Harrison Ford is set to star in three major films in 2013. The first is 42 – a biographical account of baseball legend Jackie Robinson’s relationship to his mentor, Branch Rickey (played by Ford) – set for release April 12th. Watch the trailer here.
On his affinity for Chicago
I love Chicago. I love the energy of the place, the architecture, the people, the rigor of the place. Bitter cold in the winter, fierce winds, hot summers. During college I’d come back for summer jobs. I worked on a boat in Burnham Park Harbor, in a nightclub on the near north side. I was a manager at the first Crate & Barrel on Wells Street. I am always happy to go back to Chicago.
On whether he has maintained a Midwestern sensibility
I’ve been out in Los Angeles for 35 years, and I think there are some things about my upbringing that reflect the values and the attitudes of the Midwest.... a kind of work ethic that I find particular to the Midwest. I can say that those were important, formative years for me, living in Chicago.
On turning 70 and having been in films for 30 years
I’m very happy to still be working. When I imagined being an actor, I thought, Well, there are as many jobs for older people as for younger people. If you didn’t want to retire, you could work for as long as you were useful to the telling of a story. So I’m not worried about getting older. I’m fine with it. The kinds of roles that I’m playing now are as satisfying and interesting as anything I’ve done.
On disguising himself for his role in '42'
I wanted not to look like Harrison Ford. So I shaved my hairline up to where his started, wore a black wig, added a bit of nose, and covered the scar on my chin. I was motivated by a conversation with Sir Ben Kingsley. I was working with him on a movie, and I said, “I’m thinking of really adopting the physical characteristics of this character. I’ve never really done that before. I hope I get away with it.” And he said, “If you give a man a mask, he’ll tell you the truth.” That advice served me well all through the film.
Check out Michigan Avenue Magazine’s Spring 2013 issue for full interview.
