Harrison Ford turns 81 years old in 2023, and he’s a living legend at this point. He has not one but several iconic roles and characters that are household names in the history of pop culture and cinema. You might know him best as Han Solo, while others might recognise him as Indiana Jones, and perhaps even as Rick Deckard or Jack Ryan.

The list goes on, which is to be expected for a veteran actor like Harrison Ford who has been acting since 1967’s A Time For Killing when he was just 25 years old. That’s over a whopping five decades’ worth of acting experience. I’m sure everyone has their favourite Harrison Ford movie or role, but check out my picks below. In the meantime, check out my spoiler-free review of Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny here. I also received the opportunity to speak with Harrison Ford in a recent interview, where he spoke about why the Indiana Jones franchise appeals to many generations and how Steven Spielberg was still involved in the making of the latest movie.

In the meantime, check out my review of Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny here, or check out my interview with the legendary Harrison Ford himself.

Bob Falfa in American Graffiti (1973)

American Graffiti wasn’t Harrison Ford’s first acting role but it was definitely his breakout role. It’s the one that would eventually lead to his later more iconic roles. His role as the cowboy hat-wearing Bob Falfa in American Graffiti was his first time working with George Lucas, and as they usually say, the rest is history.

Han Solo in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope (1977)

If you ask a random person on the street who Harrison Ford is, they will likely answer with one name more than any others; Han Solo. Despite how Harrison Ford himself may feel about the Star Wars franchise as a whole (he infamously wanted to be killed off in the first movie, but of course, that never happened), there’s no denying the impact that Harrison Ford’s role as the scruffy-looking nerf herder has on pop culture and cinematic history as a whole.

It’s part of the reason why 2018’s Solo A Star Wars Story flopped; no one but Harrison Ford can truly be Han Solo.

Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

The only other most common answer to who Harrison Ford is best known for (besides Han Solo) is most assuredly Indiana Jones. Perhaps the reason why Harrison Ford himself loves the role of Indiana Jones so much that he’s willing to return to it when he’s pushing 80 years old is because it remains his most iconic lead role. Han Solo may arguably be more famous but he’s still just a supporting character in Star Wars, while Indiana Jones is the dashing lead.

The sense of classic adventure and action in the original trilogy of Indiana Jones movies (including 1984’s The Temple Of Doom and 1989’s The Last Crusade) is still unrivalled to this day, and there is no way any modern sequel, such as 2008’s The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull or 2023’s Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, could ever surpass them. And it will probably stay that way forever.

Rick Deckard in Blade Runner (1982)

The third most iconic but much lesser-known and more niche role of Harrison Ford was as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner. His role as Deckard was much more complex in comparison to Han Solo and Indiana Jones, sparking a lot of heated debate, such as whether Deckard was a Replicant or not (a synthetic/artificial human). Unlike Star Wars or Indiana Jones, Blade Runner is not for everyone, but for those who appreciate thought-provoking science fiction with stylish neo-noir cyberpunk aesthetics,

Jack Ryan in Patriot Games (1992)

Jack Ryan is one of the most iconic characters created by the late author, Tom Clancy. The second person to ever play the live-action portrayal of the character was Harrison Ford in 1992’s Patriot Games and 1994’s Clear And Present Danger. Harrison Ford is also the only person to have played Jack Ryan in two movies.

President James Marshall in Air Force One (1997)

Another one of his most popular movies was Air Force One. It had a simple premise; Harrison Ford being a badass President kicking the butt of terrorists who hijacked his place.

Of course, it later turns out that this wouldn’t be Harrison Ford’s last time as a badass President…

Potential Honourable Mention: Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross in Captain America Brave New World (2024)

Yes, Captain America Brave New World has not premiered at the time of writing, but from the looks of it, it has the potential of becoming one of Harrison Ford’s most iconic movies.

Harrison Ford’s most iconic roles are often associated with big franchise IPs like Star Wars and Indiana Jones and to a lesser extent, Blade Runner and Tom Clancy. So, when an actor of his calibre decided to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), an endeavour looked down upon and condescended by some movie directors and actors, it just goes to show that perhaps there’s more to this role than meets the eye. Especially if Harrison Ford thinks it’s worth taking it on even at his current age.

Plus, this will mark the second time that Harrison Ford will be playing a badass President, and who doesn’t want to see that?