Henry Winkler Wins His First Emmy Award For Role On ‘Barry’ — And His Speech Was So Sweet!

Congratulations are in order! Famed actor Henry Winkler just won his first-ever Emmy award after previously being nominated five times (mostly for his role on Happy Days in the 1970s). 

After accepting his Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series trophy and receiving a standing ovation from the famous crowd for his teacher role on Barry, the 72-year-old gave the most heartwarming speech for all the viewers.

“Oh my God! I only have 37 seconds, I wrote this 43 years ago. Can I just say, Skip Brittenham told me a long time ago, ‘If you stay at the table long enough the chips come to you.’ And tonight, I got to clear the table,” he shared. “If you get a chance to work with Bill Hader or [comedy writer] Alec Berg, run, don’t walk. Thank you for producing us, for creating us, for directing us and for Bill, for acting with us, and all of our wonderful writers.”

Henry concluded, “I can’t stop yet. my wife, Stacey [Weitzman], oh my God, my cast and crew. And the kids, kids! Jed [Weitzman], Zoe [Winkler], and Max [Winkler], you can go to bed now — Daddy won!” How precious?!

In a previous interview, Henry opened up about how he had to actually audition for the role even though he’s so famous. “I was so nervous,” the icon has said. “But here’s the great thing about getting a little older: I was able to handle it and keep my concentration intact.” 

He chronicled the audition in a recent interview with Closer. “I sat in the chair with everybody,” Henry shared. “The young actors said, ‘What are you doing here?’ I said, ‘I’m looking for a job — what about you?'” So humble!

So, what’s Henry’s strategy for staying young? Taking risks! “No matter how frightened I am, if I put one foot in front of the other, I’ll figure out how to do what it is I’m afraid of,” he once exclusively told Closer. We’re so proud of you, Henry!