A breed apart

2000
Internet Movie Database

Harrison Ford is a breed apart from actors who take themselves too seriously. He has a reputation for arrogance and smugness, yet that's the armor he uses to deflect too many questions about the man inside. His absorption in the hows and ifs and whys of his craft is total, yet as soon as the director yells "cut" for the last time, Ford immediately returns to his paradise high up into the Wyoming mountains or to his Manhattan penthouse where he and his wife Melissa now spend most of their time because they preferred to educate their two children in New York. Just prior to the release of his new film, What Lies Beneath, a taut supernatural thriller co-starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Ford recently celebrated his 58th birthday together with his family in their Wyoming home and he admits that his body is getting slightly creaky with age although he plays tennis and works out to keep that famously taut torso in shape.

"I've blown out both knees, first the left one on Indiana Jones and then the right one doing The Fugitive," says Ford, flexing his leg trying to listen to any strange sounds coming from inside the joint. "I've herniated two discs, separated my shoulder, knocked out some teeth, and generally been rattled around. But I enjoy the physicality of acting, and I still look forward to doing another Indiana Jones... we're going to have to age Indiana a bit because we can't bang him up as much as we used to." In What Lies Beneath, Ford cleverly handles the role of Dr. Norman Spencer, the perfect husband whose secret affair of the previous year now comes back to haunt him and his wife (Pfeiffer). Directed by Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump), the film is one of the most intelligent and intriguing thrillers in years, and has already racked up winning reviews in America as well as strong box- office numbers. Audiences still love Harrison Ford in practically anything he does (with the exception of last year's Random Hearts), and What Lies Beneath reveals that Ford has many different acting layers with which he can continue to surprise the public. Sitting in a posh Beverly Hills hotel suite, Ford was in a chipper mood and seemed particularly proud of the film. Dapper as ever in a conservative dark suit and tie, Ford adds a bit of contrast to his look by wearing a stud earring in his left ear and having his hair spiked upwards. Is Harrison Ford having more fun these days?

THE INTERVIEW

Q: What Lies Beneath is a definite change of pace for you as far as the genre of the film is concerned. What attracted you to the project?

FORD: The quality of the writing and the people involved - Robert Zemeckis and Michelle Pfeiffer. This film had a lot of good ingredients and I thought my character was particularly intriguing and compelling. But probably the bottom line was that I believed the script by Clark Gregg was one of the best I'd read in years and was of such high quality that it should make for a very spectacular, tense film. I think it's very suspenseful and interesting. These days we tend to make scary movies out of violence - long knives and ladies who take an unreasonable amount of showers. But this film goes several steps beyond that and I believe is a much more mature and intelligent piece of entertainment.

Q: Do you believe in ghosts?

FORD: At the risk of contradicting the experiences of my character in the movie, I regret to say that no, I don't.

Q: When you take a project like this, do you assess its riskiness in terms of what audiences expect from you?

FORD: I'm conscious of those circumstances but I try not to let those factors impose too many limitations on my work. With this film, I was fairly comfortable that even though my character has certain moral ambiguities, they're presented in an extremely volatile and stimulating context. He's a flawed man, but not more than most people, and I think the chemistry that I have with Michelle is quite special. It was a real joy to do this project and I enjoyed my visit to the scary movie genre. I'm always attracted to projects which take me on roads that I haven't gone down before. I've been around long enough, I think I'm entitled to explore a bit.

Q: You're one of the most popular actors in the business. What do you think is the source of your appeal?

FORD: It's not for me to say, really...I would like to believe that audiences trust me, that they trust the man behind the characters I play. Several years ago, a journalist asked me what the "real" Harrison Ford was like. My answer was that you can conclude a lot about what I'm like simply by watching my movies. Even though each character has certain unique features, I'm not hiding my true self. There's a good part of me in every character I play and you can learn more about me that way than by my answering a lot of personal questions where I'm inclined to be evasive.

Q: If audiences trust you, it must mean they trust your moral compass in some sense, that you will do the right thing in the end?

FORD: Yes. I think that kind of process takes place. I have a pretty clear idea about what my life is about and my goals and I have I think as good a sense of right and wrong as anyone, although I freely admit it's my own sensibility and I wouldn't want to impose it on anyone else. That's why I try not to make public pronouncements about the world because I don't believe that an actor's opinion is particularly meaningful compared to anyone else's. I only speak out about certain issues like the environment because it's personally important to me and I am doing my part in my own quiet way.

Q: Why do you think so many women appear to be enthralled by older men?

FORD: Because young men are so goddamn disappointing! (Smiles)

Q: You recently celebrated your 58th birthday. I understand your wife Melissa gave you a classic car as a gift.

FORD: Yes. It's a 1966 Austin Healy convertible. It's British racing green and in mint condition. I've been talking about this car for years now and I'm sure she had a greal deal of help in tracking it down.

Q: You've been married for 18 years. What has made your marriage work?

FORD: There's no real secret to our marriage aside from the fact that we really like each other and enjoy each other's company. It's when there's a lack of trust and responsibility in a relationship that strange things begin to go bump in the night, like in this movie.

Q: Do you place much stock in the fact that People Magazine voted you the sexiest man alive a few years back?

FORD: No, I've never believed that I have any sex appeal at all. Maybe Indiana Jones is a sexy guy, but not me. I'm an average looking man whose sexiness is a wonderful illusion that's created by the movies I'm in.

Q: Does your celebrity help add impact to your environmental work?

FORD: Celebrity gives your views a higher profile which they don't necessarily deserve. I've worked for environmental causes for a very long time but I only use my so- called fame when it comes to influencing legislation about cleaning up and preserving the environment. But I would hate the idea that anyone thinks I'm some kind of hero because I'm trying to save a tree or a squirrel. I'm doing my part as a private citizen whose celebrity helps give him some attention, but I don't want to get in the way of the message which is always the biggest danger. But do I believe that more people should get involved in such issues? Yes. But I'm not going to lecture anyone about it. It's a personal choice as far as anyone's involvement is concerned and if my involvement raises awareness and gets people to work to protect the environment, then I'm happy about that.

Q: You've always been very protective about your private life?

FORD: Well, it's the only life I have. I've lost most of my privacy due to the celebrity factor that accompanies success in this business. I can't just go out and grab a sandwich and sit down for a quiet meal like most people. Some may say that's not very important compared to all the money some actors make, and I admit I'm very well paid for my work, but that doesn't mean you don't feel the loss of privacy, that you don't feel the trail of eyes following you everywhere. Much of the joy of becoming an actor involves the process of observation, and it's very difficulty to observe people when you're sitting down having your coffee when everyone else is staring at you!

Q: There was a lot of publicity about your plane crash in Omaha earlier this year. How serious was it?

FORD: There was no plane crash. The incident didn't even quality as necessary to report it to the authorities, but some guy ran to the newspapers and said that Harrison Ford had crashed, which was a total fabrication. It made good headlines, but without that person's interference, there would have been no story at all.

Q: A lot of attention has been given to private plane accidents ever since John F. Kennedy Jr. died while piloting his own plane last year. Did that crash disturb you?

FORD: Yes, but it didn't make me think about quitting flying my own places. John's accident had its own tragic circumstances and it didn't make me question my own abilities as a pilot or the risks involved. I don't like to talk about the dangers of flying or my personal experiences because it invariably gets blown out of proportion.

Q: When did you first begin flying on your own?

FORD: I began taking flying lessons around the time I was filming Air Force One and I was hooked immediately. The incredible thing about flying is that, if you're flying by yourself, you're totally alone with your thoughts and it's an exhilarating feeling. I love the feeling of freedom that comes with being up in the sky.

Q: How many planes do you own?

FORD: I own more than my fair share of airplanes and helicopters. It's my one vice as far as how I spend my money. I can fly all of them except for the Gulfstream which I use more for business purposes or to fly with my family. But I have a pilot for that. Flying a Gulfstream is not very challenging or stimulating compared to small planes. In a small aircraft, you get to feel the noise of the engine and you're much closer to the ground so you can see everything around you. A jet plane is like riding a limousine to work. It's nice, but you'd rather read the paper than fly it yourself.

Q: You recently flirted with the idea of going back and doing another Jack Ryan film?

FORD: It was a brief flirtation. I didn't like the script that was being offered to me. I questioned the relevance of the story to today's political climate and I didn't want to cover old ground. So I've respectfully declined to continue that role.

Q: What about Indiana Jones? Do you think there's still some new territory to be covered there?

FORD: Yes. I'm looking forward to doing a fourth Indy. It's a great character that I've enjoyed playing in the past and I would like to revisit him. I think the movies are great entertainment and Steven Spielberg and George Lucas and I have spent a lot of time discussing how we would like to proceed with the next Indiana story.

Q: Are the chances fairly good for another sequel?

FORD: We're still hammering out the details, but I'm pretty confident we're going to do another Indy although it might be at least a year or more before our respective schedules allow us to do it. I'd personally love to work with Sean Connery again. I think audiences would enjoy seeing us back together.

Q: Will Indiana age gracefully?

FORD: I think we have to show that he's suffered some wear and tear over the years. That's going to make his character that much more interesting. For me, adding some flaws and layers is what is going to make Indy even more interesting. We can address issues like whether his character's virtues are based on his youth or on other aspects of human nature like his wisdom, his toughness, his resourcefulness, his integrity. A lot of work went into creating Indy and giving him a certain history and identity, and I think it will be extremely fascinating to expand on that. It's something that I think the public would enjoy watching.

Q: Do you there's a danger that an actor can push his action image too far in terms of what might be appropriate or reasonable for his age?

FORD: It's a question of fitness rather than chronological age. You have to consider each role and each actor on an individual basis. Paul Newman still races cars even though he's in his seventies, and I know that there are some older men in their seventies who I would never like to take on. For example, I wouldn't want to come up against a guy like Clint Eastwood in an alley. You have to consider what is valid and what you can truly expect an audience to support. Put it this way, I won't be playing Indiana when I'm 70! (Smiles)

Q: Do you feel that you've accomplished most of your goals as far as your film career is concerned?

FORD: I feel fairly secure in what I've done up until now but there are a lot of areas I would like to explore. I'm hopeful that I can push the limits of what audiences expect from me without alienating them. I've always been conscious of respecting the kind of identification that people have with the characters I've played in the past. That's part of the natural process that makes people want to go to the movies and an actor, as far as I'm concerned, needs to respect that process. But at the same time, movies like this (What Lies Beneath) and Random Hearts present different opportunities for me and it keeps me interested in the work. I've reached a point where it's important for me to expand my repertoire and I would like to be able to take audiences along with me. It's a challenge.

Q: When you were starting out in Hollywood, was it your ambition to become a star?

FORD: No. I was more concerned with earning a stable income. I never believed I was what one would call star material. I saw myself as a character actor and I would have been comfortable with that as long as I was successful at that.  Stardom is something that surprised me although I'm still highly sceptical of the adulation that comes with celebrity. I don't feel actors are particularly worthy of adulation, certainly not at the obsessive level we see today. Celebrity has been blown out of all logical proportion and I try not to feed the process beyond giving interviews in support of my movies.

Q: In what ways do you feel life has changed you?

FORD: I'm more at ease with things today and more secure in who I am and what I've accomplished. I grew up as a loner, a guy who always felt that he didn't fit in. I didn't socialize very well and it was hard for me to make friends. I had a lousy self-image and with that comes a lot of fears and anxieties about who you are. But over the years, with the success I've had, it's slowly sunk in that my life is pretty good after all. (Smiles)

Q: One of the films that many people admire you for is Blade Runner. But you've said it's not one of your favorite films?

FORD: I didn't enjoy making the film and I didn't agree with many of the creative decisions involved.

Q: How do you respond to director Ridley Scott's comment that your character Deckard is in fact a replicant?

FORD: There was a lot of argument about that point on the set and I was adamantly against that point of view. I thought it was absurd to make Deckard a replicant because that means that the audience wouldn't have anyone to identify with or cast their sympathies with. All I can say is that I definitely did not play Deckard as a replicant and in my mind he's not.

Q: Final question. How would you describe the life of Harrison Ford, movie star?

FORD: Very fulfilling. But boring for the press, I'm afraid to say.

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