NEED TO KNOW
Henry Winkler is beyond proud of his longtime pal Ron Howard.
Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the 27th Television Academy Hall of Fame Ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday, Aug. 16, Winkler, 79, reveals what he did when Howard, 71, earned his first-ever acting Emmy nomination in July for his work on The Studio.
“I called him immediately. He was so excited,” the Barry alum says of his former Happy Days costar, whom he has been friends with for more than 50 years. “He is limitless.”
Kevin Winter/Getty
Winkler adds that Howard spoke to him before he filmed his scenes for AppleTV+’s satirical comedy take on the Hollywood industry.
“He loved it,” he recalls Howard telling him. “He said to me, ‘I’m doing it and I’m going full-tilt.'”
Winkler also reveals if he would be down to make a cameo on The Studio if he were to be asked.
“I would do it immediately,” he gushes, calling the series “a great show.”
If he were to appear on the show, Winkler would be joining a list of all-star talents who played themselves on the first season. Among the many who guest starred were Martin Scorsese, Anthony Mackie, Zöe Kravitz, Dave Franco and Howard, all of whom earned Emmy nominations.
Bryan Cranston also earned an Emmy nod for his guest role, though he played a character rather than appearing as himself.
Winkler and Howard first made names for themselves on Happy Days.
The sitcom ran for 11 seasons between 1974 and 1984 on ABC.
Howard starred as the all-American boy next door Richie Cunningham for the first seven seasons of the series, returning in a guest capacity in the final season.
Winkler, on the other hand, was initially in a recurring role as the ultimate cool guy Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli in the first season before being upped to a series regular for the rest of the show’s run thanks to his character’s popularity.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
The two actors shared the stage at the 2024 Emmys in a mini Happy Days reunion.
“I was with him for 45 seconds on the Emmys last year. It was like we had just been on the set a minute ago,” Winkler tells PEOPLE of the moment. “Oh my God, I love him very much.”
Howard previously told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview what earning his first-ever acting Emmy nomination meant to him.
“I play an a—— version of myself,” he told PEOPLE days after the Emmy nominations were announced. “Apparently, it went over. I have many noms and even some wins on the producing and directing side, but first nom as an actor, which is kind of funny.”
“I’m getting a kick out of it,” he added of his 14th Emmy nomination.
Apple TV+
The Studio stars Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the new head of Continental Studios, an embattled movie studio. Howard appeared in the third episode of the first season.
During the episode, which aired in April, Howard’s character cries when he receives a difficult piece of feedback from Rogen’s character and proceeds to angrily throw his signature baseball cap at him.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The 2025 Emmys will air live on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS.
