Harrison Ford has spoken candidly about suffering severe depression during his college years, describing a period of deep isolation that ultimately pushed him toward acting and changed the course of his life.
The 83-year-old actor opened up about the mental health issues he experienced in his young adulthood on the April 9 episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. Ford discussed the mental health challenges he faced during his time at Ripon College in Wisconsin, describing a period of significant social withdrawal and isolation that deeply affected his wellbeing.
Recalling those years, Ford said he had a single room and classes to attend, but rarely ventured out. He would get up, order a pizza, return to bed until it arrived, eat it, throw the wrappers in the corner, and go back to sleep.
He added that on the rare occasions he did attempt to go to class, he would often touch the door on the outside of the building and then turn around and walk back. Ford described the experience as going beyond ordinary sadness. “I was more than depressed. I think I was ill. I was socially ill, psychologically not well,” he said.
The turning point came when he enrolled in a drama class, initially seeking an easy credit. He said he was surprised to find that the people he had considered fellow geeks and misfits were in fact some of the most interesting people he knew, individuals who were telling stories about life with an exceptional capacity to understand human behaviour. “I think I simply found my place amongst storytellers,” Ford said, adding that the experience changed his world and his life.
The conversation covered Ford’s path from those difficult college years to becoming one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars, a career spanning more than 50 years during which his films have grossed more than $10 billion worldwide. He is currently starring in the third season of Apple TV’s Shrinking, in which he plays an acerbic psychotherapist battling Parkinson’s disease.
