Harrison Ford is known to the world for helping turn characters like Han Solo and Indiana Jones into cultural legends. But before blockbuster Hollywood fame and multimillionaire status, Ford and his growing family were struggling to make ends meet.
“Acting was not yet paying the bills,” he said this week during a commencement address at Arizona State University, reflecting on the 1960s and 1970s when he was landing only minor—or entirely uncredited—roles in film and television.
So, the now-83-year-old actor did something many young people know well: he picked up a side gig.
“I was supporting my growing family with carpentry jobs. Another way to put food on the table,” Ford said. “I loved making things. And I only took acting jobs when the parts challenged me.”
That balancing act lasted roughly 15 years. During that stretch, Ford said he landed only “four or five” acting jobs—but viewed them as ambitious projects worth pursuing.
