Reed Cross Howard Is Ron Howard's Only Son and the Youngest of His Children
Reed Cross Howard became famous for being the son of Ron Howard. He is the actor's only son and was born into a family with a flair for the arts. However, Reed took a different career path and became a professional golfer.
Ron Howard's son, Reed Cross Howard, may not be in the same industry as his father, but the actor is always proud of his achievements and wastes no time celebrating him on social media. Reed is not just his father's only son but also the youngest of his parents' four children.
In 2019, he made his father proud again when he became a first-time parent. On Father's Day in 2019, Reed's famous father posted a picture of his son gently bottle-feeding his baby girl, Aspen.
Reed Cross Howard and Ron Howard at the basketball game between the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers on March 3, 2013, in Los Angeles | Source: Getty Images
The new parent seemed like he was in a trance as he put all his focus on feeding his baby girl while his wife captured the lovely moment. Ron captioned the touching post writing a sweet tribute to his son:
"Happy 1st #FathersDay @reedchoward Good job, son. I'm a proud #Dad and #Grandad today and every day."
Reed's birthday is on April 12, and in 2017, his wife celebrated his 30th by sharing an Instagram picture of them posing together. She called him her husband, friend, and her rock that brought her lots of happiness and joy, said she loved him and added:
"You make me strive to reach new levels and I am always inspired by you."
For Reed's 36th birthday in 2023, his sister, Bryce Dallas Howard, uploaded a throwback Instagram photo of them together on her 25th birthday. The actress said watching him grow up was one of the "great joys" in her life.
She noted what a great father and husband he is and is inspired by how he'd grown and expanded his company and career over the years. Bryce wished him a happy birthday and said she loved him a lot, stating:
"You are the best brother a sister could ever hope for."
One thing Reed inherited from his father is the actor's striking looks. However, another thing he shared with his family was that he and his siblings were given names in a very unique way.
Reed Cross Howard Has Striking Resemblance to Father Who Gave Him a Meaningful Name
Reed inherited his family's most famous trait, red hair. Their hair color runs so deep in the family that even his older sisters, including his father and mother, share the feature.
His family is so close to each other that he sometimes lets his sister, Bryce Dallas Howard, give him a haircut. During one of their haircut sessions, his father took a picture and posted it on Instagram.
Reed Cross Howard and Ron Howard at the Orlando Magic vs. New York Knicks game on January 2, 2017, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Fans fell in love with the picture, and some quickly pointed out their red hair. One fan in the comment section wrote:
"Love all of the red hair! Gingers rule!"
Fan comment dated January 15, 2022 | Source: Instagram/realronhoward
Another person joked that they could not look at the image because they feared red blindness. Someone else was shocked that the whole family had red hair, while others wrote how much they loved it.
Aside from being gingers, there's another thing commonly done in the family: the tradition of having a meaningful name. Reed's father named him and his sisters after where their conception happened. However, this name is usually their middle name.
For the professional golfer, he got his middle name from the place they used to live. Ron once hilariously revealed that he chose the name because he did not want to call his son "back of the Volvo!" Reed and his siblings grew up outside of the spotlight.
Reed Cross Howard and His Siblings Were 'Sheltered' by Their Parents Growing Up
Reed and his older siblings grew up around film sets while their parents were working. This happened because his father, who started as a child actor, would give them things to do. However, his parents "sheltered" them from the Hollywood industry.
Ron Howard and Reed Cross Howard at the Trump National Golf Club on July 27, 2002, in New York | Source: Getty Images
They lived out of the spotlight while they were young because their parents relocated to the East, outside of New York City. Despite growing up around Ron's workplace, Reed took a different life path when it came to his career.
Reed Cross Howard Did Not Follow in Father’s Footsteps and Has a Close Bond with His Mother
While the acting bug runs in the family, Reed chose to steer clear of the entertainment industry. He left it to his father, Ron Howard, and the rest of the family. Instead, he's a professional golfer who uploads videos and golfing tips on his YouTube channel.
When Reed is not competing, he trains and offers lessons to golf lovers. His Instagram is also filled with his golfing journey, from practice to training. Reed also sometimes shares Instagram videos of his practice sessions on his indoor golf simulator or clips of his wife trying her hand at the sport.
Reed's most significant achievement is being a father to his daughter Aspen. For her first birthday in 2020, he posted a picture he took with her, and in the caption, he wrote:
"Happy 1st Birthday, Aspen! Being your dad this past year has brought your mom and I so much joy, laughter, and excitement. We love you and feel so grateful to be your parents. Looking forward to seeing what your 2nd year looks like @ag_howard."
He is also a hands-on parent who dotes on his little one. Ron's son carries her when they travel, compliments her and his wife, and sometimes lets his daughter be his trainer during his workout sessions.
Reed's wife is Ashley Howard and she also has an Instagram account where she posts of her travels and sometimes her family. For 2020's Father's Day, she shared several images of her husband and their child and paid tribute to him in the post's caption.
Ashley confessed to having won "the lottery" by gaining a husband and father to their daughter, who was loving, loyal, and kind. She thanked him for all the wonderful things he did and for being himself before declaring her love and wishing him a Happy Father's Day.
On August 9, 2023, Reed and his wife celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary, and instead of posting loving messages to honor the day, he shared a hilarious Instagram video. In the clip, Ron's son revealed that Ashley left him on their special day and traveled across the country to attend a Taylor Swift concert!
Reed confessed that he didn't know what to so he did the next best thing. Showing how easygoing he was, he appeared dancing with their daughter in their living room while Swift's "Shake It Off" played in the background!
When Reed isn't having fun dancing with his daughter, he gladly talks about fatherhood. In June 2020, Ron's son was interviewed by Zoe Cannella for her YouTube channel, where he spoke about starring in his sister's "Dads" documentary that was shot at the time when he and Ashley were expecting.
Bryce initially asked the father if she could put some of their family moments into the documentary, but he refused. She ultimately got Ron to agree to an interview. When Ashley became pregnant, Reed became the perfect candidate for a before and after-birth coverage.
Out of the six fathers that were interviewed, Reed felt out of his league because he thought they had incredible stories to tell. The men Bryce interviewed faced adversities that they overcame, and her brother felt inferior to them.
Ashely's husband felt inspired by the other fathers and admitted that fatherhood is a life-changing experience. Reed Howard feels taking care of a child is a big responsibility, and all he wants for his daughter is to be happy, and the core values he hoped to instill are honesty, passion about something, and hard work so she could have a fulfilling life.