Why Harrison Ford was afraid to work on ‘The Fugitive’
There are some movie actors who seem to just burst out the screen and transcend the very limits of the cinematic medium, journeying into an unparalleled iconic status, and it would be difficult to say that Harrison Ford has not proven his worth in this regard, as to this day, he remains one of Hollywood’s most enduring figures.
Ford will forever be associated with his legendary performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars movie, a role he reprised on several occasions over the following years. Add Raiders of the Lost Ark, Blade Runner, Witness and The Mosquito Coast to the list, and it’s easy to see why Ford is considered one of the all-time greats of American film.
However, even some of the biggest movie stars still get intimated by working with a handful of their fellow actors, and Ford seems to be somewhat afraid of starring alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the 1993 action thriller movie The Fugitive, also featuring Sela Ward, Joe Pantoliano and Andres Katsulas.
In an interview with Yahoo, the film’s director Andrew Davis noted that Ford was concerned with acting in Jones’ “shadow”, saying, “I think Harrison thought, ‘Tommy’s a powerful actor — I don’t want to be in his shadow.'” However, Davis knew that Ford was perfect for the role and made it his mission to get the legendary actor on board.
“He’s a fantastic actor, and I thought he would be perfect for Gerard,” the director added, pointing out the fact that Warner Bros had taken to his casting without any deliberation given the fearsome reputation he’d carved out for himself as a fine actor. “Harrison took a little convincing, but it worked out fine.”
The film was a great success at the Academy Awards, being nominated for seven awards. Jones won the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ award, while the movie also got the nod for ‘Best Picture’, a gong that David believes it might have won were it not for one of the best World War II movies of all time. Ford’s name was also a stark omission from the nomination list.
“I was upset that Harrison and I didn’t get nominated,” Davis said. “But we got seven nominations, and it was such a beloved hit. If it wasn’t for Schindler’s List, we may have won ‘Best Picture’, I think. Tommy got a lot of attention, but Harrison did a great job. I think it’s his best role. He plays this real character, and the emotion he brings to it is profound.”
Check out the trailer for The Fugitive below.
