Ron Howard: Hollywood director spotting at Groundwater festival on the Gold Coast

Hollywood film director Ron Howard has opened up about his love of the Gold Coast and why he’s returned to the Glitter Strip with his wife.

Hollywood film director Ron Howard has opened up about his love of the Gold Coast as he scouts locations for his next film project.

Fresh from enjoying the sights at Broadbeach’s Groundwater music festival over the weekend, Howard took a walk on the beach on Monday morning and spoke to the Today show about his project.

“I can’t really say too much about it yet. We’re still in the very early stages,” he said.

“But it’s great to be back. I had a great experience here for Thirteen Lives.

“We’re really looking forward to it. Great people, great crew people, government support, locations that happen to fit the story that I want to tell. it’s a fantastic reason to be here.”

Howard said Broadbeach was “gorgeous”.

#EXCLUSIVE: Hollywood director Ron Howard has been spotted on the Gold Coast!#9Today | WATCH LIVE 5.30am pic.twitter.com/E65EmjdqWH

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) October 22, 2023

“My wife and I have been doing some exercise before we head to work. We’ve had a little coffee, it’s a pretty Australian way of doing it.”

“You guys are good.”

The Bulletin on Sunday revealed the man behind Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and Parenthood has returned to the Gold Coast while scouting for his next film project, according to his social media.

But it hasn’t been all work for the 69-year-old Mr Howard who rose to prominence globally as young Richie Cunningham in hit 1960s sitcom Happy Days.

The man now just as well known for his movies was seen lapping at Broadbeach’s free Groundwater Country Music Festival on Saturday arm-in-arm with his wife Cheryl.

Mr Howard, who spent much of 2021 living on the Gold Coast while filming the Amazon film Thirteen Lives, was soaking up the atmosphere and enjoy the acts.

Hollywood director Ron Howard and his wife Cheryl Howard at the Groundwater festival on the Gold Coast. Picture: Brad Wagner.

His Thirteen Lives epic depicted the real-life rescue of a group of young boys and their soccer coach trapped by water in underground caves.

His Groundwater appearance on Saturday came just hours after Mr Howard posted a photograph of the sunrise over Broadbeach on his Instagram account.

“#AlwaysScouting - I’m glad I reminded myself to have a moment to appreciate this moment before and after I took this shot,” he wrote.

The shot of the beach attracted comments from his brother and fellow actor Clint Howard, who wrote “Good shot bud, I mean mate!” followed by a kangaroo emoji.

Star actor and friend Glenn Close was impressed by the world-class Gold Coast beachfront writing: “Where are you? Sublime picture.”

His daughter Paige Howard wrote: “Beautiful daddio. Sooo beautiful”.

Mr Howard fell in love with the city during his extended stay for Thirteen Lives and took many photographs of the sunrise and landscape including Burleigh Hill which he documented on his social media.

The film industry and its booming potential in the northern reaches of the city will be spotlighted during the Gold Coast Bulletin’s upcoming Future Gold Coast 2023 series next month.

Among the speakers at a Future Gold Coast luncheon on November 17 at Seaworld Resort is Bazmark managing director Schuyler Weiss who works closely with Australian director Baz Luhrmann. Both set up permanent bases on the Gold Coast after filming Elvis here between late 2020 and mid 2021.

It brought A-lister Tom Hanks to the Gold Coast who declared one of the best places to make movies in the world.