Harrison Ford’s Relentless Stunt Demands Left Co-Star Shaken
Harrison Ford’s passion for doing his own stunts pushed Isaiah Washington into risky territory on set, despite serious concerns. Washington admits Ford’s insistence made it nearly impossible to refuse.
Harrison Ford has long been known for throwing himself into the thick of the action, no matter his age. While he might not be quite as full-on as Tom Cruise, Ford’s reputation for doing his own stunts is well-earned. Even as he’s got older, he’s kept up the pace, determined to keep things as real as possible for punters watching at home. When he signed on for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, many would’ve expected the stunt doubles to be flat out, given Ford was in his 80s. But he was keen to do as much as he could himself, creaky joints and all. That approach came at a cost—he copped a few injuries, one of which put filming on hold for weeks. In the end, the much-hyped final chapter didn’t exactly set the box office alight, and Indy’s last hurrah fizzled out rather than going out with a bang.
Ford’s always been a bloke who prefers to get stuck in. Whether he’s playing Han Solo, Jack Ryan, or taking on roles in The Fugitive, Blade Runner, or even less memorable flicks like Firewall, he’s made a habit of keeping things authentic. He reckons the audience can tell when the actor’s really in the thick of it. Not everyone’s as keen, though, and that’s where Isaiah Washington found himself in a tough spot.
Peer Pressure on Set
Back in 2003, Ford and Washington teamed up for Hollywood Homicide. No one’s calling it a classic, and Ford himself seemed to know it was a bit of a lost cause from the get-go, especially since they started shooting without a finished script. Still, Ford wasn’t about to slack off. Instead, he started nudging Washington to join him in doing their own stunts. Washington wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of putting himself in harm’s way, but when a legend like Ford is egging you on, it’s hard to say no.
“He forced me to do a lot of my own stunts because he did them,”
Washington admitted.
“We were in the scenes together. I didn’t have a choice. I told Harrison: ‘I really don’t think we should be doing this. This is dangerous. We could die’. He said to me, ‘I’ll see you on the other side.’”
Reluctance and Risks
Even though Ford’s comment was meant as a bit of a joke, it didn’t make things any easier for Washington. He would’ve been much happier letting the professionals handle the more dangerous bits, but with Ford leading the charge, he felt he had no option but to go along. The pressure was real, and Washington found himself doing stunts he’d rather have left to the experts.
Looking back, it’s hard to say it was worth it. Hollywood Homicide didn’t exactly leave a mark, and most people only remember it for the on-set tension between Ford and Josh Hartnett. Still, at least everyone walked away in one piece, which isn’t always the case when Ford’s involved in high-octane productions.