Ron Howard Embraces His Acting Past After Advice from Beatle Paul McCartney

In 2025, acclaimed director Ron Howard, now 71 years old, reflected on how his interactions with Beatle Paul McCartney helped him come to terms with his own acting past. Howard, who famously played Opie on the long-running sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, began his career as a child star in Hollywood.

During a recent interview, Howard explained that while doing publicity for a new film, he had the opportunity to connect with both McCartney and Ringo Starr. He was struck by their "wisdom about the world" and "humility about what they experienced." Particularly, McCartney's perspective on his time with the Beatles resonated with Howard.

McCartney shared that a few years prior, he had reached a point where he no longer felt the need to be guarded about discussing his iconic work with the Beatles. He realized that embracing that part of his life did not take away from his subsequent accomplishments. This revelation was a "real turning point" for McCartney, and it deeply resonated with Howard.

The former child star recognized that he had a similar journey in coming to terms with his own acting career, especially his time on The Andy Griffith Show. Howard acknowledged that while he is now known primarily as a successful director, he has had to make peace with the fact that he will always be associated with his childhood role as Opie. McCartney's openness inspired Howard to adopt a more affectionate view of his early acting work and the lasting impact it has had on his life and career.