After first playing Indiana Jones more than four decades ago, Harrison Ford now reveals what he'll miss the most about the role. Ford made his debut as intrepid archeologist Indiana Jones in 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, a role he has since reprised in three sequels. Now, the actor is gearing up to say farewell to the character and the franchise with James Mangold's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Ahead of the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny release date next month, Ford reveals what he'll miss most about the franchise in a recent interview with Good Morning America. The actor's response is suitably blunt, but his clear love for the character and everyone who helped bring each film in the franchise to life is also very evident. Check out Ford's full response or watch the interview below:
"Nothing. We did it. No, I mean I can’t tell you how much joy it’s given me to be Indiana Jones. I’ve done it five times and I’ve loved every time, even when it wasn’t as much admired as it sometimes was. Every time, the passion of the people involved has matched my passion. Because I love what this kind of film brings to an audience. The combination of adventure and emotion is really the elements of its success."
Is Indiana Jones Harrison Ford's Best Role?
Ford really became a household name in 1977 with the release of Star Wars. His performance as snarky smuggler Han Solo was an instant hit, and he would reprise the role for four highly successful sequels. After playing Solo and introducing Indiana Jones to the world several years later, Ford would go on to play a number of other memorable roles, including Jack Ryan in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, President James Marshall in Air Force One, and Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive.
Despite his other strong work, however, Ford's two most popular and widely known characters remain Han and Indy. Ford's work in the Star Wars franchise is iconic, but it's Indiana Jones that puts the actor so clearly front and center as an action hero. Unlike others working in the genre at the time like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, though, Ford makes Indy more of an everyman. Indy gets knocked down a lot, but he always gets back up.
Without Ford, Indiana Jones arguably wouldn't have become the franchise that it is today, with the actor still reprising the role at 80 years old. The star brings a degree of humor, charm, and charisma that elevates the movies beyond loving homages to the adventure serials of the 1940s. While Ford's time as Indiana Jones may now be at an end, the movies will surely stand the test of time and endure as classics for a long time to come.
Source: Good Morning America
