Harrison Ford has reflected on one of the most memorable and inappropriate fan encounters of his career. The 'Star Wars' star recently participated in a roundtable discussion with Glen Powell, Riz Ahmed, Owen Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Zach Braff, where the subject of fan interactions naturally arose. Given the combined star power at the table, it was almost inevitable that the stories shared would be both candid and entertaining.
Inappropriate Fan Encounter
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ford was asked about the strangest thing a fan had ever said to him, and he answered without hesitation. 'My mother wants to sleep with you, loudly announced in an airport,' he recalled a fan saying to him.
Roundtable Reaction
The comment immediately drew laughter from the group, and Powell quickly interjected with a joke, pretending to take responsibility for the remark himself. 'I didn't mean it, by the way. It was the first time I was meeting you,' he said. Ford played along without missing a beat, replying, 'I know. And your mom didn't mean it, either.' The exchange set the tone for a conversation that was as much about the absurdity of fame as it was about the actors' careers.
Harrison Ford's View on Fans
Later in the conversation, Ford revealed that he genuinely cannot tell the difference between fans of 'Shrinking', 'Indiana Jones', and 'Star Wars' when they approach him on the street. Curious about this, Ahmed asked whether 'Star Wars' fans in particular tend to stand out, often carrying large posters in the hope of getting them signed. Ford was unambiguous in his response. 'Those are not fans. Those are autograph sellers 100 percent of the time,' he said.
The 83-year-old actor went on to explain his broader philosophy when it comes to interactions with members of the public. 'When people come up to me, I'm not trying to figure out what they're coming for. I just know that they're likely to be a customer, and I'm in a service occupation. We sell stories,' he said. The remark reflects a pragmatic, almost businesslike approach that Ford has held onto for years, one that separates him somewhat from the more sentimental ways many celebrities tend to talk about their audiences.
Why Harrison Ford Prefers Calling Fans 'Customers'
This is far from the first time Ford has used the term 'customers' to describe the people who follow his work. Appearing at the 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' panel at San Diego Comic Con in July 2015, Ford explained his reasoning behind the choice of words, according to BuzzFeed. 'In my mind, I convert fans, and let's be careful about how we take this word, into customers, because I know full well that those are the people that are supporting my life and supporting the film industry and the kind of movies that I like to make,' he said at the time. He added that he is 'very gratified to have them as customers.'
Ford also drew on his own background in service industries to explain the perspective further. 'I grew up working in stores, working in the stationery store, working in the flower shop, working as a waiter, working in various capacities, and I have respect for my customers. So that's maybe a distinction that's not immediately apparent to people,' he said.
Across both interviews, a consistent picture emerges of an actor who, despite decades in the spotlight, has chosen to frame his relationship with the public in remarkably grounded, almost everyday terms, treating his celebrity not as something mystical, but as a job with its own form of mutual respect.
