Scott Baio’s ongoing rally cry for Trump: the Happy Days star once dated celebs like Brooke Shields and Pamela Anderson – now he’s dissing Kamala Harris and loudly sharing his Maga views

Aug 31 , 2024

Happy Days’ Scott Baio once dated celebs like Brooke Shields and Pamela Anderson – now he’s known for his politics, supporting Donald Trump and dissing Kamala Harris. Photos: @realscottbaio/Instagram; @LePapillonBlu2/X

In the 70s and 80s, Baio was a sought-after actor who played lovable characters on popular sitcoms like Happy Days and Charles in Charge, and dated the biggest celebs of the time

Now married and a father of one, Baio is vocal about his conservative politics, even speaking at the 2016 Republican National Convention and bringing his stances into an upcoming film

If you’re old enough to have seen American TV in the 70s and 80s, you may remember the name Scott Baio. The actor starred as the lovable Chachi on Happy Days and quickly found himself gaining teen heartthrob status.

But the actor is also known for making his political opinions public and as the 2024 US presidential election heats up, he’s making headlines again. Not content to simply align himself with Republican candidate Donald Trump, Baio lashed out over a comment made at this month’s Comics for Kamala event, claiming that “from its inception, [America] was a Maga country”. This week, he tweeted out a screenshot of Fox News’ breakdown of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’ tax proposals overlaid with the text, “This means they will tax you for the house you own extra every year!” accompanied by the caption “Please #VoteHerOut”.

But what exactly was Scott Baio’s path to fame, and what are the details of his political leanings? Here’s what we know.

He began his acting career as a teenager

Nine-year-old Scott Baio poses with a flute, an instrument he doesn’t play. Photo: @realscottbaio/Instagram

Born in 1960 in Brooklyn, New York, Scott Vincent James Baio is the third child of Italian immigrants Rose and Mario Baio, per the actor’s IMDB bio.

Scott Baio with co-stars Anson Williams, Ron Howard, Henry Winkler and Don Most on the set of Happy Days. Photo: @Retro_Co/X

Baio’s career began at a young age. He decided at the age of nine that he wanted to be an actor and got his start shooting commercials. At just 16, he landed the titular role in the 1976 film adaptation of Bugsy Malone, alongside Jodie Foster. Though he gained recognition for the film, his career really took off when he was tapped to play the charming but mischievous Chachi Arcola on the iconic ABC sitcom Happy Days.

Baio went on to solidify his place in TV history – and heartthrob status – by continuing his portrayal of Chachi in the spin-off series Joanie Loves Chachi, and filling leading roles in Charles in Charge and Diagnosis Murder. His work earned him several accolades, including the Young Artist Award for Best Young Comedian in 1982 and the Best Actor award at the 2006 San Diego International Film Festival.

He dated plenty of celebrities … but is a family man now

Scott Baio and his wife Renee Sloan in November 2021. Photo: @realscottbaio/Instagram

Baio’s early roles earned him a level of teen heartthrob status akin to Timothée Chalamet’s current standing with Gen Z. His romantic life frequently made headlines as he went through high-profile relationships with celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Heather Locklear, Denise Richards, Brooke Shields and Nicollette Sheridan.

In the late 90s, Baio met actress and stuntwoman Renee Sloan at the Playboy Mansion and the two dated briefly. Though they both went on to date other people, they rekindled their romance in 2006. They were married in 2007, with newborn daughter Bailey – as well as Sloan’s 18-year-old daughter from a previous marriage – in attendance, per the Boston Herald.