Harrison Ford reflects on end of his ‘Indiana Jones’ journey, says movies ‘gave me a freedom’
After more than four decades, Harrison Ford Indiana Jones journey is coming to an end, with his fifth and final performance as an iconic character in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
After an emotional world premiere at Cannes, the film made its U.S. debut Wednesday at the Los Angeles premiere, where Ford reflected on saying goodbye to the famed archaeologist.
“I don’t think I will miss anything. I appreciate all the opportunities the character has given me. I’ve been very grateful and enjoyed the 42 years we’ve been making them,” said Ford The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet. “The success of these films has really given me not only the ability to cater to a large audience, but it has also given me a freedom; thanks to their success, they have given me freedom in the profession of my choice. And I’m grateful for that, I’m grateful for everything that’s happened to me. I’m a lucky guy.”
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The fifth film follows Indiana Jones in a race against time to recover a legendary dial that can change the course of history, accompanied by his goddaughter Helena, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
“She’s a complicated character, you don’t know if you should love her or hate her,” Waller-Bridge said of the role. “She’s got a nefarious agenda and she’s a frenemy of Indy-well, she’s a friend, then she’s a frenemy, then she’s a frenemy, then she’s a frenemy.”
THE Lots of fleas the star also joked that during the film’s stunts, “I was surprised at how proud I was of my bruises” and was happy that “there was something crazy about the way they wanted it done.”
“They didn’t want me to be too smart, which was a relief because otherwise I would never have gotten the part. I just had to be kind of a scrambled mess jumping out of vehicles or jumping out of airplanes,” Waller-Bridge joked. “So I was surprised I could do that, but I didn’t do any of the super awesome stuff; my stunt double. So every time you say, ‘Wow!’ that’s Anna, every time she says ‘Ah’, it’s me.
Mads Mikkelsen plays the film’s villain, joking the best part was “that you can kick Harrison Ford.”
“He’s amazing, he’s such a legend. The little details he can do: He brings him the camera, he doesn’t take it and it’s just wonderful to watch him work,” Mikkelsen continued. “And then I also learned from him that it’s never too late to be a kid. He’s a kid, he’s 16, there’s so much energy in him and he deeply loves what he’s doing and we should all remember that.
The actor also reflected on Ford’s last day on set and gave Indiana Jones himself a proper send-off, noting, “We were there when he gave his last performance of his last scene and just looking at him up there getting applauded, he wanted to to just go and just get out of there but he also wanted to stay there forever.It was pretty cool to watch.
Director James Mangold added that it was important to him that Ford’s final chapter be “something of quality that represents the kind of integrity that his legacy of work represents” and reflected on stepping into Steven Spielberg’s shoes as the only other director to direct a Indiana Jones movie.
Calling Spielberg an idol, Mangold said he was drawn to “the chance to collaborate with him and also the kind of shared aesthetic that I think Steven and George (Lucas) have always been in love with Golden Age movies and have them excerpts and classic Hollywood flair for what is an incredible portfolio of work that has literally changed the course of cinema and business.”
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny hits theaters June 30.