Bryce Dallas Howard was born March 2, 1981, in Los Angeles,[1] to writer Cheryl Howard (née Alley)[2] and actor-directorRon Howard. She has two younger sisters, includingPaige, and a younger brother.[3] Through her father, Bryce is a granddaughter of actorsRance Howard andJean Speegle Howard, as well as a niece of actorClint Howard. Her godfather is actorHenry Winkler,[4] who co-starred with her father in the 1970s–1980s American comedy television seriesHappy Days.[5]
Howard was raised inArmonk, New York, and on a farm inGreenwich, Connecticut.[6] Howard and her siblings were raised away from the world of show business; their parents did not allow them access to television, and instead encouraged outdoor activities and hobbies. At the age of seven, she was permitted to be an extra in her father's films. In a 2017 appearance onWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, she said she and her siblings were babysat by family friendTom Cruise on several occasions.[7]
Howard is also an alumna of theSteppenwolf Theatre Company's School in Chicago, and of The Actors Center in New York City.[11] During her time in New York, Howard was also a member of Theater Mitu, a company that was in residence atNew York Theatre Workshop, which is known for its exploration of theatrical forms.[11][15]
In 2007, Howard starred in her firstblockbuster film, portrayingGwen Stacy in the superhero filmSpider-Man 3.[28] Howard described herself as a "huge fan" of the franchise and did extensive research to prepare for the role, including reading comic books and dyeing her hair blonde for the part.[29][30] Howard performed many of her own stunts while filming, unaware she was a few months into a pregnancy.[31] The film was the highest-grossing installment of the trilogy and received a mixed reception.[32][33] Howard then starred in the science fiction filmTerminator Salvation (2009);[34] she replacedClaire Danes in the role ofKate Connor.[35][36] Howard described her role as "an emotional sounding board" for other characters.[37] The film was a financial success but was not critically well received.[34][38]The Guardian described Howard's role as "winsomely" whileThe New York Times wrote she "upholds the maternal side of the original Sarah Connor legacy".[39][40]
Howard, alongside her father, producedGus Van Sant'sRestless (2011), a darkcoming-of-age film about a teenage boy and girl who are engrossed with death.[60] Howard[which?] offered considerable input on the film's screenwriting and directorial choices.[61] It premiered at theCannes Film Festival to mixed reviews.[62] She portrayedJoseph Gordon-Levitt's on-and-off girlfriend in the cancerdramedy50/50 (2011).[63] The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to critical acclaim and was nominated for theGolden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.[64][65]The New York Times stated Howard "makes a real character" out of the "shrewish" role whileLos Angeles Times wrote she was "rapidly becoming today's preeminent Queen of Mean".[66] Howard directed the short filmWhen You Find Me, asocial film that was developed in collaboration withCanon under the premise of gathering inspiration through images selected from a photography contest. 96,362 entries[67] were accepted while only eight were selected for use in the film.[68]
2015–present: Mainstream recognition and professional expansion
In 2015, Howard starred oppositeChris Pratt, in the science fiction action filmJurassic World, the fourth installment in theJurassic Park franchise.[69] She portrayedClaire Dearing, the ambitious, accomplishedoperations manager at the titular theme park who undergoes development during the film.[70] Howard performed extensive ankle exercises to complete the scenes in which her character runs in high heels through almost three feet (0.91 m) of mud, which she described as "one of the hardest things [she's] ever had to do".[71]Jurassic World was a commercial and critical success, with Howard's performance and on-screen chemistry with Pratt receiving praise.[72][73][74]Rolling Stone described her portrayal as "dynamo" and "nobody's patsy" while theAssociated Press wrote; "it is Howard who makes the biggest impact ... her transformation is the most convincing one in a film full of dubious evolutions".[75][76] TheLos Angeles Times andThe Atlantic considered Dearing and her use of heels "sexist", whileBustle andInquisitr labeled Howard's character as a "feminist hero".[77][78][79][80][81] Howard disagreed with the former view, citing the character's detachment from reality and extensive familiarity with heels in everyday life.[82]
Howard in 2018
In 2016, Howard starred in the fantasy adventure filmPete's Dragon, a remake of the1977 film of the same name.[83][84]Pete's Dragon was released to critical and commercial success.[85] The same year, Howard appeared in the crime dramaGold (2016) as Kay, the protagonist's girlfriend.[86]Gold opened to alimited release with mixed reviews.[87]The Hollywood Reporter dubbed her portrayal a "sturdy, salt-of-the-earth" type who "makes [a substantial] impression".[88] That same year, she also appeared in "Nosedive", an episode of theNetflix science fiction anthology seriesBlack Mirror.[89] Howard gained 30 pounds for the role becausebody shaming is a "huge part of the subtext of the story".[90] She chose a laugh for Lacie, her character, that she meant to connote artificiality, anxiety, and dejection.[91] Both Howard and the episode received critical praise;The Guardian lauded her portrayal as "brilliantly played" andThe Atlantic wrote "Howard's performance is terrific–she conveys Lacie's inner frustration while grinning cheerfully through it".[92][93] Howard received aScreen Actors Guild Award nomination for her performance.[94]
Howard reprised her role as Dearing in the second film of theJurassic World trilogy,Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), in which her character appears as adinosaur-rights activist. The film was a commercial hit, although it received mixed critical reception.[95][96][97] For accuracy, Howard trained with a veterinary surgeon who had experience withAfrican wildlife.[98]Variety stated Howard "projects a luminous concern for God's ancient revived creatures" whileEmpire praised both Pratt and Howard for "develop[ing] their characters beyond the archetypes they inhabited".[99][100]
In 2019, Howard voiced the character Bella in the family drama filmA Dog's Way Home, which opened to critical and commercial success.[101][102] Howard appeared asElton John's mother Sheila Dwight in the musical biopicRocketman (2019), which was directed byDexter Fletcher.[103] Howard described her character as humorous and sharp-witted, and as someone who struggled with her mental health.[104] Howard worked extensively with make-up artists to design the character's look as she aged, and usedElizabeth Taylor as inspiration for her portrayal.[105][106]Rocketman was a box-office hit and garnered critical acclaim, receiving a nomination for theGolden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.[107][108] TheChicago Sun-Times praised Howard for her "finely nuanced work" andCinemaBlend called her performance a "wicked portrayal ... that really ties a film together".[109][110][111]
Howard made her feature film directorial debut with the documentaryDads,[112][113] which premiered at the2019 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was named second runner-up for thePeople's Choice Award for Documentaries.[114]Dads received critical acclaim;Variety wrote; "Howard favors observation over lecture, anecdotes over numbers, showing instead of telling what equally split primary-caregiving looks like in contemporary households" andThe Guardian said the film "mixes the platitudinous with the genuinely moving".[115][116]
She directed three episodes of theDisney+ spaceWestern seriesThe Mandalorian (2019–2023).[117] Howard referred to the largerStar Wars universe as an asset to storytelling, and sought to maintain character depth and appeal to viewers.[118] Howard's direction received positive responses;Den of Geek said she "[made] the episode pop" and "knows what makesStar Wars tick".[119] Howard also directed an episode of the miniseriesThe Book of Boba Fett, which premiered onDisney+ in January 2022.[120]
In 2025, Howard directed her second documentary filmPets, released during National Pets Day.[127] Howard starred in the 2025Amazon Prime Video comedy filmDeep Cover.[128]
During her senior year of high school, Howard learned ofexistentialism. She said: "I was like, 'This is it! This is my religion.' I had never felt a connection to any sort of spirituality before that. It was very basic–you're responsible for the choices that you make–but it was mind-blowing at the time."[5] She does not drink alcohol.[129]
Howard met actorSeth Gabel atNew York University;[23] they dated for five years before marrying on June 17, 2006.[28] Howard and Gabel had planned to start a family together in their thirties but a week after their wedding, when they were both around 25 years old, Howard learned she was pregnant with their first child.[44][130] Howard gave birth to their son in 2007.[131] Howard has talked about experiencingpostpartum depression 18 months after her son's birth, and credited her recovery to the help of a physician and a therapist.[130][44] The couple had a second child, a daughter, in 2012.[132][133] The family lives inupstate New York.[134] They are close friends withJosh Gad, who is godfather to their children.[135]
Reports stated that Howard was paid $2 million less than Pratt, who earned $10 million, but she stated that the gap was even larger and that she was paid more for otherJurassic World-related things like video games and theme park rides.[136] Her net worth as of 2025 is approximately $25 million.[137]
^Lipworth, Elaine (June 28, 2010),"Twilight: Bryce Dallas Howard interview",The Daily Telegraph, London,archived from the original on June 14, 2018, retrievedApril 4, 2018,Howard was so keen to kick off her acting career that she left New York University before completing her degree – something she now regrets.
^Number of entries is noted at the end of the completed film atImagination (December 4, 2012).when you find me.YouTube. Archived fromthe original on June 3, 2016.
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