Legendary actor Henry Winkler revealed he blocked his daughter, Zoe Winkler, from pursuing a career in reality TV, believing it was in her best interest.
During an episode of her What in the Winkler?! podcast, Zoe, 44, recalled being considered for The Bachelorette. However, her father stepped in to prevent it.
“Oh, my goodness. And we put a stop to that … only for your protection,” the Happy Days star, 79, said, jokingly asking for a “thank you.”
Zoe also shared how her father intervened when she was approached to appear on a VH1 reality show, Quarter Life Crisis, alongside Kim Kardashian and Sarah Howard. Without Henry’s knowledge, a pilot reel was created featuring Zoe and the others.
When the producer visited their home, Henry took swift action. “I said, ‘It is so lovely that you’re here. I can suggest some really good restaurants, but my daughter is not doing your show,’” he recalled.
Zoe later admitted her father’s decision turned out for the best. She became a teacher, a profession she described as her true calling. “It was the best job and what I always truly wanted to do,” she said, with her father praising her natural talent for teaching.
Now married to Robert Reinis, with whom she shares three sons, Zoe balances family life with her nonprofit, This Is About Humanity, which she co-founded in 2018. The organization focuses on raising awareness and support for families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Reflecting on her life path, Zoe expressed gratitude for her father’s guidance. “I feel passionate about being a mother, and I’m obsessed with my husband. It all worked out the way it was meant to.”
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