Bryce Dallas Howard has kicked off production on her feature directorial debut. The “Jurassic World” actress is helming “Dads,” a documentary about “what it means to be a father in the modern era across the globe,” according to a press release announcing the news. Howard’s own father, Ron Howard, is producing the Imagine Documentaries project.
“We’re already gaining profound insight into the responsibilities, the absurdities, the triumphs, and the losses dads experience,” said “Dads'” director. Howard continued, “What we’ve uncovered so far has been emotional, enlightening, provocative, and insanely funny. My father is my hero and always has been, so it’s an honor and a privilege to get to share the stories of these remarkable dads from all walks of life, all heroes in their own right.”
Ron Howard added, “Fatherhood has factored into so many of the stories — both comedies and dramas — I’ve directed and produced, and of course, my experience as a son and a father of four has defined me on a foundational level. But this project will go deeper and be much more revealing in its excavation of the subject than anything I’ve ever been involved with before,” he emphasized. “As a dad, it both thrills and fascinates me to be collaborating with my daughter, Bryce, as she applies her own storytelling instincts to the subject and directs the film. Our creative conversations have already been surprising, hilarious, and emotional and we are eager to share what we discover with audiences.”
Howard has directed a handful of shorts including “When You Find Me” and “Solemates.” She’s signed on to helm an episode of “The Mandalorian,” a “Star Wars” streaming TV series from Disney.
“I think any conversation about discrepancy in pay is really important,” Howard said following reports of her “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” paycheck being smaller than co-star Chris Pratt’s. “All of these conversations are critical and that’s how we move beyond a lot of ignorance, which there has been, or people feigning ignorance.” She emphasized, “The one that we need to focus on the most is the pay discrepancy between individuals who are Caucasian and people of color. It’s an insane discrepancy and one that we really, really, really, really need to solve instantly, because it’s wrong.”
Earlier this month a trailer dropped for Howard’s next film, Elton John biopic “Rocketman.” She plays the pop icon’s mother.
