Harrison Ford’s Recognition at the Actor Awards Was Long Overdue. And a Reminder That He Deserved More Accolades!
The Actor Awards gave fans a chance to see Harrison Ford getting honored by his fellow actors. But the recognition was bittersweet because fans also then realized that Ford has only one Oscar nomination to his name.
Ford, who is a staple within the film community, was nominated for Best Actor for the film Witness and never again. Feels wild when you look at his line of work but it is the truth! But watching his speech and the emotion that Ford held not only for the recognition but his work as a whole reminded me that he really is a living legend. So why hasn’t he gotten more awards for it?
When it comes to “Oscar bait” movies, a lot of the time fan favorite films get dismissed. It is an argument I have been seeing surrounding the success of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners this season because people are unjustly labeling it as a “fan favorite” and not Oscar worthy. I think those distinctions are nonsense.
But for someone like Ford, he has a career of incredible work both in the fan space and in what is deemed more “serious” work. And yet he is still someone the Academy Awards ignores. I’m not saying I think that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny should have gotten him an Oscar but when you look at the legacy of Star Wars and the Indiana Jones franchise on top of Blade Runner, it is wild that he doesn’t have more.
I am someone whose love of movies has always been tied to Ford. So it is a point of contention with the Academy and me because why is he oft ignored?
Harrison Ford Gives a Moving Speech at The Actor Awards
I knew going into Ford’s speech that I would cry. But I didn’t expect to see Ford get so emotional about the acknowledgment. “Sometimes we make entertainment; sometimes we make art. Sometimes we’re lucky to make ’em both at the same time, and if we’re really fortunate, we also get to make a living doing it,” Ford said in his speech and it is very true of Ford’s body of work.
“Success in this business brings a certain freedom that comes with responsibility to support each other, to lift others up when we can, to keep the door open for the next kid, the next lost boy who’s looking for a place to belong,” he said. “I’m indeed a lucky guy. Lucky to have found my people, lucky to have work that challenges me, lucky to still be doing it. And I don’t take that for granted.”
Ford was referencing a line used in his montage from the show Shrinking. His character, Paul, says he is a lucky guy and Ford clearly agrees. He also made jokes throughout his speech. Like pretending like the SAG-Aftra foundation was giving him this honor only halfway through his career. But he also shared how grateful he was to still be working.
“This is a tough business to get into. In my case, it’s been a tough business to get out of — thank God, because I love what I do,” he said and I am grateful every day that Harrison Ford is still giving me movies and shows to watch.
(featured image: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
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