Emmy Award-winning comedian Ray Romano opened up about the stark contrast between his academic approach and that of his high-achieving daughter Ally. The 66-year-old star recently shared his amazement at his eldest child's natural drive for excellence, particularly in education.
"I sometimes am baffled at where her drive came from," Romano told PEOPLE, discussing his 34-year-old daughter, who graduated from the University of Southern California and now holds a senior director position at a public relations agency.
The "star of Everybody Loves Raymond" reflected on his own academic journey, admitting he took a different path. "I was horrible in school and did the minimum possible," he revealed. His wife Anna echoed similar sentiments, stating, "I was not a good student either... I didn't like school."
Their daughter Ally, however, showed remarkable dedication to her studies from early on. "Everything had to be an A... an A-plus," Romano recalled, jokingly adding, "You took all those traits from us, and you didn't leave any for the boys."
The comparison arose while discussing Romano's other children - twins Matt and Greg, 31, and Joe, 26 - who appear to be following their father's later-blooming pattern. The brothers are currently collaborating on a movie script, with Joe acknowledging, "I am living at home. I'm 26, so I'm exactly where Matt and Greg were when they started this documentary."
Romano maintains a supportive stance toward all his children's paths, emphasizing that success isn't about the timeline but about finding one's passion. "You should take your privilege and use that to give yourself the time to find your passion," he advised, adding, "Don't be afraid to fail, because I failed so many times."