He is a child of nature

6.9.2000
"Neue Woche" Magazine
(translated by YG)

He is a child of nature who likes to take off once in a while. Harrison Ford, who started off as a carpenter, is an enthusiastic pilot and acts with dedication. In his interview with "Neue Woche", the actor makes an astonishing confession: "Sometimes I even have to play with Barbie dolls." There are men who become more and more attractive and interesting as they grow older - and Harrison Ford is definitely one of them. His crooked smile and his roguish charm can make millions of women's hearts melt. Undoubtedly, he belongs to the very great ones in Hollywood, even when he prefers to call himself "a craftsman". With "Neue Woche" journalist Dagmar Dunlevy the star talked about his latest movie, flying and other challenges.

NW: In the thriller "What lies beneath" you play a doctor around whom strange things happen. What did you find fascinating about that role?

HF: The role of Dr Norman Spencer was just something completely different for me. Just not that what the audience have come to expect from me.

NW: Dr Spencer is very active outside his job ...

HF: Yes, he makes one of the typical mistakes of our time and commits adultery. I won't tell you more because I don't want to kill the suspense.

NW: Having seen this movie, many women will abandon their dream of having an affair with you

HF (grins): I didn't know many women would like to have an affair with me ...

NW: Now you are modest!

HF: No, I'm surely not!

NW: You worked together with the most desirable ladies of Hollywood. Were you never tempted privately?

HF: Not that working together with these ladies hadn't given me immense pleasure. But as to the delicate details - if there had ever been any - I'll remain as silent as the grave.

NW: But now seriously: what was the nicest thing a woman ever told you?

HF (smiles): I just can't remember ...

NW: If you are not standing in front of a camera, what is your life like?

HF: I think that my life isn't that different from yours in some ways. Okay, I do usually work only for a few months which allows me a great deal of spare time the rest of the year, but this time we spend in a totally normal way. Then everything revolves around the children, making them realize how important it is to go to school or driving them to their dates or to the sports.

NW: You have several domiciles. Why do you like living on your ranch in Wyoming so much?

HF: That's for practical reasons. The kids go to school in New York, so we live there during the school year. Then we spend the holidays together in Wyoming. My hobby is flying, and you need lot of space for it.

NW: It is said that your life was twice in danger as you were flying. Is that true?

HF: Fortunately not really! It is true that I had to perform an emergency landing twice. Both times it was not really dangerous, but the facts would be too difficult to explain to a layman. As a hobby pilot it wouldn't even have been my duty to report the incidences. Hadn't my person been involved, nobody would have taken notice.

NW: So you're not looking for challenges when you're flying?

HF: That would be utter nonsense! A lot of people misunderstand my passion and say: "Now he needs his kick again." I love flying and I love watching the landscape. I fly absolutely secure and don't need any kind of kick.

NW: How do your two younger children cope with having such a famous daddy?

HF: Of course there are effects of my job that my children do feel. I try to do my best to talk about everything with them. They understand that what I'm doing is my job. It is much harder for them to comprehend why people make such a fuss about my person.

NW: Are you immune to the permanent attention you are getting from the fans or does being recongnized sometimes get on your nerves?

HF: I always try very hard not to draw any attention towards me. And I think that I'm a pretty normal looking guy. That's why all this fuss always makes me pretty nervous, but I've gotten used to it.

NW: Do you sometimes camouflage with sunglasses or a cap?

HF: No, that doesn't work.

NW: Are there sometimes funny situations in public?

HF: Of course, there often are. It's funny when people think you can't hear them when the elevator doors have shut and they call :"Have you seen who that was?"

NW: What's it like when you happen to meet stars who are friends of yours in public?

HF: I often forget that I know them personally, because I am so busy looking elsewhere to give the other one some private space. All the more embarrassing that in that situation I often forget to say hi. (laughs)

NW: Let's talk about your father role. You are considered as a model daddy. Do you have a close relationship to your children?

HF: Of course I try hard to do what's best for my children, including the two older ones. I help the younger ones with the homework, but to be honest I don't know anything about math anymore. My wife works as well, so we can share our jobs as parents quite well.

NW: You have three sons and one daughter. Wasn't that unusual at first? In which way do you deal with her?

HF: You should rather be asking in which way she deals with me! (laughs) Sometimes I find myself sitting on the floor with my daughter, playing with Barbie dolls.

NW: Now that would be a sweet picture ...

HF smiles and remains silent.

NW: You are well known for your dry humor and are said to be a good joke-teller. Would you tell us one?

HF: Better not now. My jokes are long and often dirty.

NW: What about fears? Is there anything you are afraid of?

HF: It's rather the unexpected that I'm afraid of. Losing control of a situation or not having any influence on the things around me ..

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