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Harrison Ford Hints at Retirement After Finding Fulfillment on ‘Shrinking’
Harrison Ford, one of Hollywood’s most enduring and iconic stars, has offered his clearest signal yet that retirement may finally be on the horizon. At 83, the actor behind legendary characters such as Han Solo and Indiana Jones says he feels creatively fulfilled — and that his current role on Apple TV+’s Shrinking could be a fitting place to stop.
Speaking during a recent Apple TV press event in Los Angeles, Ford reflected on his experience playing Dr. Paul Rhoades, a senior therapist living with Parkinson’s disease. The series, which stars Jason Segel and was recently renewed for a fourth season ahead of its third-season premiere, has clearly struck a deep personal chord with the veteran actor.
“Where do you go from here?” Ford said during the panel. “The kind of work that we’re able to do is remarkable. And if it was all over here, that would be sufficient.”
A Different Kind of Role
Ford described Shrinking as unlike anything he has done before in a career spanning more than five decades. Known primarily for action-adventure and blockbuster franchises, he said the emotional depth and purpose of the series have been especially meaningful.
“This has been a different kind of job for me,” Ford explained. “It really nurtures me and makes me feel like what we’re doing has value and importance. I look for that in my life, and I’m happy to have found it here.”
His performance as Dr. Rhoades earned Ford his first-ever Emmy nomination last year, along with recognition from the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild — a milestone that arrived surprisingly late in an already historic career.
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Retirement — But Not Quite Yet
Despite the reflective tone of his recent comments, Ford has a long history of pushing back against the idea of retirement. Just last year, he joked that he would stop working only “when you forget my name,” emphasizing that staying active depends on good writing and interesting opportunities.
Alongside Shrinking, Ford has remained busy with high-profile projects, including 1923, the Yellowstone prequel series that concluded its second and final season earlier this year. At the time, he even joked that he was “stupid” to take on such an intense workload so late in life.
Ford has previously described retirement as a fluid concept, saying he “retires” after every project — only to return because he genuinely enjoys the work.
In Shrinking, Ford’s character lives with Parkinson’s disease, a storyline he approached with particular care. In the upcoming season, he shares scenes with Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson’s in real life. Ford has said working alongside Fox was both humbling and inspiring, reinforcing the responsibility he feels toward meaningful storytelling.
For now, Ford remains active, with season three of Shrinking currently streaming. But his recent words suggest that when the time does come, he may walk away not out of fatigue, but fulfillment.
