HrRRt$011IS IT ANY WONDER THAT HARRISON

Ford not onlyisntfrightened of earth-quakes, he's sorely disappointed whenhe misses one? "Really? Last night?"asks the actor incredulously wheninformed that he slept through a 3.3tumbler. "I missed the last big one,too, and ryas really sorry because Iwas here for the one before that andit was fantastic!"

This injection of movie-star bra-vado into the opening moments ofour meeting is stunning in its simple,swift delivery. That it is barely 8 a.m.and Ford, in crisp bluejeans, button-down shirt and wire-rimmed glasses,has already managed to invoke hismythical persona is a testament tohis subconscious marketing sawy.Yet, while itb difficult to forget thatthemanwho sits before us hasplayed,among others, Han Solo, IndianaJones andJack Ryan, there is also thedisquieting reality that Ford - hislove of earthquakes notwithstanding- is 54 years old, a grandfather and,well, maybe a little long in the toothto be playing action heroes forever.

"I think he's aware of that," says'Wolfgang Peterson, the director of

Ford's new action adventure, AirForce One (openingJuly 25), in whichhe plays a U.S. president whose planeis hilacked by foreign terrorists. Peter-son (Das Boot, In the Line of Fire)says the actor pulled offthe gruelingaction sequences with "bull"-like pro-ficiency, but he acknowledges thatwhen he brought up the subject ofFord's age recently, Ford became si-lent. "It's hard to get that out of him,"says Peterson. "He just nods and says,'Yeah, yeah, you're right.' "'Welcome

to the club, Ifolfgang.Famed in journalistic circles for be-ing a tough, if not impossible, inter-view, Ford meets his interrogatorwith all the enthusiasm of someonearranging his own funeral. Dis-armingly direct and humorless, theactor speaks in a low, barely audiblemonotone, doing little to conceal hisdisdain for the process. Which madeit all the more fascinating when, this

spring, the reclusive star was forced toexert some very public damage con-trol after his new movie came underattack - from his own co-star.

Coming off the fizzle of his last fea-ture, the woefully inept remake of Sa-brina, in x995, Ford had more than avested interest in the succeos of TheDeuil's Own,He was justfiably con-cerned when Brad Pitt lashed out atthe film in Nerasuteeh, callingit"irre-sponsible filmmaking," while indus-try wags whispered that the youngerstar's grievances were really with hisleading man's self-serving scriptchanges. Having already endured, forthe first time in 30 years in the busi-ness, smears in the tabloids, Fordcouldn't have been pleased when thepress reported that during the mak-ing of the film, he was boozing untilall hours of the night with a womandecidedly not his wife. (Ford has beenmarried to screenwriter Melissa Mathi-son for 74 yearc and has two youngchildren with her and two grown sonsfrom a previous marriage.) Pitt even-tually renacted his comments. Fordnever addressed the tabloid reports.But the damage had been done. Look-ing like he'd rather be anywhere elsethan in such companS Ford made therounds of the talk shows, includingThe Barbara Wabers Special, TodayandThe Rosie O'Donnell Show (dw-ing which the increasingly anxioushostess pleaded with her guest to singwith her; he didn't).

There will be no singing today,eitheq it quickly becomes apparent, asthe actor sets the tone for the inter-view by refening to the afternoon'spre-scheduled EPKs (electronic presskits) as "electronic pest kits." Morevisible now than ever, thanks to there-release of the Sur Wars trilogy,Ford opens his Brentwood home tothis reporter (he also has homes inNew York and Jackson Hole, Wyo-ming) but still guards his interior lifewith a vengeance.k it strange to haue a cutent uersion ofyourself lin'The Deuil's Oun'l conpet-ing uitlt a 20-year-old uersion fin the

Still plaFng the hero, the star finally elects to be president in'Air Sbrce One'

tsv rOmOOilEILL

U S J U N E 1 9 9 7 7 7

Really? Vhen uas the last time you sau any of $cilylYoumean do Sabrina again?

'Star'Wars' trtlogy] on mouiz screens?Strange enough so that I haven't wanted togo out and see it.

the'Star'Wars' fibns?Um, after they were made.I utas uondeing botu you thought your u.,orkheldup.Uh, I would not, uh, probably have a verygood opinion of myself. That's why I keepmyself from seeing [the films].Hout d,idyou choose afibn like'NrForce One'?When I read it [I thought] it was a high-qual-ity commercial movie...and I haven't done afull-out action-adventure movie in three orfour years, so I was anxious to do it.What are your feelings about tbe big euentmouies of the summer? DoyoutbinkHollywoodis out of control uith its ouer-the-top spending?You know, I don't really pay too much at-tention to the business except in respect tohow I make my choices. I don't really thinkmuch about what other people are doing orgeneral trends or any of the rest of it.You don't read lariety' ?I dont, actually. I dont think it helps me domy job any better to be totally immersed inthe movie business.Are there any summer films you're going to rushout to see?I don't know what's coming out. [But] prob-ably not, 'cause I don't rush out to see any-thing. I'm really not much of a moviegoer.Every once in a while I take my kids to amovie that I think they'd like, but I'm preffy,uh, probably the word is irresponsible.Haue you liked anythingthis past year?I've liked things, and I've liked parts of things.

7 8 U S J U N E 1 9 9 7

I enjoy ed S ling B lad e. Gr eat film.Would you euer retnake a film again, like'Sabrina'?

No, tbat's not uhat I meant. You really don't likedoingthii, doyou?

fShifts uncortfortably] Um, it's not my fa-vorite part.

FORD BEFORE HE TOOK OFF IN 'AMERICAN GRAFFITT

If you could kghten up, ,naybe. Just be yourself,This, unfortunately is myself.I've been doingthis for 25 years, and people have gotten

dribs and drabs of who I am, and there is notthat much more for public consumption.Do you do shous like 'Barbara Walters' and'Rosie O'Donnell' because you enjoy it or be-cause tbere is pressure from -

Nobody pressures me into doinganything. I do what I think is rightfor the film. I do what I think iscorrect to preserve other people'sinvestment in the process, AndcertainlS I'm in the best positionto do promotion of the film.And hopefully people uill read thisand utant to see yet another one ofyowfilms.If so, it won't be - forgive mysaying - from reading this piece.It'lI be because of an overall his-tory of...It will be because theythink there's so mething. . .lw au e shis hand to dismiss wbat he wasgoing to sayl.No, continue, plcase.I was going down a blind alley.What lm trytng to do is ftnd outsomething about an aclor uho's bada p ret| p h enonena I cate er -

All that, without public embar-rassment.

I dontknou if itwas becaaseyouutereuo*inguith Brad Pitt, or iust because you uere on tbestreets of Neu Yor*" but for the firet tfuu, last yea6you u.,ere all ouer the tablaids. How did that feel?Terrible! Terrible! I felt terrible. It was a realviolation and because, also, a great deal ofitwas not true. That hurt a lot.WIry didn't you deny the most hurtful sufftThat's tust another page in the story. So I just

don't do that. I just ignore it.Wbat's the anti.dote to that? Not going out?Yeah.You liue a good part of the year on a ranch inWyoming.I understandyou take care of the en-dangered sp ecies on y o ur prop erty.\7ell, most of the animals are left to do theirown thing. I have worked with eagle expertson fostering orphan birds and radio-collar-ing eagles, things like that, but I'm not Doc-tor Dolittle out there.And you'ue recently taken up flying. Tell me,please, uhat is it about actors andplanes? lohnTruolta flies, Paffick Suayze, Treat'Villiams. Isit just anotber form of escape?Well, it certainly is that, but it's also the devel-opment of a skill completely separate fromwhatever skills are required for the other job.

And it's certainly a responsibility that youassume when you start flying people around.Wat's the farthest distance you'ue floun?New York. I've been back and forth acrossthe country three or four times.Euer alone?No.Not safe?No, it's fine. It's just a question of there'snobody there to admire your landings.tm noticing a theme lContinued on p age 1221

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AS MAN OF THE YEAR AT HARVARD'S HASTY PUDDING BASH IN I996. HARRISON FORD SHOWS HE ALSO HAS A LIGHTER SIDE.

HARRIS|l]I F||RIIC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 7 8

h ere,'Would. you call yourself a perfectionist?I am a reasonable perfectionist.Do you consideryourself an artist?I consider myself a craftsman.Sounds like you'ue bem asked. that qucstion before.Hey I don't know how anybody could thinkof new questions that I'd be willing to answer.OK, ltere's one: Hort come you'ue played onlyheroes after 199O's 'Presumed Innocent'? Willyou euer play a role like the one in that filntagain, orthe kind of dllainsJohnMalkouich hasbeen comering the market on lately?Um, I think John Malkovich does the JohnMalkovich roles really well, and I don'tthink that's my perceived utility.But don't you think you could do it?Yeah, I could do it, but a character who findsnew and interesting ways to kill people isnot as interesting to me as a character whodoes something else.'Vell,

ubat naa gound can you break as an actor?There probably isn't new ground for me.Because you'ue done it all?No, I don't mean that I've done it all, in aprideful sense. But after 25 years, I probablyhave done a variety of things, and I think Ihave a pretty clear idea of where I'm useful.I also feel that I can unhinge a film becauseI'm so well-known. That's a kind of baggageI have before I even show up.Would you be uilling to do an independent fea-tu/e, W, for a lot lcss monqt?If it was presented that way? "\7ould youlike to do an independent picture for a lotIess money and still stay away from yourfamily for the same amount of time and stillhave the same amount of responsibilitiesand the stress?" And I'd say to you, ((How

good is the script? What's the script?" Youknow, "What are you talking about here?"A script called'Sling Blade' ?Well, how interested would the audience bein seeing me do a very strong character part?It's interesting to hear uhat someone of yourstahtre feels he oues to his audience. But as far asyoul expectations of uhat uill please them anduhat uton't please thetn-I don't think of that as a responsibility tothem. I think of that as a responsibility to my-self. I think part of what has led me to acommercially successful career has been acertain wisdom about choosing projects,and choosing movies that people mightwant to see. This is a business, and I'm in thebusiness of making movies.It's ako considered an art form by some people,I don't argue with people who consider it anart fom. I just tell you that from my point ofview, I am clearly an interpretive player.

I 2 2 U S J U N E 1 9 9 7

That's auery bumble sentinent.Not at all. I don't write. I don't direct.I think you'fe capable of quite a bit mote.I just like to fold whatever capacity I haveinto this job. I don't feel that I just roll out ofbed and do it. It's always challenging.You'ue been in the business a long time. Whatlessons haue you leamed?That it finally comes down to pleasing your-self. You really have to figure out what en-gages you. And at the same time, it's just ajob, and you have to provide service and geton with it. Do the job and get on with it. It'sa service occupation.Hardly the kind of uords tbat are going to uinyou any friends at the Acadcmy, '

lHint of a grinl It's all I know. r

Tom O'Neill interuiewed Michael Richardsfor the May issue of 'uS.'

ALICIA SITVERSTO]IEC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 8 2

thought it was just funny," she says. "It didn'ttorture me, because I've been the same weightsince I was, like, 16. And the last thing Iwanted to have happen was [for] young peo-ple to think I'm going to now worry aboutmy weight. Because I'm never going to. Idon't give a s---. I think it's the most absurdthing you can do to a young person." Sil-verstone chuckles at reports thatthe Batmanand Robin production team put her on aweight-loss regimen. "Everyone had to havea trainer," she points out. "Even Arnold

[Schwarzenegger]. And Ee3 not fat."The Batman and Robin set was like a sum-

mer camp for costumed actors. Some post-cards: George Clooney and Chris O'Donnellserenading Silverstone with mock opera; thecrew laughing; Schumacher yelling at every-one to get serious and remember they have amovie opening on June 20. Silverstone ap-proached the role as methodically as shewould a summer job: Get in, wear the heavyrubber suit, act, get the rubber suit off, drivehome to the dogs. "Uma [Thurman, whoplays villainess Poison Ivy] was more likeme," Silverstone says. "Just go do yourwork, get it done."

Signing up for a Batman movie can meanyears of rubber suits, and Silverstone is pre-pared. "Butwho knows?" she says, laughing."If everybody hates me, maybe they'll writeme out of the next movie. They'll say Batgirldied in the first scene." There doesn't seemto be much chance of that. "We had a testscreening in Las Vegas," says Schumacher,"and Alicia was fabulous, one of the truehits of the movie. One of the reasons Iwanted Batgirl in the movie - and Alicia - is

that I looked at our culture. There are noteen-age heroines. This gives the audience ayoung woman who's just as srrong, just assmart and just as heroic as the guys."

Silverstone may be strong and smart, butshe also knows she still has a lot to learn. "Ijust went with my instincts," she says of herleap into producerdom. "But who's ready todo anything? I dont know if I was ready to beborn, you know what I mean? I don't knowif I was ready to go to school. I don't know ifI was ready to cross the street. Everything youdo, you do it instincually and you do it takingrisks." Her production company is namedFirst Kiss Productions, because, she explains,"this is a.completely vulnerable first experi-ence.'Who knows what can happen?"

Silverstone has maintained she wanted tobe an actress without being a celebriry whichis a little like wanting to be a politician with-out campaigning for office. "She doesn't seemto be attracted or influenced by any of thethings a lot of the young people in Holly-wood are interested in," says Schumacher."She doesn't seem interested in sunglassesand autographs." And although the actresshas been romantically linked with stars likeAdam Sandler. she doesn't seem to dateinside the Hollywood community; she's stillgetting used to being famous.

"Just being watched is weird - walkinginto a room and, as shy as I am, being staredat," confesses Silverstone, who socializes asoften with manager and producing partnerCarolyn Kessler and Kessler's husband asshe does with friends her own age. "A lot oftimes I forget. Sometimes I think I havesomething on my face. I go,'rX/hat are theyIooking at? Do I have s--- in my teeth?'Andmy friends will be like,'No, Alicia, it's just. ..'And I go, 'Oh. OK. F---. Now what?' "

For now, Silverstone is poised at the preci-pice of the summer, waiting (with the rest ofus) to find out how she does. "Itt like I con-sider these my college years," she says philo-sophically. "I'm working really hard, andI'm working really stressfully. But I think thatby the time I'm 22,if Iwantto, I can give it allup. And then after that I should probablyconsider a real career. IfI choose acting andproducing to be that career, great. But I havethat time." And with that, Silverstone walksto the parking lot and straps herself into herLand Rover. Then she puts on her blinkerand rolls off into traffic, where she becomesjust another girl who may or may not be astar, a girl who may or may not have some-thing in her teeth. r

Dauid Lipsky wrote about the ffi and deathof 'Ren| composer Jonathan Larson for tbeNovember 1996 issue of 'US.'