Harrison Ford Makes Candid Comment About Retirement

Harrison Ford isn’t slowing down at 83.

In a recent interview with Variety, the acting legend was asked directly if he ever plans to retire. His answer? A firm no. “That’s one of the things I thought was attractive about the job of an actor,” Ford explained. “They need old people, too, to play old people’s parts.”

Ford has starred in more than 60 films, including “Star Wars”, “Indiana Jones”, and “Blade Runner”. And he’s not just resting on his legacy. In 2025 alone, he appeared in “Captain America: Brave New World” as President Thaddeus Ross and wrapped filming Season 3 of Apple TV+’s “Shrinking”, a role that earned him his first-ever Emmy nomination.

While reflecting on some of his past projects, Ford also shared a memorable story from filming “Blade Runner 2049” with Ryan Gosling. During a rehearsal, he accidentally landed a punch on Gosling. “We got too close and I hit him,” Ford said. “I apologized right away. What more could I do? Can’t take back a punch. Just take it.”

The “Shrinking” star also got emotional while thanking the show’s cast and crew after wrapping Season 3. In a behind-the-scenes video posted by Apple TV, Ford said, “You guys are the best. The very, very best at what you do and how you do it. And how you make people feel is just f—— amazing. I love this place. I love working with you guys. I hope we can all get back here and do it again.”

Ford Once Said He’ll Retire ‘When You Forget My Name’

This isn’t the first time Ford has addressed the topic of retirement. While promoting Season 2 of his “Yellowstone” prequel “1923” earlier this year, the actor was asked by Entertainment Tonight what would make him retire. “When you forget my name,” he replied without missing a beat. When Extra asked the same question, he simply said, “Haven’t thought about it.”

Ford credits good storytelling for keeping him excited about the work. “I just stumbled into a kind of vein of it, and that’s why I’m so ubiquitous right now,” he told the outlet. He also praised “1923″ creator Taylor Sheridan as “an incredible storyteller” and described co-star Helen Mirren as “one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”

Despite his long list of accomplishments, “1923” co-star Julia Schlaepfer said Ford remains humble and quick to joke around on set. “He would ask for my autograph and then crumple it up and throw it in the trash,” she recalled.

Acting Gave Ford a Surprising Sense of Freedom

Ford says he didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming an actor. In fact, he stumbled into it by accident while trying to improve his college GPA. “I came across drama,” he told Variety. “The first line of the paragraph said, ‘You read and discuss plays,’ and I thought, ‘I can do that.’”

But there was a twist. The course required students to perform in school plays, something he hadn’t done before. “I was shocked,” Ford admitted. Still, the experience sparked a passion for storytelling.

Surprisingly, acting didn’t make Ford feel seen. “It made me feel truly unseen,” he said. “Because I was able to hide behind the character, and that was the first freedom I really felt.”

With no plans to retire and plenty of projects still ahead, Ford is proving that age doesn’t slow down passion — especially when Hollywood still needs old people to play old people.