Ron Howard Reveals Longtime Wife Cheryl Has ‘Been in Everything’ He’s Directed Since 11th Grade (Exclusive)

Ron Howard has mixed his personal life with work since he was a teenager!

Howard exclusively told PEOPLE in a recent interview that he always reserved a role for his wife, Cheryl Howard, in every movie he made before becoming an Academy Award-winning director.

The conversation revolved around the 40th anniversary of his classic romantic comedy Splasha “fish out of water” movie starring Tom Hanks as Allen Bauer, a man who falls in love with a mermaid named Madison, famously played by Daryl Hannah.

“Cheryl was there, and [she] she’s doing her usual cameo in the film,” he says of Cheryl’s appearance in Splash. “She’s been in everything I’ve ever done since 11th grade in high school.”

Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard. Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty John Candy ‘Overdid It’ with Jack Nicholson the night before filming Splash The racquetball scene, the producer recalls

The Happy days star and Cheryl met in high school and have four children. She has credits in his films dating back to 1977. On IMDb, her credit begins with a short film Old color.

Splash is her first official film credit, but she has also had roles in Grand Theft Autothe first feature that Howard directed, along with his hits like Apollo 13 and Oscar winner A beautiful mind.

IN SplashAllen’s brother Freddie Bauer (John Candy) looks up her character’s skirt when they are both guests at a wedding.

Howard also reveals to PEOPLE that the world has Cheryl and several other women to thank Splash’happy ending.

Cheryl Howard (L) and Ron Howard attend a special screening of Thirteen Lives at the Vue West End on July 18, 2022.

David M. Bennett/Dave Bennett/WireImage

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The original script — written by Brian Jay Friedman, Lowell Ganz and Howard’s longtime business partner Brian Grazer — ends on a dock in New York after Allen accepts the fact that he’s in love with a mermaid and helps Madison escape from the institution where they’ve both been caught would be studied.

In freeing Madison, he is helped by his brother Freddie and Walter Kornbluth (Eugine Levy), a mad scientist who changes his mind after exposing Madison as a mermaid and captures the couple.

Madison tells Allen that he could live with her and be safe in the ocean, but if he did, he would never be able to visit his brother on land again.

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Seth Gabel, Bryce Dallas Howard, director Ron Howard, Cheryl Howard, Reed Cross Howard (right) and family attend the Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony for Ron Howard. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Friedman, Ganz, Grazer and Howard’s vision of the ending saw Allen content to choose his brother over his true love. But Cheryl and the other wives who read Splash the script in its later stages disagreed with the choice.

“It was really interesting because all of our wives read the script over the weekend and they all adamantly begged us to change it,” Howard remembers. “They weren’t talking to each other, it was just a spontaneous alignment.”

The final scene of “Splash.”.

Walt Disney Studios

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“We all listened to it and I’m glad we did,” adds Howard.

Allen jumps off the docks at the end of the movie, helps Madison fight the baddies, and swims into a happily ever after with her by his side.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education