Scott Baio, who joined the cast of Happy Days as Chachi in 1977, has been famous since he was 16. But unlike a lot of actors who taste success early, Scott has kept working. In addition to the spinoff Joanie Loves Chachi, he’s starred on Charles in Charge and Diagnosis: Murder, appeared as a guest star on The Nanny and Arrested Development, and was a director on the TV series Out of This World. His latest project is the film God’s
Not Dead: In God We Trust, bowing in theaters Sept. 12 in association with Great American Pure Flix and Fathom. In it, this longtime TV sweetheart plays a not-so-nice guy.
“I had some pretty good banter with Samaire [Armstrong], kind of making fun of her and teasing her,” Scott, 63, tells Closer. “If the dialogue is good and if you can cop a little bit of an attitude, then you can play a creep pretty easily.”
Tell us about the movie.
It’s part of the God’s Not Dead series of films. It’s about a pastor who runs for Congress and another politician who doesn’t believe in religion. It talks about how a lot of Christians don’t vote and they should.
That sounds very topical right now!
I agree. It’s an important movie for the country. Hopefully a lot of people will enjoy it.
You’ve been acting for practically your whole life. How did you get started?
I started in commercials when I was 9, then I went to read for a movie called Bugsy Malone when I was about 13. I was cast in that, and that was pretty much it. The great [Happy Days creator] Garry Marshall saw me and brought me to Hollywood.
You were 16 when you started on Happy Days. How did that change your life?
This story is from the September 23, 2024 edition of Closer US.
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This story is from the September 23, 2024 edition of Closer US.
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