"“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."
"“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. Everything changed when he caught the attention of George Lucas and was cast in the mid 1970s as Han Solo in Star Wars: A New Hope."
"Ford told in 2015 he was paid just $1,000 a week for the role, which reportedly amounted to around $10,000 total (a little over $50,000 in today's dollars). For the more recent sequel film Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Ford was reportedly paid $25 million."
Harrison Ford described early career struggles in the 1960s and 1970s, when acting did not pay enough for his growing family. He said he took carpentry jobs to put food on the table and only accepted acting work when roles challenged him. He estimated he landed only four or five acting jobs over about 15 years. His situation changed after George Lucas noticed him and cast him as Han Solo in Star Wars: A New Hope. He later said he was paid $1,000 a week for the role, totaling about $10,000 at the time. For Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he was reportedly paid $25 million. He also reflected on making poor choices in college and squandering his life before finding direction.
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