Henry Winkler played the iconic role of Fonzie on Happy Days but it turns out he could have had another very classic role as well. Henry is opening up about the time he turned down a role in Grease… THE role of Danny Zuko. John Travolta got the gig instead and starred alongside the beloved late Olivia Newton-John.
In a new interview, Henry explains why he turned down the role and why he now regrets it. He called himself a “damn fool” for not wanting to play Danny. At the time, Henry was getting offered roles left and right because he was so popular from Happy Days. However, he feared being typecast.
Henry Winkler passed on playing Danny Zuko in ‘Grease’
The 77-year-old explained, “I am a damn fool. I only realized years afterwards. (And) I thought, ‘I’ve played the Fonz, I don’t want to do it again.’” He added, “I go home … and I have a diet Coke. John Travolta, who has done the movie, goes home and buys a plane.”
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Grease is still one of the most popular movies of all time and was the highest-grossing musical film ever when it was released in the ‘70s. It secured John Travolta as a heartthrob and he went on to have a very successful career.
Even though Henry passed on starring in Grease, he still had a very impressive career and remains one of the most loved actors in Hollywood. He currently stars in the HBO show Barry as Gene Cousineau and is working on children’s books about dyslexia, a learning disability that Henry himself struggles with.
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