Harrison Ford Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Harrison Ford’s net worth and salary?

With a net worth of $300 million, Harrison Ford is well known as an American actor, pilot, aviator, and producer. According to legend, Ford was previously a struggling actor taking up carpentry to support himself when he landed the role that would catapult him into stardom. While crafting cabinets for George Lucas, he was invited to audition alongside other actors for a new film titled “Star Wars.” His audition was so impressive that he was ultimately cast as Han Solo, marking the beginning of his remarkable career.

Following his success in “Star Wars,” Ford starred in the hugely popular “Indiana Jones” series, in addition to a number of both commercially and critically acclaimed stand-alone films like “Blade Runner,” “Witness,” “The Devil’s Own,” “The Fugitive,” and “What Lies Beneath.” He also portrayed Jack Ryan in “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” Although his career saw a downturn in the late 90s and early 2000s, he has made a significant comeback in recent years, featuring in hit films like “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” “Cowboys & Aliens,” “The Expendables 3,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Blade Runner 2049,” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” In 2023, he returned to his iconic role as Indiana Jones in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” Notably, three of Ford’s films are listed among the top five highest-grossing movies of all time.

Early Life

Harrison Ford was born on July 13, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois. He pursued a degree in philosophy at Ripon College in Wisconsin. To overcome his long-standing shyness, Ford chose to enroll in a drama class during the final quarter of his senior year, quickly becoming captivated by acting. After graduation, he remained in Wisconsin, participating in several local theater productions. In 1964, he made the journey to Los Angeles to audition for a radio voice-over position. Though he did not secure that job, he opted to stay in Los Angeles.

Ultimately, he was accepted into a newly established talent program at Columbia Pictures, earning $150 per week. From 1966 to 1973, he managed to secure a handful of minor and often uncredited roles.

To support his family, which included a wife and two young sons, he took up carpentry work. By fortuitous circumstance, he did some carpentry for both George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola. Through Coppola’s influence, Ford caught the attention of producer Fred Roos (known for producing The Godfather). Roos arranged an audition for Ford for Lucas’s upcoming project, American Graffiti (also co-produced by Coppola). Ford won the role and delivered a memorable performance as Bob Falfa. American Graffiti would go on to become one of the highest-grossing films of all time, amassing over $140 million from a budget of merely $770,000. This success enabled Lucas to secure funding from Fox to commence production on a long-anticipated space epic.

Ford also appeared in small but noteworthy roles in Coppola’s 1974 film The Conversation and the 1979 release Apocalypse Now. However, it was George Lucas’ space epic that truly established Harrison Ford as a global superstar. That film, as you might have guessed, was the 1977 blockbuster Star Wars.

Star Wars

Initially, Lucas brought Harrison on board to read alongside other actors during the casting process, ultimately deciding to cast him as Han Solo. After making $500 weekly for American Graffiti, Harrison’s earnings from Star Wars reached $10,000, which is approximately equivalent to $42,000 when adjusted for inflation.

Star Wars Earnings

For the 1980 sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, Harrison received $100,000, and for the 1983 film, The Return of the Jedi, he earned $500,000. Together, these salaries are valued at around $1.6 million today when adjusted for inflation.

Fast forward a few decades, and for 2015’s The Force Awakens, Harrison earned a base salary of $15 million to reprise his iconic role as Han Solo. Additionally, he received a small percentage of the box office gross, bringing his total earnings from the film to $25 million.

Indiana Jones

In addition to Han Solo, Ford is also cherished for his role as Indiana Jones. His first appearance as Indiana took place in 1981 with Raiders of the Lost Ark. This was followed by the second film, Temple of Doom, released in 1984, and the third, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which debuted in 1989. While specific details about Harrison’s earnings for the first three Indiana Jones films are scarce, it is known that he received an impressive paycheck for returning to the role in 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. During the prior eight years, he had only participated in four films, opting for a semi-retirement lifestyle. He made a comeback to the franchise with 2023’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Payday

To coax Harrison out of retirement, the studio Paramount Pictures was willing to offer a highly lucrative profit-sharing agreement once production and advertising costs were recouped. The profits were effectively split evenly among the studio, Harrison, and executive producers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

When all was settled, Harrison, George, and Steven each took home $65 million from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, marking it as the 12th-largest acting salary in history to date.

Other Notable Salaries

During the early to mid-1990s, Harrison’s earnings consistently ranged from $10 to $12 million per film. To illustrate, he received $9 million for the 1992 film Patriot Games and $10 million for 1994’s sequel, Clear and Present Danger. His salary soared to $20 million in 1997 for The Devil’s Own. Furthermore, he earned $20 million for films such as Air Force One, Six Days Seven Nights, Random Hearts, and What Lies Beneath. Notably, for the 2002 film K-19: The Widowmaker, Harrison earned $25 million along with 20% of the gross. Reports indicate that Ford received $25 million for his role in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” after accepting a $40 million pay cut to reprise his iconic character one last time.

Personal Life

From 1964 to 1979, Harrison was married to Mary Marquardt, and together they had two sons, one of whom is restaurateur Benjamin Ford. In 1983, he wed Melissa Mathison, the screenwriter for E.T., and they welcomed two children before divorcing in 2004, a separation that involved a settlement estimated between $90-100 million, marking one of the most expensive celebrity divorces in history.

In 2010, Harrison married actress Calista Flockhart. Their relationship began in 2002 after they met at the Golden Globe Awards, and they are parents to her adopted son, Liam.

Real Estate

In 1983, Harrison acquired a spacious property in Brentwood, Los Angeles for $1 million. He sold this gated estate, situated on a 3/4-acre lot, for $8.2 million in 2012. In 2011, he and Calista invested $12.6 million in another Brentwood residence, which has since served as their primary home in LA. Current property records indicate that he possesses at least three additional properties in Los Angeles, which are relatively modest and serve as investments or are occupied by family members.

In 2001, Harrison purchased a penthouse in New York City’s Flatiron District for $5.3 million. He put the property on the market in 2010 for $16 million but eventually removed it from sale. The penthouse spans 5,500 square feet, comprising four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. It boasts an elevator, 11 rooms, a state-of-the-art kitchen and security system, a gym, an office, and a library, with floors made of anigre wood and poured concrete, all fitted with radiant heat. Topping the penthouse is a 2,300-square-foot private rooftop terrace, featuring a wet bar and offering views of Manhattan and the Hudson River.

Ford also owns an 800-acre ranch in Wyoming along the Snake River near Jackson, where he has donated half of the land to serve as a nature reserve.

Private Planes

Harrison is known for his passion for aviation and piloting. The term “notorious” is fitting, given that he has experienced several incidents throughout the years, including a crash landing on an LA golf course and another perilous landing.

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Located on the takeoff runway in Orange County, Harrison possesses as many as ten planes alongside a helicopter. The highlight of his collection is a 2009 Cessna 680, which was originally purchased for $18 million. He stores his planes and helicopter at Santa Monica airport, approximately a 10-minute drive from his home in Brentwood. Utilizing an Uber service, he can reach the airport, board his plane, and arrive in Wyoming in under 20 minutes. It is a known fact that he frequently engages in this practice!

While in Wyoming, he offers his helicopter for emergency rescues, including fires. In 2000, he responded to a distress call from a hiker who had collapsed due to dehydration. Clad in a cowboy hat and a t-shirt, the stranded hiker and his companion were unaware until later that their rescuer was a celebrity.