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Tag: Harrison Ford

  • Harrison Ford To New Han Solo Actor: “Don’t Do It”

    Harrison Ford may have hung up his hat as Han Solo after The Force Awakens, but the origin story has yet to be told.

    In May of 2018 the Han Solo movie will be released and auditions for the young Han Solo are underway.

    On Tuesday’s episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show, Harrison Ford was asked if he had any advice for those young men auditioning for Han Solo, to which he replied, “Don’t do it.”

    Harrison Ford joked that job security in Hollywood isn’t what it used to be.

    He said, “First, it seems like everything’s going swimmingly. And then you spend 25, 30 years and they just let you go. They show you the door. ‘We’re done with you. Thanks very much.’”

    Harrison Ford was referring to Han Solo’s offing in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a fact which he celebrated on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday.

    “I argued for 30 years for this to happen and I finally wore them down,” Ford said, revealing that he had been pestering George Lucas to kill off Solo since Return of the Jedi.

    Oh, and also Harrison Ford was making the rounds to confirm that he is coming back for another Indiana Jones movie.

    Actor #HarrisonFord recently guest starred on Jimmy Kimmel Live yesterday. While on the talk show, Ford discussed the newly announced fifth #IndianaJones feature on Kimmel where he expressed his excitement for the upcoming installment. Ford stated, “The opportunity to work with Steven [Spielberg] again on this character which has brought pleasure to so many… Not to mention me. It’s fun, it’s great fun to play this character. It’s great fun to work with Steven, I’m looking forward to it.” Harrison Ford also appeared on Ellen where she brought up the upcoming Young Han Solo movie, and asked if he had any advice for the young actor who eventually lands the role. He simply replied, “Don’t do it.” | INDIANA JONES 5 Arrives in Theaters on July 19, 2019. | HAN SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY Arrives in Theaters May 2018.

    A photo posted by Reel Film News (@reel_film_news) on

    He said on Kimmel, “I’m excited about this. The opportunity to work with Steven [Spielberg] again on this character which has brought pleasure to so many, not to mention me. It’s great fun to play this character.”

    How exciting!

    Are you excited to see Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones again?

  • Harrison Ford Might Appear In Future Star Wars Films?

    Harrison Ford Might Appear In Future Star Wars Films?

    Harrison Ford has hinted that he just might appear in future Star Wars films.

    The 73-year-old actor who played Han Solo in several Star Wars films, stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday as he continues to make the press rounds for the Blu-Ray release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, due April 5.

    “I think it’s quite clear that I’ve got nothing better to do,” Ford told Kimmel about his visit to the show.

    Ford shared that the death of Han Solo in the movie was something he’d been urging for a long time.

    “I argued for 30 years for this to happen and I finally wore them down,” Ford said.

    In fact, the actor wanted the character to get killed off back when he and George Lucas were making Return of the Jedi.

    Kimmel noted that the Solo death came as a complete surprise because it wasn’t spoiled before the release of The Force Awakens.

    “I think they knew that I would show up at their house and beat the s— out of them,” he said.

    When Kimmel lamented that the world would no longer see Ford as Han Solo in the future Star Wars movies, Ford made an interesting comment.

    “Who said that?” Ford replied. “Who made you the boss?”

    OK, perhaps that’s not exactly confirmation, but it gets the blood pumping.

    Ford also talked about the news that he’ll reprise his role as Indiana Jones. He and director Steven Spielberg are set for a fifth film slated to come out in 2019.

    “I’m excited about this,” Ford said. “The opportunity to work with Steven again on this character which has brought pleasure to so many, not to mention me — it’s great fun to play this character.”

  • “Star Wars” Fans: Is Han Solo Really Dead?

    “Star Wars” Fans: Is Han Solo Really Dead?

    Star Wars plot twists are just the best and Harrison Ford may have fueled a Star Wars theory that I’ve been working on myself.

    I was skeptical that Han Solo really died in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and I don’t think I’m the only one. I mean, general movie plot rules usually say if you don’t see the death occur, no fate is certain.

    Of course, I just couldn’t believe they would actually kill off Han Solo, a deeply loved foundational character. But, Harrison Ford said on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Monday that he thinks Han’s death was a long time coming.

    Ford said of the Star Wars shocker, “I argued for 30 years for this to happen and I finally wore them down,” and revealed that he has been pushing for Han’s death since Return of the Jedi.

    Whaaaat?!

    #ThrowbackThursday – Han's so cold. #StarWars

    A photo posted by Star Wars (@starwars) on

    The best part came when Kimmel lamented the fact that we wouldn’t be seeing Ford as Han Solo in future Star Wars episodes.

    Harrison Ford replied, “Who said that? Who made you the boss?”

    Then, when asked directly, stone silence.

    Ok, not exactly confirmation, but this info could be labeled a hint. And, a hint that builds up my Star Wars theory, no less.

    I say Han lives.

    It doesn’t get much better than a serious Star Wars hint from Harrison Ford unless it’s Harrison Ford confirming another portrayal of Indiana Jones.

    Harrison Ford Is Looking Forward To Playing Indiana Jones Again *LINK IN BIO* #IndianaJones

    A photo posted by Heroic Hollywood (@heroichollywood) on

    When asked about it, he said, “I’m excited about this. The opportunity to work with Steven [Spielberg] again on this character which has brought pleasure to so many, not to mention me. It’s great fun to play this character.”

    Yay!

    Do you have an idea about where Star Wars will go from here?

  • Harrison Ford to Star in Fifth “Indiana Jones” Movie, Due Out in 2019

    Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg are back as a dynamic actor and director duo for the fifth Indiana Jones movie due out in 2019.

    Disney announced the exciting news on Tuesday.

    Harrison Ford’s return to the Star Wars franchise in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens, reprising his role as Han Solo, was a huge help with the film’s bottom line. It also rendered him the highest grossing actor in U.S. box office history. Disney–owner of the Star Wars franchise, in addition to that of Indiana Jones–hopes Harrison Ford has the same affect on the 2019 film.

    It’s been 38 years since Harrison Ford starred in the first of the Indiana Jones films–Raiders of the Lost Ark. He will be 77 when the as yet untitled film hits theaters.

    It’s too soon to tell whether or not Shia LaBeouf will reprise his role as Indiana Jones’s son. He debuted the role in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Shia LaBeouf has been rather busy of late, wearing paper bags on his head and riding up and down in a London elevator.

    Are you an Indiana Jones fan? If so, you’re likely thrilled to learn that a fifth film is in the works, and that it stars Harrison Ford.

    Harrison Ford needs to stay as far away from airplanes as possible. He was seriously injured when a plane he was piloting crashed near L.A. in August of 2014. His World War II-era plane stopped working midair, causing him to do his best to bring it safely to the ground.

    Fans surely don’t want to see their favorite actor flying any antique plans as they await a 2019 movie release.

    Maybe wife Calista Flockhart can keep Harrison Ford grounded for a while?

  • Harrison Ford Was ‘Rangy’ And ‘Languid,’ Says Alec Guinness In 1977 Letter

    Harrison Ford may be one of the most respected actors in Hollywood today, but there was a time when he was a virtual unknown in the film industry.

    Late actor Alec Guinness proved that when he referred to Ford, then aged 35, as a “rangy” and “languid” actor who is “probably intelligent and amusing” in a written correspondence that dates way back in 1977.

    Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor Oscar Isaac read the letter in Letters Live, an event in London that celebrates the “power of literary correspondence.”

    However, Isaac, 37, joked to the audience that he would not dare attempt an impression of Guinness while reading his letter to a friend, Anne Kauffman, during the filming of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

    In the letter, Guinness said that everyone on the set was treating him like he was 106, although he did point out that he could not say that he was enjoying the film.

    “New rubbish dialogue reaches me every other day on wadges of pink paper, and none of it makes my character clear or even bearable,” said Guinness, who was 62 when he filmed A New Hope.

    It was apparent in the letter that Ford, 73, was then an unknown in Hollywood, whose name Guinness even failed to remember right away.

    “I must go off to studio and work with a dwarf (very sweet, – and he has to wash in a bidet) and your fellow countrymen Mark Hamill and Tennyson (that can’t be right) Ford – Ellison,” said the Obi-Wan Kenobi actor of Harrison Ford.

    Aside from Issac, Shakespeare actor Benedict Cumberbatch also made an appearance on Letters Live and read a letter from Mark Twain addressed to a poet, Walt Whitman, while his co-star Louise Brealey read letters written by two sweethearts who were separated during World War II.

  • Idris Elba: Why Double Nominee Was Ordered to Skip Sunday’s Golden Globes

    Idris Elba received two nominations for tonight’s Golden Globes, but he has been ordered to skip the event.

    Why?

    “On doctor’s orders [he] can not get on a plane to attend the Golden Globes,” a rep for Idris Elba tells Entertainment Tonight.

    The actor, nominated for Best Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series for his role in Luther, as well as for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for Beasts of No Nation, hurt his back and his doctor won’t allow him to travel.

    Fans of Idris Elba can at the very least look forward to his appearance at the Screen Actors Guild Awards at the end of the month.

    Harrison Ford is filling in for Elba, who was also on tap to serve as one of the evening’s presenters.

    BREAKING! EXCLUSIVE! Harrison Ford will be presenting at tonight's #GoldenGlobes

    A photo posted by Golden Globes (@goldenglobes) on

    Fans will no doubt miss Idris Elba at the Golden Globes. Do you expect he will win either of the categories for which he is nominated?

  • John Boyega, Daisy Ridley: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Cast Members Walk Red Carpet in Shanghai, China for Film Premiere

    John Boyega and his costar Daisy Ridley walked the red carpet in Shanghai, China on Sunday for the Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiere. Director J.J. Abrams joined the actors.

    Looking dashing in his maroon suit with satin lapels, John Boyega plays the role of Finn in the new Star Wars film. The handsome 23-year-old no doubt loved walking the red carpet alongside his beautiful costar Daisy Ridley, who wore a deep purple Jason Wu sleeveless gown. Ridley, who plays the role of Rey in the new film, accented her look with Meira T jewelry and a Tyler Alexandra clutch. She paired her gown with sexy Jimmy Choo shoes.

    Both John Boyega and Daisy Ridley posed on the red carpet with a new Star Wars icon, a roly-poly droid called BB-8, as well as the classic robot R2-D2.

    Star Wars: The Force Awakens, starring Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, and more boasts the biggest Christmas film opening ever, and in the days after Christmas has officially hit the $1 billion mark.

    Have you checked out the new Star Wars film yet? What do you think of some of the new characters, including those played by John Boyega and Daisy Ridley?

  • Mark Hamill Angry For ‘Star Wars’ Fans Duped By Those Selling Fake Autographs

    Mark Hamill is angry that there are those out there duping fans by selling items with fake “Mark Hamill” autographs.

    In an attempt to help his fans, the Star Wars: The Force Awakens star took to Twitter Sunday night to help fans figure out whether the autograph in their possession is real or fake.

    Hamill, 64, suggested that fans post a photo of their merchandise and he said he would tell them if the signature was legit or not legit.

    “I’m so sorry there’s so many fans spending their hard-earned money for fraudulent signatures,” Hamill said in a tweet.

    Throughout the years, there have been some pieces that Mark Hamill did sign so he wanted to help his fans learn how to spot a fake autograph.

    Hamill reprised his iconic role as Luke Skywalker for the latest, record-breaking installment of the epic space adventure.

    As of Sunday, J.J. Abrams’ installment soared past $1 billion globally faster than any film in history. The movie which reunited Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher in their iconic roles had the biggest Christmas weekend ever at the North American box office with $153.5 million for an early domestic haul of $544.6 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

  • Kylo Ren–Character Explained by Adam Driver, Actor Who Portrays Him

    Kylo Ren is a character in the new film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. During a recent interview with the L.A. Times, the actor who plays Kylo Ren–Adam Driver–talks about the character in depth.

    One of the first things Driver was asked about is Kylo Ren’s mask. Did he have any say in its creation?

    “I think they had a lot already figured out,” Adam Driver said. “Then I had some input on [the mask] once I got there. But it was mostly suggestions such as, ‘Oh, I can’t move,’ or ‘I can’t see.’”

    They talked next about the void in Kylo Ren’s mask where once there were eyes.

    “The eyes were a thing that J.J. [Abrams, the film’s director] and I talked about early. I thought what was so great about the [Darth] Vader mask was how you projected your emotions onto him, and you could see his eyes. I was kind of nervous that in being fully cloaked, you have to really rely on the power of thought, and that it’s powerful enough that it will get through being concealed. Then J.J. actually took out the eyes out of the mask, to make it a void, which I thought was really interesting,” Driver said.

    The costume Adam Driver wears as Kylo Ren in the film wasn’t comfortable to wear throughout what no doubt became many takes.

    “The costume–even putting it on at first–was very uncomfortable and tight. But there was something about someone who decides to completely hide themselves that I felt was kind of interesting, and maybe that’s hopefully worked its way into the movie,” Driver said.

    As the interview proceeded, Adam Driver was eventually asked that question that every bona fide Star Wars fan likely wants to know. What was it like for him to work with some tried and true Star Wars icons like Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher? Was that intimidating?

    “I didn’t find them to be people who would say, “Let me sit you down and tell you what your experience is going to be on this.” They gave you space and let you find this on your own, very humble and very generous,” he said.

    What’s your take on Kylo Ren? Is he the new character that Star Wars fans will discuss for years to come–the way the older films put Darth Vader on the hot seat? What similarities do you think Kylo Ren and Darth Vader share?

  • Harrison Ford Noncommittal Over Future of Han Solo, Excited About Reconnecting With Chewbacca

    Harrison Ford is Han Solo. He will forever be loved for the Star Wars character that has appeared in every one of the franchise’s films, and appears in the latest–Star Wars: The Force Awakens. During a recent interview with Digital Spy, however, the actor–who survived a plane crash earlier in 2015–seemed rather noncommittal over the future of his character.

    It was at the London premiere of The Force Awakens that Harrison Ford was asked if fans can expect to see more of Han Solo in future films.

    “You can expect anything you want,” he replied. “We’ll see.”

    Harrison Ford was over the moon excited about reuniting with his fellow cast mate Peter Mayhew, who plays the role of Chewbacca.

    “I was delighted. We had a great time working together and it was great to see him again,” Ford said.

    Whether Harrison Ford signs on or not, Lucasfilm and Disney are reportedly already developing a Star Wars prequel that will center on the early years of Han Solo.

    “He’ll definitely be probably in the high teens, low 20s,” Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said. “We’re not introducing you to a 10-year-old Han Solo.”

    Harrison Ford was just 35 when he first played Han Solo. He is now 73.

    How might a prequel be filmed? Would someone else play the younger Han Solo? Could Harrison Ford even be a part of this prequel if he wanted to?

  • John Boyega–Finn in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Recalls Taking Harrison Ford Out to Dinner

    John Boyega plays the role of Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. During a recent interview the London-born actor recalls taking Harrison Ford out for dinner–for Nigerian food.

    It was a little over a year ago, but the way John Boyega relives the scenario, one can almost picture Harrison Ford there.

    The Nigerian restaurant is located beneath a block of flats in London. It doesn’t sound like it’s a particularly fancy place.

    “I took him to a Nigerian restaurant in south east London, he walked up into that place like he was Nigerian,” John Boyega explains.

    “He does walk too slow into restaurants. Harrison, you just have to walk in and go straight to the table, that’s the thing.

    “You don’t have to (at this point, John Boyega impersonates the 73-year-old) ‘look around and see who’s here, and do they notice I’m Harrison Ford?’”

    “You don’t always have to take the cheque Harrison. We know you’re rich, we know you’ve got nine planes, but let me pay for it sometimes!”

    “Literally, we just had Nigerian food,” Boyega continued.

    “People always said ‘when you meet Harrison, he’s casual, he’s laid back’. And he’s all those things, he is, but at the same time, he knows who he is.

    “He knows that he’s Indiana Jones, he knows that he’s Han Solo, so that’s why when we walked into an environment where people didn’t expect him there he walks in slow motion. So they can take it in,” John Boyega concluded.

    The restaurant owner recently dished about John Boyega bringing Harrison Ford in for dinner.

    “Someone came out the back to see me and was like ‘Harrison Ford’s here’ and I didn’t believe it,” he told The Guardian.

    “Staff were asking each other, are we absolutely sure that’s him?’”

    “You just would never expect it so it took a few minutes to work out if it was really him. Seeing someone out of context, it’s hard for it to sink in, you know,” the owner added.

    The next time John Boyega goes to dine on Nigerian food, restaurant staff and patrons will likely be starstruck over his presence, in light of his role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

  • Harrison Ford Thinks He Knows Why Fans Relate to “Star Wars,” Is He Right?

    Harrison Ford dished about the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as well as his role as Han Solo in a recent interview with Fox411. The actor, who survived a plane crash earlier this year, claims to know why fans have related to the Star Wars films throughout all these years.

    “Segments of the audience were able to find a character in the story overall that they could relate to,” he said. “Girls related to Princess Leia, young men related to Luke Skywalker.”

    When asked if fans could relate to his character, Harrison Ford was a bit skeptical.

    “Han Solo represents a distant point of view about things, a little separation from the belief system, The Force,” he said.

    It was almost 30 years ago when Harrison Ford first worked with Stars Wars: The Force Awakens director, JJ Abrams.

    “I’ve always admired JJ’s work,” he said. “We worked together 25 or 28 years ago on a movie called Regarding Henry that he wrote, one of the first things he had written.”

    His comfort with the director is one of the main reasons Harrison Ford signed on to star in this latest Star Wars film.

    “Before JJ and I talked, I had read the script and I saw what the blueprint for the whole enterprise was,” Ford said. “I thought the opportunities for the characters were interesting. I love how it was knitted into the story overall.”

    Do you think Harrison Ford hit the nail on its proverbial head regarding the reason fans relate to all the Star Wars films?

    Will you be checking out Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens when it opens in theaters nationwide on Friday?

  • Blake Lively, Jason Priestly: Who Knew They Had A Past?

    Blake Lively shared a #TBT photo on Thursday that showed the world she had a past–with Beverly Hills, 90210 heart throb Jason Priestly. Who knew?

    In the shot–shared on Instagram–Blake Lively has her arms wrapped tightly around Priestly’s neck.

    “#tbt to when Serena Van Der Woodsen and Brandon Walsh were a thing. (Shh don’t tell @robynlively ???)” she captioned it.

    A photo posted by Blake Lively (@blakelively) on

    As you can see from the #TBT photo, Blake Lively–who is married to actor Ryan Reynolds–was just a little girl when this picture was taken. Her older half-sister, Robyn Lively, dated Jason Priestly for a while way back when, and that’s where the shot originated.

    Blake Lively’s initial claim to fame came in the role of Serena Van Der Woodsen on the hit CW show Gossip Girl. She received accolades more recently for her role in the film The Age of Adaline, in which she starred opposite Harrison Ford.

    You must admit Blake Lively and Jason Priestly look awfully cute together. Do you suppose big sister Robyn had any qualms about sharing her boyfriend with her little sister?

  • Harrison Ford May Have Revealed A Major Detail In Upcoming ‘Star Wars’ Film

    Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo in the first three Star Wars films, recently answered some questions in a Q&A session on Twitter.

    When asked by a Twitter user what his favorite action scene of the upcoming film is, Ford said that he loves a particular scene where two main characters engage in a duel.

    “The sword fight with Rey and Kilo Ren. Fantastic visual storytelling. – Harrison Ford ‪#TwitterAwakens”

    This just confirms that there will be a light saber duel between main protagonist Rey, to be played by Daisy Ridley (The Inbetweeners 2), and Kylo Ren, who will be played by Adam Driver (This is Where I Leave You). However, it seems like the “reveal” may not be too surprising at all, considering that people are already assuming Rey will become a Jedi during the film’s climax. And because Kylo Ren wants to destroy the Resistance as well as the last Jedi, it is just fitting that they engage in battle.

    In addition, the film’s Twitter team also chose not to delete Ford’s answer, which could mean that it may not be that important of a scene after all.

    Aside from Ford, other stars also took part in the Q&A, which was hosted by the film’s Twitter team. Some of the actors who also responded to questions from Star Wars fans include Daisy Ridley, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac.

    Star Wars: The Force Awakens, will be the seventh film in the Star Wars franchise, but only the first after Lucasfilm was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 2012.

    The movie is set about 30 years after the events of the Return of the Jedi, where the Rebel Alliance and the Empire are now referred to as the Resistance and the First Order, respectively.

  • Melissa Mathison, “E.T.” Screenwriter, Dead At 65

    Melissa Mathison, most famous for writing the screenplay for one of the most iconic movies ever made, E.T., died on Wednesday from neuroendocrine cancer.

    Melissa Mathison was only 65, but the footprint she left in Hollywood was beyond her years.

    Only in her early 30’s, Melissa Mathison got her big break when she wrote the screenplay for E.T., which earned her an Oscar nomination.

    However, that wasn’t even Melissa Mathison’s beginning. She was a student at UC Berkeley when she left that life for show business. She had been offered a role in crafting The Godfather: Part II as Francis Ford Coppola’s assistant.

    From there, Melissa Mathison went on to mold one of Hollywood’s best eras, helping with Apocalypse Now and writing the script for The Black Stallion.

    Working on Apocalyps Now Melissa Mathison met Harrison Ford, whom would later become her husband. They divorced in 2004 but is was Ford, along with Steven Spielberg, who convinced her to write the screenplay for E.T. while they were filming Raiders of the Lost Ark.

    Spielberg spoke highly of Melissa Mathison after hearing of her passing. He said, “Melissa had a heart that shined with generosity and love and burned as bright as the heart she gave E.T.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukxMLvDyaNA

    Melissa Mathison also had the privilege of collaborating with Kathleen Kennedy.

    Kennedy said of her friend, “Melissa was a remarkable friend not only to me but to everyone who had the privilege to know her. She was fiercely intelligent, confident, soulful, strong and had a smile that would light up a room. I will miss her terribly.”

    Melissa Mathison will surely remain an icon in Hollywood history. Do you remember seeing E.T. for the first time?

  • Melissa Mathison, “E.T.” Screenwriter, Dies at 65

    Melissa Mathison, best known for writing the screenplay E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, died on Wednesday at the age of 65. Mathison was the ex-wife of actor Harrison Ford.

    Melinda Mathison Johnson confirmed her sister’s passing of neuroendocrine cancer.

    Melissa Mathison got her start in Hollywood as an assistant on films including The Godfather: Part II and Apocalypse Now. Her first feature script was The Black Stallion that made it onto the big screen in 1979.

    Steven Spielberg, who directed E.T., issued a statement regarding Melissa Mathison’s passing.

    “Melissa had a heart that shined with generosity and love and burned as bright as the heart she gave E.T.,” he said.

    Married to Harrison Ford for 21 years before their divorce in 2004, Melissa Mathison shared two children with the actor.

    Mathison’s most recent work hasn’t hit theaters yet. She worked with Steven Spielberg to bring Roald Dahl’s The BFG to the silver screen. It comes out in 2016.

    Melissa Mathison earned just one Oscar nomination in her lifetime–for E.T. She lost out to Ghandi.

    The film world has lost a great talent in the passing of Melissa Mathison.

  • Melissa Mathison, Former Wife of Harrison Ford and ‘E.T.’ Screenwriter, Dies at 65

    Melissa Mathison, the former wife of Harrison Ford and the screenwriter of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, has died at the age of 65.

    According to the Associated Press, Mathison was known for her family friendly films, which also includes The Black Stallion.

    Mathison died Wednesday at her Los Angeles home after a bout with neuroendocrine cancer, confirmed her sister, Melinda Mathison Johnson.

    “Mathison’s stories were rich with symbolism, adventure, depth, and darkness. With their intricate plots and grown up themes of loneliness and loss, her films enchanted a generation of kids, and their parents,” said Lindsey Bahr, for her AP article on Mathison.

    E.T. has remains a classic film and continues to charm children of all ages.

    “Melissa had a heart that shined with generosity and love and burned as bright as the heart she gave E.T.,” Steven Spielberg said in a statement.

    Mathison’s first credited work was in assistant roles on The Godfather: Part IIApocalypse Now.” Her break out project was 1979 classic, The Black Stallion, which was directed by Carol Ballard.

    Mathison met Harrison Ford on the set of Apocalypse Now in 1976, and the couple married in 1983. They remained married until 2004 and had two children, Georgia and Malcolm.

    According to the Los Angeles Times, Mathison often collaborated with producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall under their Amblin Entertainment banner and worked with directors like Frank Oz on The Indian in the Cupboard and Martin Scorsese.

    Mathison left her lasting legacy with E.T., which became the highest grossing film of all time. According to the Associated Press, Spielberg and her then-boyfriend Harrison Ford reportedly convinced Mathison to write the screenplay on a 207 mile-drive through the Tunisian desert during the shoot for Raiders of the Lost Ark.

    Mathison was honored with her first and only Oscar nomination for E.T. but lost out to John Briley’s Gandhi screenplay.

    Melissa Mathison’s last credited work is on Spielberg’s big screen adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel The BFG, which comes out next year.

  • Calista Flockhart Talks Husband Harrison Ford’s Plane Crash

    Calista Flockhart has finally broken her silence on her husband Harrison Ford’s plane crash. Ford was seriously injured back in March when his single-engine plane crashed on the grounds of the Penmar Golf Course, not far from the Santa Monica Airport.

    Flockhart admitted the near-fatal accident was “a really hard, scary time for our family.”

    “I think it just makes you realize, once again, that life can turn on a dime. We just have to appreciate every second we’re here, because you never know,” she adds.

    Calista Flockhart says Harrison Ford is doing really well these days and that despite the injuries sustained in the plane crash, he has no plans to give up his passion for flying.

    “You know, he loves it, so I love it and I support him 100% in that,” she said. “[But] I don’t fly, I’m the passenger in the plane.”

    Harrison Ford, known for his roles in The Fugitive, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars, broke both his ankle and his pelvis in the crash. He underwent surgery for his broken pelvis.

    Just three months after the accident, Ford was spotted flying again.

    If you were Calista Flockhart, would you be after your husband to quit flying for good?

    Calista Flockhart stayed by Harrison Ford’s side in the hospital for two weeks straight following his plane crash. She left only to bring their son to school.

  • Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence in Film to Go to Jane Fonda

    The Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence in Film is slated to go to Jane Fonda this year.

    The award is part of the Santa Barbara Film Festival and will be presented to Fonda at a black-tie gala dinner at Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara on Oct. 3.

    Jane Fonda is an obvious choice for the Kirk Douglas Award. She won two Best Actress Oscars for her work in Klute and Coming Home. Her current work includes Grace and Frankie on Netflix and the upcoming Fox Searchlight’s Youth, directed by Paolo Sorrentino.

    Since 2006, the Kirk Douglas Award has been handed to a lifelong contributor to cinema through their, whether it be in front or behind the camera. Past honorees include Jessica Lange, Forest Whitaker, Robert DeNiro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris and John Travolta.

    “Jane Fonda obviously has the right genes. Her acting performances set a standard that’s hard to follow,” Kirk Douglas, the award’s original recipient said in a statement issued by the festival.

    The gala supports educational and community programs hosted by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which will take place from Feb. 3 through Feb. 13.

  • Harrison Ford Makes First Public Appearance Since Plane Crash at Comic-Con

    Harrison Ford made his first public appearance since his March plane crash on Friday evening when he surprised fans by showing up at Comic-Con in San Diego.

    More than six thousand fans filled the convention hall. They broke into screams and applause and gave Harrison Ford a standing ovation when he showed up–seemingly out of nowhere and joined the Friday evening panel.

    Ford joked with the panel moderator when he asked about the condition of his foot.

    “I’m fine, I walked here,” Harrison Ford said. “How bad can it be?”

    Harrison Ford crashed his small plane on a golf course near L.A., sustaining serious injuries. Wife Calista Flockhart barely left his side during several weeks of hospitalization.

    Ford joined his cast mates answering questions about the upcoming Star Wars sequel–due out in 2017. The actor is reprising his role as Han Solo.

    He was asked how he felt about the reprisal.

    “It should’ve felt ridiculous,” Ford said. “[The first movie] was 30 years ago, and I sort of grew up. And yet here I was doing something I did so long ago and I will tell you that it felt great.”

    “I wasn’t so sure it would be but the company was the right company, the director was the right director. Larry [Kasdan] wrote us a wonderful story and I was proud and grateful to once again be involved. The original Star Wars that I was a part of really was the beginning of my working life and I was very, very grateful for the opportunity that I had in that film and for the success of that film. It was great to be back,” he added.

    Harrison Ford said he didn’t expect this reprisal to necessarily be a great thing–but then he read the script.

    “I was very grateful when I read the script because I read something that I thought was really remarkable, really well written and with some very intriguing developments,” he said.

    Harrison Ford joined director J.J. Abrams, stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, as well as two more surprise guests–Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher–during Comic-Con on Friday. He didn’t take the stage until the last ten minutes of the presentation.

    What a ten minutes that was, however, for Harrison Ford and Han Solo fans.