Director Ridley Scott recently looked back at the casting of 1982’s Blade Runner and revealed why he thought Harrison Ford was destined for stardom. Despite others questioning his choice, Scott saw something special in the actor who had already made a name for himself as Han Solo in Star Wars.
In a retrospective video interview with GQ magazine, Scott discussed how he cast Ford in the lead role of Deckard, a Blade Runner tasked with hunting down rogue Replicants. At the time, Ford’s star power was still growing, and Scott had to convince his financiers that he was the right man for the job.
“I remember my financiers saying, ‘Who the fuck is Harrison Ford?’ And I said, ‘You’re going to find out,'” Scott recalled. “So Harry became my leading man.”
Ford’s iconic performance in Blade Runner ultimately helped cement his status as a Hollywood A-lister. The film has since become a sci-fi classic, spawning sequels and TV shows.
In the GQ video interview, Scott also discussed how he adapted the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? into a feature film. He worked closely with writer Hampton Fancher to develop his vision for a new world and expanded on the original story, resulting in a groundbreaking film that has become a staple of popular culture.
Ford reprised his role as Deckard in 2017’s Blade Runner 2049, further solidifying his legacy as one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ridley-scott-blade-runner-financiers-didnt-know-harrison-ford-1236110276