Harrison Ford was honored as a Disney Legend at the Disney D23 Expo on August 11, 2024. While many fans celebrated this recognition for the actor, others expressed concern as the Indiana Jones star appeared to struggle while signing his name on the plaque.
In a clip shared on Good Morning America’s official Instagram page, Ford was seen shaking hands with the iconic Mickey Mouse mascot. At 82 years old, the actor signed his name and left his handprints on the plaque. Observant fans noted that he had difficulty completing his signature, using his left hand for support as he signed with his right.
Despite these concerns, Ford appeared to be in high spirits while accepting the award. During the ceremony on August 11, Disney CEO Bob Iger presented the honor to Ford, describing him as “the definition of a leading man.”
“Before he was the captain of the Millennium Falcon or a globetrotting archeologist, Harrison Ford was, like so many, an aspiring actor who came to Hollywood to pursue their dreams. He is the definition of a leading man, who stands alone in a category all his own,” Iger stated.
Ford received a standing ovation upon taking the stage to accept the accolade. His emotional speech was met with applause as he expressed gratitude to Iger for the award and their friendship. He also acknowledged his wife, Calista Flockhart, and his co-stars who were there to support him.
“I love you, too. I love the life you’ve given me. I love the people that I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Nobody does anything in this business for long. We work in collaboration, no matter who we are and what we’re doing,” he shared.
The D23 Expo also celebrated actors such as Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Miley Cyrus, who were inducted into the Disney Legends roster alongside Harrison Ford. The actor made his film debut nearly six decades ago in 1966.
Ford rose to fame as Han Solo in the iconic Star Wars series, as well as portraying the archaeologist Indiana Jones in the renowned movie series that began in 1981.
Harrison Ford Set to Star in the New Captain America Movie
The last time Harrison Ford reprised his role as Han Solo was in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. Throughout the years, he has expressed his disdain for the character, even wanting Han Solo killed off in The Force Awakens released in 2015. Nonetheless, he returned for the 2019 installment. In a 2019 interview with Vanity Fair, director J.J. Abrams discussed how he persuaded Ford to come back for the role.
“We had a meeting and talked about what it would be. Harrison, who is one of the great people ever, and incredibly thoughtful about everything that he does, all he ever wants is to understand the utility of the character. ‘What is my role?’ It was about sitting with him and explaining what our intention was. We talked about it for quite a while, I sent him the pages. He got it, and of course, as you can see, he was wonderful,” said Abrams.
Harrison Ford also bid farewell to another iconic character, donning the fedora for the last time as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which premiered on June 30, 2023. In a June 2023 interview on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?, he revealed his plans to retire as Jones, stating it was “time to grow up.”
However, he confirmed he has no intentions of retiring from acting altogether. Harrison Ford’s fans will soon see him in the upcoming Marvel film Captain America: Brave New World, where he takes on the role of US President Thaddeus Ross, also known as Red Hulk.
This film marks Anthony Mackie’s first appearance as Captain America and serves as the sequel to the 2021 Marvel series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
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