Ray Romano Admits He's 'Baffled' By 'Overachiever' Daughter Ally's Drive: 'I Did the Minimum Possible' (Exclusive)

“Everything had to be an A… an A-plus,” Ray tells PEOPLE about the eldest of his four children

Dec 15, 2024 - 10:57
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Ray Romano Admits He's 'Baffled' By 'Overachiever' Daughter Ally's Drive: 'I Did the Minimum Possible' (Exclusive)

“Everything had to be an A… an A-plus,” Ray tells PEOPLE about the eldest of his four children

Jamie McCarthy/WireImage Ray Romano and Alexandra Romano in 2023.

Jamie McCarthy/WireImage Ray Romano and Alexandra Romano in 2023.

Ray Romano has enjoyed a successful career in comedy, but he considers his daughter Ally to be the true overachiever in the family.

Speaking about his sons’ new documentary Romano Twins, in which twins Matt and Greg spend their mid-twenties living at home and searching for meaning in life, Ray, 66, points out that not all of his children had difficulty finding their way.

Related: Ray Romano's Twin Sons Reflect on Growing Up in His Shadow in New Documentary: ‘Pressure Not to Fail’ (Exclusive)

“I sometimes am baffled at where her drive came from,” Ray tells PEOPLE about his eldest child, Ally, 34, who graduated from the University of Southern California and now works as a senior director at a public relations agency.

Darren Ornitz Studio Ray Romano and Alexandra Romano at her wedding to Zack Wilezol in Sept. 2024.

Darren Ornitz Studio Ray Romano and Alexandra Romano at her wedding to Zack Wilezol in Sept. 2024.

Reflecting on his own youth, Ray says his drive only emerged after he discovered his passion for stand-up comedy. “I’m driven, too, but I was driven by something I found a passion for,” he says. “But I was horrible in school and did the minimum possible.”

Anna, Ally’s mom, adds, “I was not a good student either.… I didn't like school.”

But for Ally, school was a top priority. “Everything had to be an A… an A-plus,” Ray says. “You took all those traits from us, and you didn’t leave any for the boys.”

Tibrina Hobson/Getty The Romanos in 2017. From left: Alexandra, Anna, Ray, Joe, Matt and Greg.

Tibrina Hobson/Getty The Romanos in 2017. From left: Alexandra, Anna, Ray, Joe, Matt and Greg.

Related: Ray Romano Says There's a 'Race for a Grandkid' After His 2 Kids' Recent Weddings: 'I'm Putting Pressure on Them'

The three Romano sons—Matt and Greg, 31, and Joe, 26—are following in their dad’s footsteps: finding their footing later in life and hoping to discover their passion along the way.

“I fall more in line with Matt and Greg's mindset,” Joe tells PEOPLE. “I am living at home. I'm 26, so I'm exactly where Matt and Greg were when they started this documentary.”

Now, the three brothers are uniting over a shared passion. “Right now, we’re starting to write something,” Greg says about his collaboration with his brothers. “We don’t have a legit 9-to-5 at the moment, but we’re in the process of writing a movie script and seeing where that goes — me, Matt, and Joe.”

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty  The Romanos in 2000 at the L.A. premiere of 'The Rugrats in Paris'

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty  The Romanos in 2000 at the L.A. premiere of 'The Rugrats in Paris'

Related: Ray Romano's Daughter Ally Romano Marries Zachary Wilezol in 'Old-World Italian Garden' Wedding in NYC (Exclusive)

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No matter what his kids choose to do, or which ventures they pursue, Ray’s greatest hope is that they find something they love. “I just want them to know, it doesn’t matter what you do. It’s about finding something you like to do, and that’s going to be the answer,” the Everybody Loves Raymond Emmy winner says.

He adds, “You should take your privilege and use that to give yourself the time to find your passion. Some people don’t even have that ability. So my advice to them is just to go look for it, find it and don’t be afraid to fail, because I failed so many times.”