Watch Bryce Dallas Howard’s sweet homage to her dad in last week’s Mandolorian

This weekend, Baby Yoda wasn’t the only endearing Child of a doting father to turn up on The Mandalorian. Episode director Bryce Dallas Howard took the opportunity to remind the world—well, at least to remind Apollo 13 fans—that she, like Baby “The Child” Yoda, has a dad.

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It turns out that Ron Howard, a relation, also has a career in the cinematic arts. He’s an occasional TV actor, onetime narrator, and frequent director with some Star Wars ties of his own. Given the opportunity to pay a little homage to one of her dad’s better-known flicks, it seems that Bryce Dallas Howard couldn’t resist. And yes, technically this is her second go-round as one of The Mandolorian’s directors, but here she was given a chance to nod to Apollo 13 in a way that’s absolutely suited to the story she was telling. Miss the reference and it’s still a cool sequence.

Howard confirmed to the eagle-eyed tweeter that yes, that was deliberate:

Let’s hope that if/when she returns to direct for the Disney+ megahit again, she finds a way to gracefully include an homage to Cocoon. For now, consider popping over to read Katie Rife’s review of “The Heiress,” last week’s episode, or Lis Shannon Miller’s review of “Sanctuary,” another Howard-directed standout.

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