Ron Howard Loves Working with His ‘Unique’ Brother Clint: ‘Does Not Hold His Tongue Around His Big Brother’ (Exclusive)

Ron Howard is proud of his kid brother Clint , who recently had a guest run on the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful as down-and-out musician Tom Starr. (He suffered a death by poisoning onscreen.)

The 71-year-old Oscar winner and Happy Days alum says it's "not surprising" that Clint 65, was brought on to the drama series, which is a global hit. "He is a great character actor and so recognizable, and so people are always excited when he shows up in something," Ron tells PEOPLE. "I think he went in to do one episode on the series and they wound up, he wound up with a character run. He's inventive, he's unique, and he is a talented guy."

Related: Who Is Ron Howard's Brother? All About Clint Howard

Over the years, Clint has appeared in 17 films directed by Ron, including Grand Theft Auto, Cocoon, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Parenthood and Apollo 13 . "He's great to work with. He has just seen it all, done it all," says Ron, who executive-produced the recently released Apple TV+ documentary series Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series .  

He adds, "He's a pro, and he contributes. Every time I have had a chance to cast him in something meaningful, I never forced him in there. But every time I can cast Clint, I know that's one character I won't have to worry about."

An added bonus? The laughs they share between takes. "I'll have some laughs standing around in between setups," Ron says. "He does not hold his tongue around his big brother, which is very welcome by all."

Reflecting on his role on The Bold and the Beautiful in 2024, Clint told PEOPLE , "You're handed a lot of scenes to do, and you'd better be prepared."

He continued, "I was taught by both my mom and dad, Rance and Jean Howard , since I was a little kid that my primary responsibility is to be prepared to show up to work, even as a very young child.… And then knowing that in soap operas, it's possible to get handed boatloads of dialogue, and you've got to learn it. You've got to understand it. You've got to be able to deliver it. You've got to be light on your feet."

Related: Sean Kanan Says He Helped Ron Howard's Brother Clint Get Cast as an Unhoused Man on The Bold and the Beautiful (Exclusive)

During a 2021 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show to promote his joint venture with Ron, their memoir The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family , Clint shared what working alongside his brother taught him. 

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"I learned my lesson early on," Clint said. "I was probably in... my early 20s, and yet I had to learn that ultimately, he's the boss. He's making the decisions."

He added, "I love my brother. He's a great older brother. He's a hall-of-fame movie director, and he's a better big brother than he is a movie director."

Fight for Glory: 2024 World Series is now streaming on Apple TV+.

Read the original article on People