Few living actors can lay claim to the kind of fame thatHarrison Fordhas. Not onlyHan Solo inStar Wars,but Indiana Jones, too; he has one of the most recognizable faces in show business. With his rugged good looks and his characteristically roguish attitude, he became one of Hollywood’s hottest actors beginning in the late 1970s. In addition to his successes in theStar WarsandIndiana Jonesfranchises, he had notable parts in films likeApocalypse Now,Blade Runner, andThe Fugitive. But it was in 1986 that he received, for his performance in the 1986 crime thrillerWitness, that most coveted of all nominations: The Academy Award for Best Actor.
Now, Ford may not have won that year (the Oscar went to William Hurt), but the real tragedy is that this was the first and last time he would ever get the Best Actor nod. He did pick up Golden Globe nominations for later work onThe Mosquito CoastandThe Fugitive, but he would not win for these either. We may choose to believe that Ford has simply been repeatedly snubbed by the Academy, or that perhaps he hasn’t chosen the best roles since 1986. Either way, the important question now is whether the great Harrison Ford still has time to earn an Oscar or an Emmy. At 80 years old, it’s only a matter of time before he chooses to retire. So, does he still have the chance to bring one of these coveted awards home?
The Return of Dr. Jones
The most obvious place to start here is with Ford’s current projects. Is there anything currently in the works that could earn him a nomination at the Oscars or the Emmys? In terms of film, Ford has three upcoming titles, all of them under the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Studios umbrella (which is a wide umbrella indeed). The most anticipated movie of the three isIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which has Ford reprising one of his two most famous roles. He’ll play the film’s titular archeologist-turned-action-hero, Dr. Indiana Jones, Jr., but there has been speculation that he may share the spotlight with co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who plays Jones’s goddaughter. Because Ford is now 80 years old,de-aging technologywill be used so that the actor can feature in flashback sequences as a younger man.
Indiana Joneshas never been the franchise to win acclaim for its performances, and we can’t imagine that this fifth entry will be any different. Additionally, the use of de-aging technology may hurt Ford’s chances of being nominatedcome award season. We may recall that Robert De Niro did not receive an Oscar nomination forThe Irishman, which used CGI to de-age the legendary actor in numerous scenes, a move that alienated some viewers (per CNET). None of this bodes particularly well for Ford’s Oscar prospects, but we’ll have to wait and see howIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyturns out before making a final call.
Related:The 8 Most Essential Harrison Ford Moments in Movies, Ranked
Entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe
In October of last year, Ford announced that he would be coming onboard for phase five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ford will take up the role of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross inCaptain America: New World OrderandThunderbolts, both of which are slated for 2024. The character—a no-nonsense, mustache-wearing general—was formerly played by the late William Hurt, but Ford looks to be a good replacement. If it seems like a strange move to join the MCU at 80 years old, it’s worth remembering that Ford is no stranger to acting in the world’s biggest entertainment franchises.
As far as award nominations go, superhero movies do not typically receive Oscar nods for acting categories. Ford will be playing a fairly small supporting role, so it’s unlikely that eitherCaptain America: New World OrderorThunderboltswill bring him an Oscar. Ford knows this better than anybody, and it’s probable that he’s joining the MCU for the simple reason that he wants to. He’s said as much in interviews, as in the following quote from his appearance on theYellowstonerspodcast: “Hey, look, I’ve done a lot of things. I now want to do some of the things I haven’t done” (via CinemaBlend). So much for worrying about awards.
Related:Every Year of the MCU, Ranked
Other Opportunities on the Horizon
It’s worth noting that being in the twilight of your career does not exclude you from winning your first Oscar or Emmy. As the most recent award season has shown, it’s never too late to bring home that coveted trophy.Michelle Yeoh, Jennifer Coolidge, and Angel Basset, all of whom are 60 or older, won Golden Globes in January of this year (per Today). For his role inLiving, the 73-year-old Bill Nighy was nominated for Best Actor at the 2023 Academy Awards—the first Oscar nomination of his career. And even more impressively, Anthony Hopkins won his second Oscar for Best Actor at 83.
All this is to say that it isn’t too late for Ford. Indeed, his performance in thecurrently airing comedy-drama seriesShrinkingproves that his days of so-called “serious acting” are not over. It’s even possible that the veteran star’s career-best performance is ahead of him. For all the incredible work he’s done, we think he has it in him. Though retirement may be looming, there’s no telling what kind of roles are in store for Harrison Ford as he enters his sixth decade as an actor.
