Harrison Ford is one of the highest-grossing actors in cinema history. However, the man who played Han Solo and Indiana Jones lived a very normal life before Hollywood called. For instance, he worked as a professional carpenter to support his family for years. Furthermore, he is a licensed pilot who actively rescues lost hikers in the wild. Consequently, his real life is often just as heroic as his movies. Therefore, punch it to hyperdrive and explore the secrets of this screen legend.
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford worked as a carpenter for the stars. Before he became famous, George Lucas hired him to build cabinets. Eventually, this connection led to his casting in Star Wars.
He rescues people with his personal helicopter. On several occasions, he flew his chopper to save stranded hikers in Wyoming. Unlike in movies, he never charges for these rescue missions.
The famous “I know” line was his idea. When Princess Leia confesses her love in The Empire Strikes Back, Ford changed the scripted response to suit his character better.
A car accident caused the scar on his chin. While driving to work in the 1960s, he crashed into a telephone pole while trying to buckle his seatbelt.
He improvised the gunshot scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Because he suffered from severe dysentery that day, he suggested shooting the swordsman instead of fighting him to end the scene quickly.
Steven Spielberg cut him from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Originally, Ford filmed a cameo as the school principal, but the director removed the scene to keep the focus on the children.
Scientists named a spider and an ant after him. specifically, the spider Calponia harrisonfordi and the ant Pheidole harrisonfordi honor his conservation work.
He once worked as a roadie for The Doors. Briefly, he operated a camera for the legendary rock band during their tours in the late 1960s.
He earned only $10,000 for the first Star Wars movie. Although the film became a massive hit, his initial salary was surprisingly low.
He survived a serious plane crash in 2015. After his vintage WWII plane suffered engine failure, he successfully crash-landed on a golf course in Los Angeles.
Harrison Ford pierced his ear at age 55. After he had lunch with Jimmy Buffett, the singer’s lifestyle inspired him to get the piercing immediately.
He has no Academy Awards for acting. Despite his legendary career, the Academy only nominated him once for his role in Witness.
He rejected the lead role in Jurassic Park. Consequently, Sam Neill took the part of Dr. Alan Grant after Ford turned it down.
He serves as Vice Chair of Conservation International. passionately, he dedicates significant time and money to protecting biodiversity around the globe.
Finally, he got his role in Star Wars by accident. George Lucas asked him to simply read lines with other actors during auditions, but Ford performed so well that Lucas cast him instead.
Star Wars defined the childhood of millions around the globe. You likely know the sound of a lightsaber, but the production secrets are wild. George Lucas created a universe that changed cinema forever with practical effects and distinct sounds. However, the path to the big screen faced many disasters. Consequently, the cast and crew had to improvise constantly to finish the masterpiece. Let’s explore the galaxy far, far away.
Star Wars
The sound designer created the iconic TIE fighter screech using a very strange method. Uniquely, he combined the scream of an elephant with the sound of a car driving on wet pavement.
Yoda originally possessed a normal first name in the very early draft scripts. Specifically, George Lucas planned to call the small Jedi master Buffy before changing his mind to just Yoda.
Surprisingly, the high-tech communicator used by Qui-Gon Jinn is actually a modified women’s razor. The prop department painted a Gillette razor silver to save money on the tight production budget.
Star Wars filming almost caused a real international conflict between Tunisia and Libya. Reportedly, the Libyan government thought the massive Sandcrawler vehicle was a military tank sitting on their border.
Furthermore, the Ewoks speak a language based on real Tibetan and Kalmyk dialects. The sound team sped up the voice recordings to make the small bears sound energetic and distinct.
Samuel L. Jackson specifically requested a purple lightsaber for a very practical reason. Essentially, he wanted to find himself easily on screen during the massive battle scene in the arena.
Interestingly, the chaotic asteroid field scene in The Empire Strikes Back contains a hidden shoe. A frustrated special effects artist threw a tennis shoe into the shot to protest the work.
Han Solo was originally a large green alien with gills in the first script drafts. Fortunately, George Lucas rewrote the Star Wars character into the human smuggler we cherish today.
Consequently, the towering suit of Darth Vader was played physically by bodybuilder David Prowse. However, the studio replaced his voice because his West Country accent sounded too friendly for a villain.
The trash compactor scene was a physical nightmare for actor Mark Hamill. In fact, he held his breath so long during the take that he burst a blood vessel in his face.
Amazingly, the Star Wars puppet Yoda has a different number of toes depending on the movie. He possesses three toes in The Phantom Menace but four toes in The Empire Strikes Back.
Star Wars stands as the first major Hollywood film to be translated into the Navajo language. Thus, the dubbing project helped preserve the native culture and language for future generations.
The famous opening text crawl was actually a physical model rather than digital effects. Specifically, the camera moved slowly along the floor over a 6-foot [1.8-meter] long black paper scroll.
Strangely, the iconic lightsaber noises are just the hum of an old television set. The sound designer discovered this distinct buzz by accident while walking near a film projector motor.
The Star Wars villain Jabba the Hutt required a massive team of seven puppeteers. Therefore, three people were inside the tail, while others operated the eyes and smoke machine.
Most people recognize Woody Harrelson as a lovable bartender from Cheers or a zombie killer. However, his real life is actually stranger than fiction. For instance, he has a fascinating personal history involving hitmen and high-stakes chess. Furthermore, he advocates passionately for the environment and animal rights. Consequently, you will love learning these wild details about his journey. Therefore, get ready to explore the untold stories of this Hollywood icon.
Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson had a truly notorious father named Charles. Specifically, his dad was a professional hitman convicted of killing a judge. Consequently, Woody visited him in prison often.
Surprisingly, he attended Hanover College with Mike Pence. In fact, they were friends while studying theology together in Indiana. It is certainly an odd pairing.
He blew his nose aggressively during his Cheers audition. Because he acted so chaotic, the casting director laughed immediately. As a result, he won the role instantly.
Although characters eat Twinkies in Zombieland, Woody Harrelson is a raw vegan. Therefore, the crew made special cornmeal cakes. He refused the real sponge cakes.
Additionally, he is a bold activist. In 1996, he climbed the Golden Gate Bridge to protest logging. Consequently, police arrested him for the massive traffic jam.
He is surprisingly talented at chess. In fact, he once played World Champion Garry Kasparov to a draw. He loves the game deeply and plays often.
Originally, Woody Harrelson did not plan on acting. Instead, he studied religious education because he wanted to be a minister. However, theater eventually called his name.
He made cinematic history with Lost in London. Amazingly, he directed and starred in this film while live-streaming it. They filmed it in one single take.
He almost rejected the iconic role of Haymitch Abernathy. Initially, he thought the character was too shallow. Fortunately, the director convinced him to take the part.
He once owned a unique business. Specifically, he opened an oxygen bar in West Hollywood where people bought air. Sadly, the bar closed quickly.
Woody Harrelson practices yoga every single day. He claims it keeps him young. Furthermore, he often refuses to use a cell phone to stay peaceful.
He also excels at soccer. In 2010, he scored the winning penalty kick during a charity match. The crowd went absolutely wild for him.
Furthermore, he loves hemp products. He once wore a tuxedo made entirely of hemp to a red carpet. He promotes the plant whenever possible.
His sense of humor is unique. He and his wife once pretended to get divorced as a joke. However, the media took it seriously.
Finally, Woody Harrelson applied to open a dispensary in Hawaii. Although the state denied him, he remains a vocal advocate. He truly believes in legalization.
