Harrison Ford baffles admissions students over his holidays

Ford described acting as the first experience that allowed him to overcome his shyness and insecurities.

He said putting on costume and character gave him a confidence he never had in everyday life.

Ford added, “I started finding myself on stage and pretending to be someone else. I had always seen myself as shy, but hidden in character, costume and make-up I had a freedom, a courage that I had never felt before.’

After performing in summer theater productions, Ford moved to California before graduating, following the head of his theater department west in search of acting opportunities.

Success did not come quickly. For years, he relied on carpentry to support his family while struggling to secure meaningful acting roles.

Ford admitted that he only played “four or five” roles during his first fifteen years in Hollywood before finally breaking through as Han Solo in Star Wars.

He said the role changed his life, allowing him to fully pursue his artistic ambitions and eventually leading him to environmental activism through Conservation International.