Meet Zoe Emily Winkler: The Teacher Who is Also Henry Winkler's Daughter

Meet Zoe Emily Winkler: The Teacher Who is Also Henry Winkler’s Daughter

Zoe Emily Winkler is the first child of Henry Winkler, the iconic American comedian, actor, author, and filmmaker. She is a former preschool teacher, dedicated activist, philanthropist, and co-founder of This Is About Humanity. Zoe was born on September 30, 1980, and is 43 years old as of 2024.

Zoe was born into fame, thanks to her parents, especially her father. As the child of a celebrity, she leveraged her parents’ fame to build a name that resonates with hope, charity, and selfless service in the hearts of Americans. Through her humanitarian services and other careers, she has attracted the support of the public and reputable personalities. Read on as we reveal all there is to know about Zoe Emily Winkler.

Zoe Emily Winkler’s Biography Summary

  • Full name: Zoe Emily Winkler Reinis
  • Gender: Female
  • Date of birth: September 30, 1980
  • Emily Winkler’s Age: 43 years old
  • Ethnicity: Mixed
  • Nationality: American
  • Zodiac Sign: Leo
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Marital Status: Married
  • Zoe Emily Winkler’s Husband: Robert Reinis
  • Zoe Emily Winkler’s Children: 3 sons (Ace Reinis and two others)
  • Zoe Emily Winkler’s Parents: Henry Franklin Winkler (father) and Stacey Weitzman (mother)
  • Siblings: Max Daniel Winkler and Jed Weitzman (a stepbrother)
  • Famous for: Being Henry Winkler’s daughter
  • Zoe Emily Winkler’s Instagram: Instagram

How Old Is Zoe Emily Winkler?

Zoe Emily Winkler is 43 years old as of 2024. She was born on September 30, 1980, in Los Angeles, California, United States. Zoe is an American citizen, following her place of birth, but she has a mixed ethnicity since her father is Jewish and her mother is American. She was born under the Libra birth sign based on her date and month of birth.

Zoe Emily Winkler was raised by her parents, Stacey Weitzman and Henry Winkler, in Brentwood, California, under the strict observation of conservative Judaism. Consequently, she was not allowed to leave home at her own will. She had many childhood memories growing up with her younger brother, Max Winkler, her older halfbrother, Jed Weitzman, and her father’s colleague in Hollywood, actor Jonah Hill, who lived in their house. Meanwhile, Zoe’s father adopted Jed from his wife’s first marriage with Howard Weitzman.

Zoe Emily Winkler’s Education

Zoe Emily Winkler had her education in the United States, though there are no records of the elementary schools she attended. She also had her high school education in California, but there is a limit to the details of the schools she attended. However, following her parents’ religious practices, she was not allowed to study far away from home.

In 1998, Zoe enrolled at nearby Loyola Marymount University in Wisconsin, marking the first time she left home. Two years later, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education from the college and moved back home to rejoin her parents and pursue a career.

Zoe’s Father, Henry Winkler, Is An Iconic Comedian And Actor

Zoe Emily Winkler’s father, Henry Franklin Winkler, is a legendary comedian, actor, author, movie director, and producer. He was born in New York City, United States, on October 30, 1945, and is 78 years old in 2024. He was born to Harry Irving Winkler, a businessman, and Ilse Anna Marie (nee Hadra), whose occupation is unknown.

 

His parents were German Jews who escaped to the United States before the Holocaust. He attended P.S. 87 on West 78th Street, Manhattan, and later moved to McBurney School on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where he graduated. The comedian furthered his education at Emerson College, where he obtained a degree in theater and minored in child psychology. In 1967, he enrolled in the Yale School of Drama and graduated in 1970.

Zoe’s father gained prominence as Arthur Fonzie Fonzarelli after starring in Happy Days, a then-popular American T.V. series. Before his Hollywood debut, he had been acting and taking comedy roles right from high school, though his passion for acting caused a rift between him and his father, a wood dealer. This was because his father wanted him to take over the family business, but Henry often told him that Hollywood was the only thing he was interested in.

Beyond making a household name in Hollywood, Zoe’s father has won several accolades for his exceptional contributions to the American entertainment industry and written works. Some of these awards include three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Critics Choice Awards, and one Bronze Wrangler Award. Winkler is also a member of the OBE (Order of the British Empire), an award he received from Queen Elizabeth in 2011 for his services to children with learning disabilities.

Emily Winkler’s Father Is Also A Writer

Outside of entertainment, Winkler is also a great writer and philanthropist. Through his writing, he has remarkably contributed to the educational support and improvements of children with dyslexia, a learning difficulty he suffered from when he was young. He also cofounded the nonprofit organization This Is For Humanity with his daughter, as well as the Children’s Action Network with his wife and six other couples.

Meet Zoe Emily Winkler’s Mother, Stacey Weitzman

Zoe Emily Winkler’s mother is Stacey Weitzman, a successful businesswoman, cancer awareness activist, and former actress. She was born Stacey Cooper Furstman in California, United States, on November 15, 1947, and is 76 years old.

Stacey attended the University of North Carolina, where she obtained a B.A. in Economics. Meanwhile, details of the names of the schools that she attended for elementary and high school are unknown. Stacey Weitzman, Zoe Emily Winkler’s mother, has a remarkable career in Hollywood. She has taken a role in some notable movies, like the 1995 movie SafeThe Touch, acted in 2005, and also voiced in the series As Told By Ginger (2000).

Zoe Emily Winkler

The former actress was also featured in the TV series E! Live from the Red Carpet. She co-founded some of the charity organizations that her husband is involved in. Stacey has a fashion Public Relations firm and is highly involved with cancer patients since she is a survivor herself.

Who Is Zoe Emily Winkler’s Husband?

Zoe Emily Winkler’s husband is Robert Francis Reinis, popularly known as Rob Reinis. He is an actor, writer, producer, and businessman born in Los Angeles, California, United States, on June 25, 1974. The actor was born to Richard and Louis Reinis. His acting career started after he starred in NYPD Blue in 1993.

Other popular productions he has contributed to are In The Land Of Women (2007) and Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog (2008). Outside of entertainment, Mr. Reinis currently partners with Valle Reinis Builders Inc., a business supposedly owned by his family.

Zoe Emily Winkler And Rob Reinis Met Through A Set-up 

Zoe Emily Winkler’s meeting with her husband was all set up by Elena Rose, a mother to a ward in her class at Circle of Children Preschool in Santa Monica, California. Elena Rose, who thought Zoe and her husband possessed the same social aura, set the two up to meet in May 2015. She revealed that when she met Mr. Reinis, it was the exact same feeling she felt when she was at her daughter’s school with Zoe.

Elena went on to say that if you are with any of the couples, their aura won’t let you leave. The activist and her husband, Robert Francis Reinis, bonded quickly since they both shared common interests, including the desire for a close-knit family.

Emily Winkler And Robert Francis Reinis were in an On-and-Off Relationship 

In 2007, the sweet love between Zoe Emily Winkler and her then-boyfriend, Robert Francis Reinis, began to fall apart following some personal differences. They eventually broke up after Mr. Reinis told Zoe he did not see a future with her. The separation made Robert feel selfish, as he was scared of going through a breakup if he eventually went far with Zoe. He further revealed that he wanted to ensure his immediate family was well provided for before marriage.

Even though they paused their relationship, they were still on speaking terms. They remained friends but didn’t go out on dates anymore, nor were they spotted in a lovey-dovey manner. During this period, Zoe’s mother had a double mastectomy, a preventive measure for high-risk cancer that requires the removal of both breasts. Irrespective of the fact that Reinis and Zoe were no longer dating, he always came around to render help to Zoe’s family.

Robert Francis Reinis Proposed To Zoe in 2008

Zoe Emily Winkler

In July 2008, the actor proposed to Zoe while she was still in bed, as they ignored their breakup and made up. Meanwhile, before Reinis decided to meet her, he knew he had also to convince her parents, who weren’t so happy that he broke up with her. He thought of a better way of approaching them to convince them that he was back for real this time and would not subject their daughter to another heartbreak.

Reinis met Zoe’s parents to gain their approval, who initially wanted to ignore him but later gave their consent. They revealed that he practically convinced them with his attitude, which displayed confidence, especially when he started shedding tears. Zoe, who had gone hysterical over their breakup, accepted to forgive him without any hesitation.

Two days after meeting Zoe’s parents, he took the bold step of proposing to his heartthrob. He went to her very early in the morning while she was still enjoying her early morning sleep and woke her up, but she felt reluctant to respond. The actor then dropped a ring box on her pillow and patiently waited for her to notice what he had kept. Realizing what Reinis had just done, Zoe was very surprised and immediately accepted his proposal.

Robert Francis Reinis Tied The Knot with Zoe Emily Winkler in 2009

A year after they got engaged, Robert Francis Reinis and Zoe Emily Winkler walked down the aisle at Leo Baeck Temple in the back garden of Zoe’s father’s home on June 27, 2009. Their wedding service was officiated by Rabbi Kenneth Chasen, with over 250 guests in attendance, including Mr. Winkler’s co-actors, Ron Howard and Jonah Hill. Zoe and her husband are still together, enjoying their marital bliss that has spanned 14 years in their Beverly Hills home.

How Many Children Does Zoe Emily Winkler Have?

Zoe Emily Winkler has three children, all boys, whom she welcomed with her husband. They welcomed their first child, Ace Reinis, in 2012. Subsequently, they welcomed their second child in 2015, with the third and last son born in 2017.

Apart from occasionally sharing her boys’ pictures, Zoe intentionally keeps her family away from social media. The names of her last two children are not known, as she has not mentioned them to the public. The schools that they attend and their level of education also remain vague. All that is known is that they are growing up under the care of their parents in their home in Beverly Hills.

What Is Henry Winkler’s Daughter’s Occupation?

Zoe Emily Winkler is a dedicated activist, philanthropist, co-founder of This Is About Humanity and former preschool teacher. Here is a breakdown of what she had/has on her sleeves.

Preschool Teacher

Before Zoe Emily Winkler fully got involved with humanitarian services and activism, she was a preschool teacher. She taught and cared for nursery school children at Circle of Children Preschool in Santa Monica, California. The former school teacher took up this career, citing her decision to help children with dyslexia, a learning disability from which she also suffered. However, she practiced her teaching career for only two years and dropped it to concentrate on her family and humanitarian services.

Activist and Philanthropist

Like her father, Zoe Emily Winkler reaches out to humanity by creating awareness and securing welfare support for people who cannot do so for themselves. The former teacher also co-founded This Is About Humanitya nonprofit organization, with her dad and two other notable figures.

Zoe has recorded milestones in her humanitarian services and will do more as she is highly empathic. She has succeeded severely in uniting broken families, providing legal aid and welfare services to the destitute and those deprived of their human rights. The former teacher is currently a go-to name when charity and humanitarian services are mentioned in the United States.

Henry Winkler’s Daughter Has Earned Support From Top Celebrities

Zoe Emily Winkler

Zoe Emily Winkler has secured the support and recognition of some celebrities for her humanitarian services. In August 2022, she hosted a fundraising event primarily to support people in need of homes, living essentials, legal services, shelter, and lots more. The event, which took place at Zoe’s house, had Kim Kardashian, a good friend of hers, in attendance. Apart from Kim, a few celebrities commended her for her work, pledging their support for her fight for humanity.

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