Harrison Ford winces a little when I call him a movie legend, but even though that term gets thrown around a lot these days, it truly fits him. He joins me for the latest episode of my Deadline video series The Actor’s Side, timed with his first-ever Emmy nomination at the age of 83.
He’s nominated for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Paul in Shrinking, and he’s also just wrapped a two-season run as Jacob Sutton in 1923, where he starred opposite his Mosquito Coast co-star Helen Mirren. When I mention the Emmy nod, he notes I sound surprised it’s his first.
The reason is simple: until Shrinking and 1923, he hadn’t really done much TV, though he does talk openly about the early days of his career when he was under contract at Columbia and Universal, appearing in shows like Gunsmoke, Kung Fu, Dynasty, Love American Style, The Virginian, The FBI, and many more.
That was a different era, and Ford shares how much he enjoys the pace of modern TV and what drew him to the roles in Shrinking and 1923. We also dive into the Shrinking storyline where his character reveals a Parkinson’s diagnosis, and he shares how proud he was to act alongside Michael J. Fox, who guest-starred on the show.
There’s a lot more too—Ford reflects on his most iconic roles and what it’s like to revisit characters like Indiana Jones, Jack Ryan, Han Solo, and Rick Deckard. We also discuss his role as the President in Captain America: Brave New World, where his character Thaddeus Ross becomes Red Hulk, and his performance in Air Force One, which Trump once praised. Ford has a short but sharp response to that (!). He also touches on films he led that later became TV shows, like Presumed Innocent and The Mosquito Coast, and why he never worried about whether a movie he was in succeeded or not.
I did them for the experience of making them”) and his key desire in the business: I always wanted to be a character actor.
he says
When I mention the famous directors he’s worked with, Ford shares a great story about working with Francis Coppola on Apocalypse Now and The Conversation. The latter brings up a memory of how he secretly worked with the film’s costume designer to enhance his small part as “young man,” effectively outsmarting Coppola.
Ask Ford anything and his memory is impressively sharp — unless he chooses to play it coy, like when I bring up The Star Wars Holiday Special. He recalls the early days of his Hollywood career clearly, including being dropped by Columbia and even naming the executive who told him to do the same.
You are never going to make it in this business.
While talking about his memory, I mention screening the 1966 James Coburn film Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round as part of my series sponsored by the James Coburn Foundation. To my surprise, Ford appears onscreen as a bellhop. I point out that he had one line in his film debut, but he quickly corrects me by holding up two fingers. When I ask if he still remembers the lines, he immediately recites them.
To watch our full conversation and get the “actor’s side” from Harrison Ford, just click the link above.
Join me every week this Emmy season for a new episode of The Actor’s Side.
Source: Deadline