Harrison Ford has given a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, in which he’s famously prickly as ever. He discusses his unique position as a Hollywood movie star, the fact that he doesn’t care about Oscars, playing Indiana Jones again at 80, and much more.
Asked whether he cares about Oscars, Ford shakes his head and responds; “If I did a movie that had Oscar ambition, that was an Oscar-type movie, then yeah — I’d want the film to be recognized for its quality. If I were given an Oscar, I would be grateful and appropriate. I’m trying to artfully skirt this — I don’t want to campaign for it.”
He was then asked if acting is often judged (especially at the Oscars) by how radically an actor can transform. Ford replies; “Oh, I don’t know. I like occasionally to play a character that’s very unlike me, and sometimes it’s less commercially successful than films [such as Star Wars or Blade Runner] where people are coming because they know the product and what I’m likely to do in it.”
“Every time I wanted to wear a beard or mustache, [former Warner Bros chairman] Bob Daly would say; ‘I’m paying for Harrison Ford’s face, I want to see Harrison Ford’s face!’ I finally beat him in [thriller movie] The Fugitive by playing a guy with a beard to start with.” We empathise with Daly, because what a face Ford has.
While Ford has never had any ambitions to go into directing or producing (he prefers his hobbies outside of the movie industry such as carpentry and flying planes), he has pushed himself out of his comfort zone recently by starring in TV series for the first time – Apple TV’s Shrinking, and Yellowstone spin-off 1923.
If you’re eagerly awaiting Ford being reunited with his fedora, leather jacket, and whip in Indiana Jones 5, check out our guide to the best adventure movies.