Ron Howard didn’t sugarcoat things when daughter Bryce Dallas Howard asked for the truth about Santa Claus.
During Bustle’s One Nightstand interview, Pets director Bryce, 44, recalled her “complicated” feelings about how Ron, 71, broke the news to her as a child that Santa was make-believe.
“When I was very young — too young — my cousin was like, ‘Santa isn’t real.’ And I was like, ‘Well, you’re wrong. And I can prove it to you, and here’s how I’m going to prove it to you: My dad will never lie to me. I’m going to ask him, and I’m going to keep a walkie talk on in the room.’ And I did.”
After Ron burst her bubble, the Jurassic World actress said her mom Cheryl then “came in and I was crying; it was, like, the night before Christmas. She was like, ‘What did you do?’ and he’s like, ‘Well, she asked me. What am I supposed to do?’ And she goes, ‘What? Lie to her! Lie to her, Ronnie.’”
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Bryce added, “I very vividly remember that,” and admitted that her How the Grinch Stole Christmas director dad “had the best of intentions and ultimately, I think, made the right choice because of the fact that I know that my dad will not lie to me.”
She said with a laugh, “We all know: Ron Howard doesn’t lie.”
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For Ron’s birthday in March, Bryce wrote on Instagram, “I love you so much Dad, more than words can say.”
On Bryce’s birthday a day later, Ron paid tribute to her on Instagram, “You’ve always made your mom and me happy and incredibly proud. But the scope of what you’ve achieved with your family and career and the future you are building exceeds our wildest hopes from back when you were this adorable kid we loved so much.”
Ron shares Bryce with wife Cheryl, whom he met in high school and married in 1975. They also have three other kids: twins Jocelyn and Paige, 40, plus Reed, 38.
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