Picture this: You’re a teenager, and your favorite TV star becomes the love of your life. That’s exactly what happened to Winnie Hung and Willie Aames, the former star of Eight Is Enough. “Back in the day, I’d get thousands of letters from fans,” Willie, now 59, tells Closer Weekly in their latest issue, available on newsstands now. “I’d feel guilty because there’d always be a picture of a girl and a phone number attached. So one day, I decided to call one of them. ‘Hi, this is Willie Aames,’ I said. She hung up on me!” Willie laughs as he recalls the story. But that didn’t stop him. They eventually became pen pals for 30 years before finally meeting in person.
Life wasn’t always smooth sailing for Willie. The beloved actor went from starring in hit shows like Charles in Charge to facing challenges such as substance abuse, two divorces, and even homelessness. But through sheer grit and determination, Willie turned his life around. He became a cruise director, and when fate brought him to Winnie's city, they met and fell deeply in love. On March 21, the couple will celebrate six wonderful years of marriage. Willie has even written a screenplay based on their love story, hoping to turn it into a movie. Despite his turbulent past, Willie says, “I consider my life one of the greatest lives lived.”
Scroll down for more from our exclusive chat with Willie Aames!
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Childhood Memories: The Early Days of Acting
Willie's journey in Hollywood began at the tender age of nine. He recalls working on shows like Medical Center with Chad Everett and The Courtship of Eddie’s Father with Bill Bixby. "I remember them arguing over who discovered me first," he says fondly. "It was so sweet, like they were both proud to have found this little kid who could act."
A Mischievous Christmas Eve
Willie shares a hilarious story from his time filming The Family Nobody Wanted on Christmas Eve. “I had the makeup artist paint ‘Merry Christmas’ on my butt. Then I mooned the camera and shouted, ‘Merry Christmas, everybody!’” he laughs. “Shirley Jones thought it was cute, but later, I was walking around Universal Studios, and Alfred Hitchcock pointed at me. A half-block later, John Wayne yelled, ‘Get over here! You’re the kid who mooned the suits!’ Turns out, the studio head sent copies of that scene to all the offices. It was quite the holiday surprise!”
Stardom on 'Eight Is Enough'
Willie's career reached new heights with Eight Is Enough. “That show was magical,” he says. “We laughed a lot, and I was so confident in the work we were doing. Working with Dick Van Patten and Grant Goodeve was a dream come true.”
Laughter and Pranks on 'Charles in Charge'
Willie's time on Charles in Charge was filled with laughter and mischief. “I remember standing behind a door, eating a raw onion,” he recalls. “When Scott Baio opened it, we were in front of a live audience, so there was nothing he could do but laugh. Those pranks made the set such a fun place to be.”
Breaking into the Business
Willie never intended to become an actor. It all started when his teacher's boyfriend, who wanted to become an agent, saw Willie performing little skits at school. “He asked my mom if he could introduce me to someone,” Willie explains. “Two weeks later, I got a call. My dad was hesitant, but after begging, he gave me three months to try. Three weeks later, I landed my first commercial, and soon after, I was cast in The Young Rebels with David Soul.”
First Kiss with Jodie Foster
“I gave Jodie Foster her first kiss during a screen test,” Willie says with a chuckle. “We both wiped our mouths with the backs of our hands afterward! We were supposed to do Tom Sawyer, but I took a jump on my bike, the front wheel flew off, and I broke my jaw. It was wired shut for months.”
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Music and Body Image
Willie’s musical talents added another layer to his career. “I started playing in bands when I was 12 or 13,” he says. “When Eight Is Enough became a hit, I remember playing to crowds of 10,000 screaming girls. But I always felt like, ‘I’m not that good.’ Being a teen idol was surreal. I even got tattoos to stop the network from making me take my shirt off on the show. I didn’t like being manipulated.”
Lessons from Past Marriages
Reflecting on his marriages to Victoria Weatherman (1979–1984) and Maylo McCaslin (1986–2009), Willie shares, “Getting married so young was a defiant decision. I wanted to start my own family because I felt unappreciated. I don’t talk much about Maylo out of respect for my current wife, Winnie.”
