Harrison Ford Says He Continues to Act at 82 Because of the 'Essential Human Contact' It Provides

Mar. 15, 2025

Harrison Fordhas been a fixture in Hollywood since his breakthrough work in the ’70s and — as he shared in a new interview — it still offers him something worthwhile.

“Oh man, I get out of it essential human contact,” theStar Warsalum said, when asked what he takes away from acting nowadays. “I get to imagine with people that have great skill and experience…. It’s fun to work with these people.”

“I always enjoyed humor. I loved jokes. I loved the construction of jokes,” Ford said. “My father was a joke teller. The wordsmithing and the ideas that lay behind a joke have always interested me. When I was thinking about becoming an actor, I was ambitious for both kinds of work — serious drama and comedy. I found myself doing both and not really distinguishing much between them.”

“I think I think with the same actor’s head about a joke as I do about a serious or emotional scene,” he added.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Acting wasn’t Ford’s first gig. Earlier this month, theShrinkingstar — who previously shared that he secured hisStar Wars' Han Solo audition because of some well-timed carpentry work — opened up toJimmy KimmelonJimmy Kimmel Liveabout how he alsoworked as a cheffor a period of time.

The gig lasted until “they found out about me and fired me,” Ford joked, adding that his first job was indeed acting as a cook at a hospital.

“I don’t know what I told them but they gave me a knife and a bunch of carrots, and I cut this part of my finger off within minutes,” he said, showing Kimmel his left index finger. “But the sew-your-finger-back-on department was right down the hall, and right after that was where they fire you for lying about [cooking skills].”

Harrison Ford attends the 10th Annual Endeavor Awards on May 10, 2024.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Ford, who admitted to Kimmel that he never worked as a restaurant cook, apparently also had a stint as a cook on a yacht in Chicago, for people “far beyond my means at the time.”

“Yup, anybody can do that,” he joked of grilling beef.

source: people.com