Ron Howard Says He'd 'Probably' Act Again If Daughter Bryce Dallas Howard Directed Him

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Ron Howard isn't one to step in front of the camera anymore, but there's one person who could convince him to act again.

During an appearance on Variety's Awards Circuit podcast this week, the Thirteen Lives director, 68, said while he has not acted in years outside of his recurring television role as Arrested Development's narrator, his actress/director daughter Bryce Dallas Howard "probably" could convince him to return in an on-screen role.

"It would probably be Bryce," he said. "It would probably be Bryce directing something and saying, 'Dad, I really need you to come in and do this,' or 'You have to.' Either of those would probably get me in the makeup chair and in front of the camera."

Ron said any potential appearance he makes would have to be the perfect fit for his daughter, 41.

"She's very astute and meticulous, so unless I'm right for something, absolutely right, it ain't happening," he said of Bryce, who in recent years has directed episodes of Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, and she's directing the upcoming Flight of the Navigator reboot.

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Asked whether he thinks he would have to audition for a project directed by Bryce, Ron said: "I'm sure there'd be an audition involved. I'd be a little disappointed if she didn't [make me audition]."

Elsewhere during the podcast appearance, Ron — who initially rose to fame in the 1970s as Richie Cunningham on the ABC series Happy Days — noted that "people were skeptical" when he tried to jump from acting to directing in the first place.

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"Actors would direct once in a while — Paul Newman directed something, Jack Lemmon directed something, but they wouldn't commit themselves to it," Ron said. "People certainly didn't come from TV sitcoms, and they certainly hadn't been child actors who would then make this their career."

"I can understand their skepticism, but it frustrated me," he added of his transition from in front of the camera to behind it.

"Right around the time that I broke through Alan Alda was also beginning to direct. ... Rob Reiner did, Eddie Marshall, so soon the sitcom vets were making their mark," Ron added.

Thirteen Lives is now streaming on Prime Video.