy of Richie Cunningham from “Happy Days,” he’s now a professional golfer and YouTuber.
As for Paige, she says she and her sister often lean on their family for the best advice when it comes to show business.
“I think we all lean on each other for advice. Bryce, my dad, my mom — we all do. I’ve definitely reached out to all of them for advice on my career, as well as life, of course. I do it several times a week.”
However, Paige wasn’t always in the world of entertainment like Ron Howard. For a while, Paige worked a traditional Monday through Friday day job. However, Paige decided to follow in her family’s footsteps eventually.
“Initially, when I was really young, I was, like, ‘Yes, I want to be an actress.’ And then as I got a little older, I was, like, ‘I’m going to rebel against this and try other things.” However, Paige says she finally realized what she really wanted to do. “Now I’ve come home to acting again and it’s really, really fun. It’s definitely my career choice.”
After receiving guest-starring roles on shows such as “Medium” and “90210,” Howard made her feature film debut in the comedy Adventureland. She’s also had starring roles in the indie comedies Virgin Alexander and Cheesecake Casserole and The Employer opposite Malcolm McDowell.
