At the age of 83, Harrison Ford remains one of the most prolific actors of his generation, currently Emmy-nominated for his work in the Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking.

He broke through almost 50 years ago, thanks to his turn as Han Solo in the Star Warsfranchise in 1977, but it took him over 35 years to get there, training as a carpenter in his 20s to support his family.

But acting was where he felt at home. “I was a poor student,” he once told Parade. “I read the beginning of the description, which said we’d read and discuss plays, and I thought that was fine. I didn’t read the end, where it said you had to be in plays, so that was a bit of a surprise. 

“I was a bit of a loner, and this was the first group of people that I felt I was comfortable with — and they were all, you know, the usual geeks and misfits and oddballs that make up the acting community.”

Star Wars salary

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Harrison allegedly only made about $10,000 ($52,000 in today’s figures) for his role as Han Solo in the first Star Wars movie. He was an unknown actor, and the studio was unsure that the film would be a hit. Of course, it went on to spawn two immediate sequels, and a further six follow-ups, as well as numerous spin-offs.

Harrison did not return for the prequel films with Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor, but in 2015, it was reported that he earned a total of $25 million to appear in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. 

Disney later denied the claims, and sources told Variety that his paycheck was closer to $15 million. However, Harrison was the highest-paid actor on set, largely thanks to Disney’s “legacy pay scale,” which the studio created to encourage Harrison, Carrie Ann Fisher and Mark Hamill to return as their original characters.

Han was killed off in the film, but Disney bosses wanted him back once again for The Rise of Skywalker, which Harrison famously did not want to do. 

His pay has never been confirmed, but his outspoken concerns would have seen him command a significant payday once again.

Indiana Jones and the 8-figure salary

In 1980, during the success of the first Star Wars film, Harrison was tapped to star in George Lucas’ first Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, for which Harrison earned a total $5.9 million.

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He made $4.5 million and $4.9 million for the franchise’s next two films, but when he was asked to return in 2007, he scored a huge $65 million check.

Sci-fi success

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In the early 1980s, Harrison also starred in Blade Runner, which at the time was a box office flop; it made $14 million against a budget of $28 million although reports allege Harrison’s salary was around $1.65 million.

Thirty years later, he happily returned to the world of Deckard, with director Ridley Scott sharing that Harrison called the script “the best thing I’ve ever read,” and he once joked that he was paid “bags of money” for the sequel.

World of television

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Harrison then made the rare decision to join the world of television in 2022 when he signed on to star alongside Dame Helen Mirren in the Yellowstone spin-off 1923. The actor was paid an astounding $1 million per episode for season one, according to Variety. He reprised the role for a second season, appearing in 15 episodes in total.

He joined Jason Segal in the Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking in 2023, and has never revealed his salary, but told Vanity Fair that the joy comes from getting to “imagine [with] people that have great skill and experience.

Net worth 

Combined, it is believed that Harrison is now worth over $300 million.