Bryce Dallas Howard Wasn't Allowed to Act as a Child — So She Worked These Jobs Instead

Though her dad, Ron Howard, was a child star — or perhaps because of it — Bryce Dallas Howard was forbidden from acting as a kid. While it was a bummer at the time, the actress is now grateful for her parents’ decision and for the other job opportunities it afforded her to pursue.

During a recent interview with People, the Twilight alum reflected on not being able to get started in Hollywood from a young age. “I think if I had the chance to act younger, I would’ve taken it. But I wasn’t allowed to,” Bryce said. “My parents were very firm on that boundary, that they were not going to support anyone who wanted to be a child actor.”

More from SheKnows

• Jeannie Mai & Daughter Monaco's Twinning Snapshot Shows How They Embraced Capricorn Season

Working Wasn’t Entirely Forbidden

While making money on set was off-limits, the entertainment multi-hyphenate’s parents gave her permission to work in other, more normal industries. “I started working as a waitress on the weekends at a deli, and it was fantastic,” she shared. “Because I was 14, I needed to get a waiver from my parents to be on a payroll, and honestly, I was like, ‘This is great,'” the Jurassic World star recalled.

“I just wanted to be working in the world, and then I worked in an allergy control product center on an assembly line at a factory, and then as a babysitter, a nanny, a dog walker, and all of that,” she continued.

Bryce, who has two kids of her own, expressed gratitude toward her parents for making her wait to star on the screen because of the perspective it gave her. “I’m really glad that they did that because when I did start acting, it took a while to make a living, to be able to be like, ‘Oh, okay. I can actually support myself with this,'” the director explained.

Her Journey to the Silver Screen

Because of her parents’ rule, Bryce had a slightly more normal career path (by non-famous standards) than many of her Hollywood peers. She began her pursuit of acting by attending the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and she worked in theater before making the jump to movies.

In 2004, Bryce was cast in her debut movie role: M. Night Shyamalan’s  The Village. Decades later, she’s starred in an impressive list of blockbuster projects including Spider-Man 3, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Help, Black Mirror, and the Jurassic World series.

Following in her dad’s footsteps, the actress has also directed several projects, the most notable being episodes of The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and the forthcoming Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Ron, too, worked within the Star Wars universe — the Hollywood tycoon directed Solo: A Star Wars Story in 2017.

Before you go, check out what these celebrities had to say about the jobs they worked as teens.

Best of SheKnows

• All the Pregnant Celebrities Who Showed Off Their Baby Bumps on the Red Carpet

• Celebrity Exes Who Are Co-Parenting Right

• Big Brother Alum Christie Murphy & All the Celebrities Who Welcomed Babies in 2024

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.