Inside Harrison Ford’s Unexpected Renaissance at 80

"They usually ask me, 'If there was a fight between Han Solo and Indiana Jones, who would f---in' win?' And I say, 'Me, asshole! I don't want to f---ing make sh-- up like that. I mean, what are you asking me that crap for?'"

That was Harrison Ford's response when Esquire recently inquired about what diehard Star Wars fans usually ask him. The quote is peak prickly Ford and a perfect example of the curmudgeonly star we've come to know over the last decade-plus. But, after it appeared the 80-year-old icon was content to live out his days as a lovable grouch, he's unexpectedly shown new signs of life, whether it be crackling opposite Helen Mirren, happily joining a sitcom ensemble, or doing his best to give Indiana Jones the swan song he deserves.

If there was a Hollywood Mount Rushmore for the last 50 years, Ford would undoubtedly be on it. C'mon, he's Han Freaking Solo and Indiana Freaking Jones! Hell, he was even Jack Ryan. Not to mention many other memorable roles in films like American Graffiti, Apocalypse Now, Blade Runner, Witness, Working Girl, and The Fugitive.

But the last 20 years have been mired with phoned-in performances (Hollywood Homicide, yikes!), notable flops (Ender's Game, double yikes!!), crabby interviews and countless jokes about his aviation mishaps. Even returns as Indy and Han didn't seem to satisfy him. Fans widely rejected Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of Crystal Skull (2008), and Ford gave the impression that he wished he could reject doing press for his Star Wars goodbye, The Force Awakens (2015). And let's not dive into the criticism his last pre-pandemic project, The Call of the Wild (2020), faced over the disturbing CGI animals.

And yet, out of nowhere, the last year has given us a completely rejuvenated Ford. He joined forces with Mirren to lead Taylor Sheridan's latest extension of the Yellowstone Universe, 1923, injecting a star power and chemistry into the prequel that appealed to even non-Yellowstone fans. He was lured into Apple TV's comedy ensemble Shrinking by Jason Segel and gives a fully-game performance that is equally hilarious and heartbreaking, likely making him an Emmy nominee, if not the flat-out favorite to win. And, lastly, he found the proper way into an aging Indy (and a de-aged Indy), giving the famed adventurer an entertaining if imperfect sendoff with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

"After two years of sitting on my ass during COVID and waiting quite a few years for Indiana Jones to start, I had not done as much work as I wanted to, and I wanted to do different things," Ford told Esquire of his suddenly busy schedule. "So [Shrinking] came along, and then, very quickly after that, 1923 came along. I took the job without a script on both of them, on faith that the people who created the projects were going to deliver me a good script. I really didn't realize how much work 1923 was going to be, and I absolutely feel it's worth it. I'm excited to do another season of both."

Shrinking is loaded with comedy veterans who have repeatedly proved to be some of the funniest people on film and TV, from the cast of Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Jessica Williams (The Daily Show), and Christa Miller (Scrubs) to the powerhouse trio of creators, Segel, Bill Lawrence (Scrubs) and Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso). And yet, not only does Ford seamlessly fit in, but he also might be the scene-stealer. The dramedy is led by Segel's Jimmy, a therapist and single father who, still reeling from the death of his wife, begins to violate ethical barriers by telling his patients what he really thinks and getting deeply involved with their lives. Ford plays Jimmy's mentor and boss, Paul, who has Parkinson's disease. While Ford brings a gravitas and nails the emotional beats of the storyline about his illness and how it leads to him mending his relationship with his daughter, it's his downright hysterical performance that has audiences buzzing with excitement.

Take "Imposter Syndrome," the Shrinking episode that should earn him an Emmy. In it, hilarity ensues when Paul is given cannabis gummies to help ease his pain. Ford's accomplishments in the episode include: looking good in a fedora, saying "donkey dick-ish," devouring a popsicle, chewing on his tie, dropping the phrase "baller movie," misunderstanding what "raw dog" means, and generally having great moments opposite every cast member. It's the best he's been in who knows how long.

"Sometimes watching him do a take is like watching a sunrise," Williams told Esquire of working with Ford. "It's like watching Indiana Jones and Han Solo and everything all at once, and you watch it come together, and it's like, 'Holy sh--. He's that dude. He's him.' " Meanwhile, newcomer Lukita Maxwell, often paired with Ford for some of Shrinking's heaviest and lightest scenes, said the legend has enabled her to feel "really connected" to him as an acting partner. "Having the ability to do a dramatic scene on a bench and then improv with Harrison Ford was insane," she shared at a recent FYC panel. "And I just felt like I was able to tap into another part of me as an actor that I hadn't been able to before."

And, maybe even most surprising, the guy seems to be enjoying making the press rounds! On the Late Show, Ford talked about watching Segel in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, in which he appeared fully nude, before signing onto Shrinking: "The producer asked me what I thought, and I said, 'Nice penis.'" Or how about a conversation he had with Segel ahead of Shrinking's launch? "It's the kind of material where I don't know from one moment to the next whether I'm going to laugh or cry," Ford said. "I feel enormously lucky just to be a part of this thing, and I think it's good for people to laugh." Segel then added, "You should see Harrison Ford do comedy," prompting Ford to flawlessly cut in with, "Not today."

In the Shrinking trailer, Williams's character, Gaby, remarks to Jimmy that "it's nice to see you have your spark back," and it's hard not to think the same watching Ford of late. And just as his younger Shrinking costars seem to be bringing something out of him, Phoebe Waller-Bridge pulls off a similar feat in Dial of Destiny, as she makes for the worthy Indy sparring partner that Shia LaBeouf wasn't in Crystal Skull. Despite the redeeming outing, Ford has been insistent that Destiny is the final installment of the franchise. But, while we've seen the last of Indy, Ford isn't riding off into the sunset just yet. (Next up are seasons 2 of Shrinking and 1923, as well as Captain America: Brave New World.)

"I think it's the place I feel most useful," he said of his desire to keep acting. "It's what I know the most about. I lost my chops as a carpenter. I haven't ever played fiddle. But I feel comfortable wrestling with how to make behavior out of words on a page and tell a story, and I'm still excited about the prospect of telling a story. I think this is a service occupation — telling stories. We need it."

He adds: "I like playing an old guy. If I wasn't having a good time, I would stop doing it."

Well, we'll all be having a good time if Ford's destiny is to continue being this 2023 version of himself!