Harrison Ford has played heroes who fought Nazis, flew through galaxies, and raced against time. But his current role on Apple TV+’s Shrinking hits closer to home. Ford plays Dr. Paul Rhoades, a therapist dealing with Parkinson’s disease. The actor recently opened up about the weight of getting this story right. He calls it a responsibility he takes very seriously, not just for himself but for the millions living with the condition.
At a SAG-AFTRA Foundation event in Los Angeles on April 12, 2026, Ford did not hold back when asked about his preparation. He told the audience that accuracy is everything. He wants people who actually have Parkinson’s to see themselves in his work, not a Hollywood version of it.
“It’s not tough for me, it’s just all there is,” Ford explained. “I mean, it is, how terrible would it be if I didn’t take seriously the responsibility of being accurate about this very devastating disease. So my ambition is to be correct about it.”
This marks a different kind of challenge for the actor known for action blockbusters. Instead of physical stunts, Ford is focused on emotional truth.
Ford Says This Role Changed His Life
Ford admits that playing a character with a degenerative disease has changed him. During a recent panel for the show, he told co-creator Bill Lawrence that he is grateful for the storyline. He explained that it separates his current work from the big budget movies of his past.
“I’m very grateful to you for introducing that complication to the character,” Ford said. “Because that makes the difference between what I’ve done my whole career and the change now that doing this work means in people’s sense of who I am. And I am glad to come to the point where this is who I am, and that was who I was.”
The actor also noted that fans treat him differently now. He feels the shift when he walks down the street.
“This is nurturing for me as an actor,” Ford added. “And I feel the effect. It’s changed the way people relate to me on the street. And that feels like the roundness of a life.”
How Michael J. Fox Helped Ford Get It Right
Ford did not have to figure this out alone. Michael J. Fox, who has lived with Parkinson’s since 1991, joined the cast for Season 3. Fox plays a character named Gerry. Having the Back to the Future star on set gave Ford a direct line to the reality of the illness.
Ford admitted it was intimidating at first.
“It was a bit daunting because I am representing a character that has Parkinson’s, and Michael has the real thing,” Ford said during a press day for Apple TV. “I’ve always felt a real sense of responsibility for getting that part of my story right.”
That fear quickly turned into respect. Ford watched how Fox handles the disease every day.
“Michael is an extraordinary, generous and lovely fellow, who I did not know at all and had a chance to, just working on this show,” Ford explained. “He is such a powerful presence. Such grace and courage and indomitability, and some of that, I hope, will help me color my portrayal of a character with Parkinson’s.”
Fox later told Vanity Fair that Ford’s performance actually brought him to tears.
“What I wasn’t prepared for was how much of his own understanding of the disease he brought to it. I mean, I recognized Parkinson’s in his eyes. The things I was feeling, I recognized in the way he was expressing himself.”
Ford Takes the Diagnosis ‘Deadly F***ing Seriously’
This is not a joke to Ford. In fact, he is famously blunt about how seriously he treats the role. Late last year, at a PaleyLive event, a reporter asked him how seriously he takes the Parkinson’s journey of Dr. Paul Rhoades.
His answer was direct and unfiltered.
“Can I say deadly f—ing seriously?” Ford told PEOPLE magazine.
He explained that the writers never try to make the sickness a punchline. The humor on Shrinking comes from the characters’ personalities, not their pain. Paul Rhoades is a grumpy, sarcastic therapist. He makes jokes because of who he is, not because he is sick.
“There’s no intention to make it into a joke,” Ford said. “But there are people that absorb these kinds of experiences with grace and courage and a little bit of wisdom. And that is not to say that some people do not.”
He added that Paul is a specific type of person. He is equipped to handle the diagnosis with a mix of fear and strength. Ford sees value in sharing that specific experience with the audience.
The Real Story Behind Paul’s Parkinson’s
The show’s creators did not pick Parkinson’s randomly. Co-creator Brett Goldstein revealed that his own father has the disease. That personal connection drives the authenticity of the writing.
Goldstein told Late Night with Seth Meyers that he did not plan to go public with his dad’s condition. But after co-creator Bill Lawrence mentioned it by accident, he had to call his father.
“I called my dad, and I was like, ‘Listen, Dad, Bill said about you having Parkinson’s. I hope that’s not a problem,’” Goldstein recalled.
His father’s response was perfect. He asked if Goldstein was telling people he is Harrison Ford. When Goldstein said yes, his dad replied, “F—ing cool. Go for it. Please, go for it.”
That mix of humor and reality is the DNA of Shrinking.
What to Know About ‘Shrinking’ Season 3 and 4
Shrinking Season 3 premiered on Apple TV+ on January 28, 2026. The season follows Paul as his condition progresses. He tries to balance his career, his relationships, and his own sense of independence.
The show stars Jason Segel as Jimmy, a therapist who breaks the rules to help his patients. Jessica Williams plays Gaby, and Lukita Maxwell plays Alice. The ensemble cast also includes Michael Urie, Christa Miller, and Luke Tennie.
Good news for fans: The show will continue. Bill Lawrence confirmed that Shrinking Season 4 is happening. The writing is already in motion, and filming will start soon. Lawrence promises that the new season will feel different because the characters have grown. But the heart of the show—the found family at the therapy practice—will remain.
Ford is confirmed to return. He called working on the series one of the most pleasurable experiences of his career.
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A Possible Goodbye to Acting
At 83, Ford is thinking about the end of his career. During the Apple TV press day, he hinted that Shrinking could be his final role. He said if everything ended with this show, that would be enough for him.
“Where do you go from here?” Ford asked the audience. “The kind of work that we’re able to do is remarkable given the tools we have to work with and the notion that lies behind this series. And if it was all over here, that would be sufficient.”
He described the show as nurturing. It makes him feel like the work has value.
“This has been a different kind of job for me, and I’ve been doing this for a long time,” Ford said. “This is very special and it really nurtures me and makes me feel like what we’re doing has value and importance. I look for that in my life and I’m happy to have found it here.”
Even with those comments, Ford has not officially retired. He walked back similar statements last year, telling Variety that the film industry needs old people to play old roles.
For now, viewers can watch him every week on Apple TV+ giving one of the most honest performances of his long career.
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