Finding Purpose After The Fonz: Henry Winkler’s Post-“Happy Days” Struggles
on May 10, 2023 • Updated Jan 15, 2025
Henry Winkler has been a fan favorite for decades, but it’s his latest role as Gene Cousineau in HBO’s Barry that has earned him critical acclaim and a new legion of fans.
In a recent interview with TODAY, Winkler shared that it wasn’t always easy for him after Happy Days ended. In fact, he describes a period of eight or nine years where he couldn’t get hired because he was typecast as “The Fonz.”
Winkler admits that this was a challenging time for him and caused him “psychic pain that was debilitating” because he didn’t know what to do next. However, he didn’t let it defeat him.
He used it as a catalyst for reinvention, forming his own production company in 1985 out of sheer “will and fear.” The first show it produced was the hit series MacGyver, which aired for seven seasons and achieved five Emmy nominations.
Despite the struggles he faced, Winkler says he wouldn’t change a thing. He loved playing “The Fonz,” and he loved the cast and crew of Happy Days.
He’s grateful for the experience and wouldn’t have gotten to where he is now without it. Winkler believes that “life is more fun than you think it is, than you allow it to be,” and he wishes he could go back and tell his younger self to worry less and enjoy life more.
As he wraps up filming on the fourth and final season of Barry, Winkler is ready for whatever comes next. He’s grateful for the success he’s had and is looking forward to continuing to “destiny” his way through life.
For Winkler, the key to living is authenticity, and he’s spent a long time searching for it. Now that he’s found it, he’s happy to be where he is and wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone else, except maybe Bruce Springsteen.
As fans of Henry Winkler, it’s heartwarming to see how he’s overcome challenges and persevered. He’s an inspiration to us all and a reminder that with hard work and determination, anything is possible. We look forward to seeing what he does next and wish him all the best. Ayyy, Fonzie!
