Disney Legend Harrison Ford has portrayed some incredible characters through the years. From Han Solo to Indiana Jones, Ford has shown a wide range in his acting abilities. Now, he is appearing in Captain America: Brave New World as U.S. President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross.
Ahead of the arrival of Captain America: Brave New World in theaters, Disney has released portions of an interview that will be found in the digital Disney twenty-three magazine. In the exclusive interview, Ford shared that each role has revealed something about himself and, to a greater degree, the human experience. “We’re all made from the same common clay. It’s moment in time. It’s opportunity — all of these inexplicable, unpredictable elements, plus our own drive and search for something useful to do in life,” he explains. “All of it counts. Fantasy counts. Science counts. Reality counts. But being able to dream into and out of the world you’re living in? That’s important stuff.”
In 2024, Harrison Ford was honored as a Disney Legend at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. During his acceptance speech, Ford said that he was “flattered” and “bemused” by the honor. He also said during the speech that “nobody does anything in this business alone.” He reiterated this in the interview with Disney twenty-three.
“The work that an actor, frankly, gets credit for is the work of many people who have come before him and laid in the groundwork for him to walk. The George Lucases, the Steven Spielbergs, the Kevin Feiges in my life are really responsible for the opportunities that I’ve had,” Ford said. “Their passion for the ideas they’re working with and their commitment to the craft and to the quality and integrity of their work has been fundamental to the success of my career. You don’t do this alone. You stand on the shoulders of many people.”
“For instance, I’m standing on the shoulders of [the late] William Hurt, who created the character that I’m playing in this Marvel film,” Ford said of his role in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World, in theaters February 14. “I had an opportunity to see the foundations he established for the character, and it gave me a wonderful place to start with the responsibilities that I have storytelling-wise in this Captain America movie.”
Harrison Ford has had a multi-decades long career. This career laid the groundwork for actors like Anthony Mackie, who plays Captain America, to become movie stars in their own right.
“I got to see the full-blown Anthony Mackie, and it is a considerable presence,” Ford said. “I’d seen him outside of the Marvel Universe, and as an actor, he’s formidable. He’s a very powerful presence onscreen. Our scenes together were scenes of conflict, in most cases; I met him on the field, so I knew the steel he was made of as an actor. But he has more than steel in his quiver: he’s got sensitivity, understanding, and intelligence about what he’s doing.”
The Spring 2025 issue of Disney twenty-three shows that Mackie is equally enthusiastic about his co-star. He shares in the magazine that he learned “what it really means to be a movie star from Harrison Ford.”
When Ford heard about the compliment, he replied, “[I feel] a mixture of embarrassment and secret pleasure,” Ford said, smiling. “I’m grateful for his words.”
