Henry Winkler’s Daughter Dishes on Growing Up With Famous Father
By Movieguide® Contributor
Henry Winkler’s daughter, Zoe, explained what it was like to grow up with such a famous father and how she used his notoriety for her benefit.
“It’s really just about family and how people assume that growing up in Hollywood is one way, but it’s really just a normal family,” Zoe told Fox News Digital while discussing her podcast which focuses on stories from her childhood. “We go through all the same insanity as everybody else. And it’s been the most fun.”
Zoe launched her podcast, “What in the Winkler?!” last fall with her mom Stacey Winkler.
“Ask anyone in LA who the most famous Winkler is and you’ll leave them hard pressed for an answer. Meet Stacey and Zoe…the Winklers behind THE Winkler,” the podcast’s description reads. “He may be the Fonz, but they are the spicy mother-daughter duo that you want to spill the tea with and have as your ultimate ride-or-dies. Welcome to ‘What in The Winkler?!’ They are sharing the good, the bad, and the behind the scenes.”
While Zoe claims that her upbringing was quite normal, her father was quick to butt in and add to the story, revealing that wasn’t entirely the case.
“She used me like a garden tool,” Henry joked. “She would not listen to me unless there was a nice young fellow in the vicinity.”
“I’m doing it now,” Zoe quipped, referring to how she is using his fame to launch her podcast. “He came with me on a Monday to Dolby Theater to help me promote my podcast. So, I’m grateful.”
READ MORE: HENRY WINKLER ASKS: DID I USE MY GOD-GIVEN TALENTS THE RIGHT WAY?
While the pair made jokes about how Henry’s fame impacted Zoe’s upbringing, it is true that she largely had a normal life, because her father did not buy into the lifestyle of fame. He has remained rooted throughout his career, and focuses on serving others rather than lifting his own ego. This choice came from Henry’s rise to fame where he realized just how much of an impact a celebrity can have on a person’s life.
“The first time, when I came from New York to Hollywood, the first job I had, I had four lines on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW which was the FRIENDS of its time,” Winkler told Fox News Digital in 2020. “They said, ‘Lunch,’ and all these big stars, they all went to lunch, and I just was in the middle of the soundstage and I had no idea where to go, no one had told me. I felt really alone.”
“I swore I would never let anybody on a set I was on feel that way ever again,” he added. “No matter what show I do, if there is a guest, I take that guest, man or woman, by the hand and show them where they can get anything done during the day.”
This focus on others has made all the difference as he has left a great impression on almost every person he has worked with.
READ MORE: DREW BARRYMORE SAYS HENRY WINKLER’S KINDNESS CHANGED HER LIFE
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