Henry Winkler has been nominated for an Emmy for his work on HBO’s Barry and we are rooting for him to win because he has more then earned it. Winkler got candid recently about how he got involved with Bill Hader’s show and ‘jumping the shark’. This post may also serve as an appreciation post for the amazing man he is.

So, how did Henry Winkler get cast as Gene Cousineau in Barry? According to the interview, he got a call that he was on the short list for a new show with Bill Hader. Winkler joked that he wouldn’t do it if Dustin Hoffman was on that same shortlist, thankfully, he wasn’t and we got the joy of Winkler in a role we have never seen him in before.  We know his as the Fonz and as the loveable roles he has done in comedies like Here Comes the Boom and The Waterboy, but Barry shows off Winkler in an entirely new element. One in which he excels.

Winkler shared his process when it comes to taking roles and how inspiration moves him. We learned that he was offered the lead role in Grease but he turned it down because the role was so similar to Fonzie. Winkler explained it, “I went home and had a juice. John Travolta did it and he went home and bought a plane.” Winkler comes across so genuine in this interview (watch it below) that we can only imagine what a cool guy he must be to hang around with.

Many of the headlines, since his Emmy nomination, state that Winkler is finally more then just the Fonz, but we disagree with this. He has always been more then the Fonz, though there is nothing wrong with being the Fonz. Winkler has had amazing roles on shows like Arrested Development, Parks and Rec, and Royal Pains among others, always shining in each role. Henry Winkler is a National Treasure. When he was on Happy Days, the creation of the phrase ‘jumping the shark’ happened because he literally jumped over a shark, which he did again, years later on Arrested Development.

Henry Winkler should win the Emmy for his role on Barry but if he doesn’t, that’s ok because he has an amazing body of work. He may be most well known for his bad boy role as Fonzie, but we know Winkler is, and has been, so much more.