Harrison Ford Discusses His New ‘1923’ Series And Approach With Acting Today

Throughout his celebrated life, Harrison Ford, 80, remains one of the most iconic actors to ever consistently light up the big screen. Lately, however, Ford has devoted his time and energy to telling stories on the small screen, as well, alongside Helen Mirren in Taylor Sheridan’s newest series 1923.

1923 expands on the already existing television universe centered around the powerful Dutton family. With the Kevin Costner-led hit series Yellowstone being the Duttons’ modern-day tale and 1883 being the origin story of this family’s turbulent quest from land ownership to riches, this in-between 1923 era of episodic storytelling dives deep into the Western expansion during a time that saw the crippling economic and social impact Americans faced during Prohibition and the years of hardship leading up to the Great Depression.

Ford plays Jacob Dutton on 1923, the patriarch of the Yellowstone Ranch, husband to Cara Dutton (played by Mirren) and brother of James Dutton (played by Tim McGraw on 1883). When I first sat down with Ford to talk about this new series, I expressed to him my enjoyment of his witty dialogue in the pilot episode, crediting both the writing of 1923, as well as Ford’s sharp delivery on-screen.

Ford responds, “Well, the writing star is really the genesis of behavior and I’m thrilled to be able to work with the quality of writing that Taylor is generating.”

With eight episodes of 1923 ahead alongside Mirren and his cast, I wondered what has been the greatest joy for Ford, since deciding to come aboard as a leading figure on this captivating new series on the Western frontier.

“Seeing the development of these ideas come off the page and be physicalized is really a pleasure – a joy,” Ford reveals. “The art direction is splendid. All of the elements of storytelling have been of a very high standard and the actors that have been chosen are so talented. Our director Ben Richardson is a joy to work with and he’s producing beautiful, beautiful work. He’s both director and he has come from the world of cinematography, so he’s a visual storyteller. It’s great fun, it’s great work. I’m working with Helen Mirren, who I’ve enjoyed working with in the past and having the opportunity to work with her again is a joy. It’s an absolute pleasure.”

Ford and Mirren first worked together on the 1986 film The Mosquito Coast. Mirren recently spoke with ET about her teaming up again with her co-star from yesteryear, saying, “I learned a lot from him when we shot Mosquito Coast. It was fantastic to be reunited with him. Actually, Harrison reminded me how long ago it was ’cause time does fly so fast!”

Mirren and Ford are not the only actors expressing admiration for their scene partners on 1923. Brian Geraghty, who plays loyal ranch foreman Zane on the new series, shared with me his positive accounts of working alongside Ford and Mirren.

“It’d be slightly intimidating at first and kind of get your bearings, but as soon as we started rolling, it was just great,” says Geraghty. “Ideally, you want to always work with the best and here they set it up with two of the best. They’re both very fun, they both love each other. They both really care about the project, so it was so great. Harrison is very funny. He likes to have a good time. He just makes everyone feel comfortable.”

James Badge Dale, who plays John Dutton Sr. on 1923, the oldest nephew and right-hand man to Ford’s Jacob Dutton character, told me words can’t describe getting to work with two of Hollywood’s most accomplished veteran actors, continuing on to say of Mirren and Ford, “They love acting. They love actors, and they were so kind and generous and incredibly hardworking.”

Marley Shelton, who plays Emma Dutton, the dutiful wife of John Dutton Sr., also tells me when speaking about her scene work with Ford and Mirren, saying, “Lots of pinch yourself moments. They’re just both such exemplary human beings, as well as actors in their craft and field.”

Darren Mann, who plays Jack Dutton, the great nephew of Ford’s character, shared with me, “Sometimes, you wonder what it’s going to be like, you know, when you haven’t met the number one or number two on the call sheet. It can be a little nerve-wrecking. So, when they [Mirren and Ford] came in day one, they were so easy to chat with, personable, down-to-earth, regular folk. It’s cool when you get to meet your childhood idols and they’re great people, too. I think it’s so refreshing and it’s awesome. We’ve had such a good time getting to work with them.”

Michelle Randolph, who plays Jack Dutton’s young love interest Elizabeth Strafford on 1923, says of her time working with Ford and Mirren, “I just learned so much watching them, on and off-set. They’re both such amazing people and so kind and they made set feel really safe, even though I thought it was going to be extremely intimidating sharing a screen with them.”

Being best known as a film actor over the span of now six decades, I was curious what has perhaps made the acting process different at all for Ford in this episodic storytelling format, compared to his more usual filmmaking process.

“Not much,” says Ford. “The destination for the work doesn’t make the process different. We’re doing visual storytelling. One may end up in the theater, the other one may end up on television, but if the standards are the same, the ambition is high, there’s not much difference.”

With 1923 premiering December 18 on Paramount Plus and his much-anticipated cinematic return in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny expected to arrive in theaters June 30, 2023, I asked Ford what he would say matters most to him today, as he continues on as a working actor.

“Same thing that always mattered to me,” Ford continues. “The opportunity to be a part of telling stories, having great writing to work with and development of a character. I love the community that you come to work with – the crew and the other actors and the process itself is a joy. It’s problem-solving, as much as anything else, and you do that in concert with people you are collaborating with. It’s a tribal effort and it’s a great joy to meet a new group of people, ambitious for the same outcome, bringing their passion and their talents and their joy to it.”