Harrison Ford names the only part of acting he gives a shit about
Harrison Ford is famously cantankerous about his profession. Known for being one of the most successful stars in Hollywood for his roles in franchises like Indiana Jones and Star Wars, the actor doesn’t suffer fools (or fans) gladly.
When asked to settle the age-old debate about whether Greedo or Han Solo shot first, for example, the actor replied, “I don’t know, and I don’t care.” Other responses to very reasonable questions posed by respected interviewers have included, “That’s horseshit”, “Who gives a shit?” and “I haven’t got a fucking clue”.
Like it or not, Ford is a star. He started acting in movies in the late 1960s and had minor roles in films like Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation and George Lucas’ American Graffiti. The latter role, though small, ended up being the most important of his life. Liking what he saw in the young actor, Lucas cast Ford in his upcoming sci-fi space epic, Star Wars, and the rest, as they say, is history. A mere four years later, Stephen Spielberg cast him as the titular whip-toting archaeologist in the Indiana Jones franchise, and his unprecedented reign at the box office was set.
But Ford really doesn’t want to talk about it. For him, acting is a job, and he likes to work. Fame is an evil that, as far as he’s concerned, is not actually a necessary part of picking up a paycheck. Few other actors are successful enough to pull this approach off, but Ford had the great fortune to not only be in two record-setting franchises at the same time but to be in two franchises that have only become increasingly popular and one that only became popular decades after its release, Blade Runner. Ford doesn’t have to charm interviewers simply because his career and legacy are set in stone.
But he doesn’t want to talk about that either. In a past interview with Variety, the star was asked about being one of the most bankable stars in history. “They just make that kind of shit up,” he said. “We have no idea if it’s even true. And it doesn’t matter. And at the end of the day, you can’t really give a shit.”
When asked what he did give a shit about, he replied, “I give a shit about the work I do. I give a shit about my investment in something, how hard I work. I’ve said this before: This is a service occupation and you want to leave the impression that your customer, your audience, was not taken for granted.”
This is a surprisingly humble and respectful response, even if it is worded in Ford’s characteristically gruff manner. While some stars see the celebrity angle of their job as hard work, Ford sees the acting and the movies as hard work. As long as he’s putting in the effort on set, he can rest easy and know that he’s done his job well.
Although this is an unconventional take on stardom, especially for a star whose most famous roles have spawned insatiable fanbases, it does hint at the reason for Ford’s success. Some might call it luck that he landed the dual roles of Han Solo and Indiana Jones, but it was his work ethic that kept those roles as beloved as they are. And that’s something we can all give a shit about.
