Harrison Ford could have double Emmys breakthrough for ‘Shrinking’ and ‘1923’

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Daria Kakhnovskaia
·4 min read

Indiana Jones, Han Solo, Jack Ryan, and Rick Deckard – beloved Hollywood icon Harrison Ford goes by many names and deserves every bit of admiration that comes his way. The 80-year-old actor has dominated blockbuster franchises while also demonstrating masterful performances in acclaimed films like “Witness,” “The Mosquito Coast,” “The Fugitive,” and “Sabrina,” to name a few. So what’s left to conquer? TV — a task that Ford is actively and successfully pursuing with the new Paramount+ Western drama “1923” and the Apple TV+ comedy series “Shrinking.” Both projects give plenty of room for this big star to shine bright enough to earn his first (and possibly second) Emmy nomination in 2023.

“Shrinking,” created by Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, and Jason Segel, explores grief and the complexity of human life through humor. Ford plays a ‌senior psychiatrist named Paul who works at the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Center along with his colleagues Gaby (Jessica Williams) and Jimmy (Segel). His character is grumpy, straightforward, and masterfully deadpan. Although Paul initially tends to shield himself from unnecessary social interactions, he cannot help but share wisdom with the people he genuinely loves. The character also suffers from Parkinson’s disease, but tries not to let it define who he is.

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SEE ‘Shrinking’ renewed for Season 2 ahead of its March 24 finale

According to our combined Emmy odds, Ford ranks seventh in the Best Comedy Supporting Actor race. Ahead of him are six actors who were all nominated in the same category last year, which makes Ford the most likely newcomer to snag a bid from the TV academy. ‌Among Ford’s opponents are ‌”Abbott Elementary” star Tyler William James, reigning two-time champion Brett Goldstein (who also happens to be the “Shrinking” co-creator and writer) and Goldstein’s “Ted Lasso” co-star Nick Mohammed. The list continues with “Barry” stars Henry Winkler (who won in 2018) and Anthony Carrigan, along with 2019 winner Tony Shalhoub (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”).

Ford’s other 2023 Emmys-eligible TV project, “1923,” is by no means less promising. The Paramount+ drama serves as a “Yellowstone” prequel and “1883” sequel, where the Hollywood veteran portrays the leader of the Dutton ranch, Jacob. Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren plays Jacob’s wife Cara. Based on our current odds, Ford is within striking distance of a Best Drama Actor nomination. His powerful performance (along with Mirren’s) has been cited by various critics as the highlight of the new Western series that covers pivotal historical events like Prohibition and the Great Depression.

SEE ‘1923’ reviews: Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren are ‘potent pairing’ of ‘badassery’

The ‌Drama Actor race seems to be quite tight in the front. “Succession” stars Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong (who won in 2020) occupy first and third place, respectively, with Bob Odenkirk wedged between them for the final season of “Better Call Saul.” The actors are followed by an ‌industry veteran Jeff Bridges (“The Old Man”) and fantasy drama newcomers Pedro Pascal (“The Last of Us”), Paddy Considine (“House of the Dragon”) and Diego Luna (“Andor”). Emmy winner Matthew Rhys (Best Drama Actor, “The Americans” in 2018) ranks eighth, just ahead of Ford, for the second season of “Perry Mason.”

If all goes well for Ford, he could become the second-ever actor to receive a Best Drama Actor and Best Supporting Comedy Actor Emmy nomination in the same year. The first to pull that off was Sterling K. Brown in 2020 when he was nominated for “This is Us” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” With these two nominations, Ford would also join the continuing line of Emmy first-timers nominated for multiple performances.

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