Harrison Ford says “essential human contact” keeps him acting

Does Harrison Ford need the work? Not quite. In his 82 years, the beloved movie star has traveled through space, unearthed hidden treasures around the world, wooed many women and vanquished many an enemy, and yet after all that, he still makes time for a low-key TV series about mental health professionals who do it work to practice what they preach.

In the Apple TV+ series Shrinking, co-created by Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein, Ford plays Paul, the head of a cognitive behavioral therapy practice who suffers from Parkinson's disease, and a group of like-minded people who have won. I'm not staying out of his business. It's one of those rare projects where Ford gets to show his funny side, but as he explained in a recent interview with Vanity Fair, that wasn't the only thing that attracted him to the role.

“Oh man, it gives me that vital human contact,” Ford said. “I can imagine people who have great skills and experience…” These people are fun to work with.”

What makes Ford so perfect for the role, in Lawrence's opinion, is that he can embrace the seriousness of his character in a way that makes it hilarious. The actor agrees, but praises the script for allowing him to develop his full range.

“You really believe that the character believes what he's talking about,” Ford said of Paul. “When they have that kind of range and depth, you can get away with the kind of humor that we do and make sure that it serves both the serious purposes and the entertainment that we hope to provide.”

At the same time, Ford admitted that he would be lying if working on a down-to-earth comedy didn't appeal to him. Still, as an actor, he rarely thinks about scenes in terms of jokes, instead trying to approach them in the same way he would dramatic moments.

“I have always enjoyed humor. I loved jokes. I loved constructing jokes. My father was a joke teller. “I’ve always been interested in the art of words and the ideas behind a joke,” Ford told Vanity Fair. “When I thought about becoming an actor, I had great ambitions for both types of work – serious drama and comedy. I've done both and didn't really differentiate much between them. I think I think about a joke with the same acting sense as I think about a serious or emotional scene.”

And even though he puts in a lot of work, it's a lot more fun to fool around when you know that the people you're fooling around with are also having a good time.

“I'm really quite silly alone. But when I'm in the company of other people who I know are being silly, there's a certain relaxation of the rules,” Ford said. “I like to have fun. I like being around people who have fun. I don’t like getting too serious.”

Season 2 of “Shrinking” premieres October 16 on Apple TV+.