Fresh Air: "Best Of: Harrison Ford / Novelist Francis Spufford"

Date: March 21, 2026
Produced by: WHYY, NPR
Host(s): Terry Gross, Sam Briger
Guests: Harrison Ford (actor), Francis Spufford (novelist)
Special Feature: David Bianculli reviews "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man"

Episode Overview

This Fresh Air "Best Of" episode features two in-depth interviews: one with legendary actor Harrison Ford, reflecting on his ongoing career, his role as a therapist with Parkinson’s in Apple TV’s "Shrinking," and his iconic film legacy; and the other with acclaimed British novelist Francis Spufford, discussing his new book "Nonesuch," which blends WWII drama, time travel, and alternate worlds. The show also includes a review by David Bianculli of the "Peaky Blinders" film sequel.

Harrison Ford Interview

Host: Terry Gross
Segment Start: [03:24]

Main Topics

• Ford’s Continued Acting in His 80s
• Role in "Shrinking" as Paul, a Therapist with Parkinson’s
• Attitude Toward Acting and Age
• Physicality and Portraying Illness
• On-Set Injuries and Action Roles
• Iconic Movie Moments and Improvisation
• Star Wars Casting Origin Story
• Reflections on Privacy and Memoir

1. Playing Paul in "Shrinking" – Navigating Aging and Parkinson’s

• Ford describes Paul, his character, as a capable yet emotionally reserved therapist with Parkinson’s.
• Connection to the uncertainty of the disease and ongoing character development:

  “So, like a true Parkinson’s patient, I don’t really know what’s coming.”
  (Harrison Ford, [00:54], [10:30])

• He appreciates the opportunity to play his actual age, resisting Hollywood’s age-disguising trends:

  “I’m happy to be the age I am, and I have no impulse to hide it.”
  (Harrison Ford, [08:00])

2. Acting, Identity, and Fulfillment

• Ford relates to Paul's line, “I love my job more than anything, and I don't know who I am without it.”

  “Without my work, I really wouldn't know what to do with myself… I really do love the work.”
  (Harrison Ford, [06:53])

• The constant change and challenge in acting keeps him engaged:

  “It just makes for an interesting way to live your life.”
  (Harrison Ford, [07:25])

3. Portraying Illness Through Physicality

• Discusses transitioning from action-heavy roles ("Dial of Destiny") to portraying physical compromise due to illness in "Shrinking":

  “It starts with the head of the character… the Parkinson’s or the various symptoms do help characterize Paul.”
  (Harrison Ford, [08:57])

• Explains how the writers gradually introduce symptoms, mirroring real Parkinson’s unpredictability.

4. Collaboration and Humor

• Ford is known for ad-libbing and contributing to scripts:

  “It’s a collaborative atmosphere, and I feel free to bring up any idea I have.”
  (Harrison Ford, [12:28])

• Iconic “I know” line in Star Wars was improvised—discusses the reaction from George Lucas and film audiences ([12:52]).

5. Intensity and Risk in Physical Roles

• Acknowledges his long list of on-set injuries but takes pride in performing stunts:

  “I want the audience to be with the character through the activity. …If I'm doing [the stunt], it's… not a stunt.”
  (Harrison Ford, [17:33], [17:41])

6. The Origin of Han Solo

• Ford recounts being a carpenter for Francis Ford Coppola’s art director between acting gigs, then being pulled in to "read" lines for others auditioning for Star Wars before unexpectedly being cast:

  “I was never told that I was ever to be considered. …In the second group, the character of Han Solo would have been played by Chris Walken.”
  (Harrison Ford, [19:39], [22:09])

7. On Memoir and Privacy

• Refuses to write a memoir, citing discomfort with oversharing:

  “I didn't want to tell the truth, but I don't want to lie.”
  (Harrison Ford, [25:49])

• Expresses a desire for privacy and self-protection:

  “I just don't think it's anybody's business anyway.”
  (Harrison Ford, [26:12])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Aging in Hollywood:

  "Sometimes [de-aging] works... But I'm happy to be the age I am, and I have no impulse to hide it."
  (Harrison Ford, [08:00])

• On Iconic Lines:

  “Princess Leia tells me that she loves me, and I say, 'I know,' instead of 'I love you too.' The impulse was to be more in character.”
  (Harrison Ford, [12:52])

• On Pain and Injury:

  “It sounds like I’m accident prone. …I gave at the office, let’s put it that way.”
  (Harrison Ford, [16:52], [17:13])

Memorable Scene Excerpts (from "Shrinking")

[Dialogue between Ford as Paul, Jason Segel as Jimmy, and others illustrating the show's mix of humor and drama.]

David Bianculli Reviews "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man"

Segment Start: [27:34]

• Cillian Murphy returns as Tommy Shelby in this movie-length sequel, set during WWII.
• Drama picks up with Tommy isolated after personal losses, called back to Birmingham by his sister (Sophie Rundle).
• The plot revolves around his estranged son becoming entangled with British Nazi sympathizers.
• Bianculli praises Steven Knight’s blending of history and fiction, and the return of strong ensemble cast members.

Notable Quotes

“You can watch the Immortal Man all by itself, but if you’re uninitiated... you shouldn’t. All six seasons... are available on Netflix, and there are only six episodes per season. Peaky Blinders is addictive, easy to consume, and impossible to forget.”
(David Bianculli, [32:23]-[32:58])

Francis Spufford Interview

Host: Sam Briger
Segment Start: [33:30]

Main Topics

• Spufford’s new novel “Nonesuch”
• Blitz as British Myth & Historical Backdrop
• Fantasy Elements, Narnia Influences, and Feminism
• Time Traveling Fascists: Social/Historical Resonance
• Real-life Inspiration Behind Protagonist
• Personal History, Sibling Loss, and the Power of Storytelling

1. The Legacy of the Blitz in British Identity

• Spufford discusses the mythic “Blitz Spirit” and how it shapes national consciousness, despite being historically oversimplified:

  “It comes in a heavily mythicized form... a kind of rather misleading image of total social consensus.”
  (Francis Spufford, [35:53])

2. Fantasy and Literary Influences

• “Nonesuch” is a deliberate homage and challenge to C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, particularly how women’s desires are treated.
• Heroine Iris is "strongly in favor of nylons, lipsticks, and invitations" ([36:58]):

  “I knew that I wanted to write a fantasy... with a protagonist finding her way into wonder, somebody who was really strongly in favor of nylons, lipsticks, and invitations."
  (Francis Spufford, [38:04])

3. Real Evil, Time Travel, and the Threat of Fascism

• Addresses both literal and metaphorical time-traveling fascists and the uncomfortable truths about Britain’s own flirtation with fascism in the 1930s–40s:

  “There was a distinct kind of vein of pro-fascist sentiment in the British upper classes...”
  (Francis Spufford, [39:02])

4. Historical Parallels to Present Day

• The rise of authoritarianism today echoes the dangers faced then:

  “There should be something really sobering about what a close thing it was... just the right balance of opinion in Britain to just push it over to... fight fascism.”
  (Francis Spufford, [40:54])

5. Protagonist Iris and Family Inspiration

• Iris is inspired by Spufford’s grandmother—a woman with “an adventurous disposition.”
• Recalls a revealing moment in his grandmother’s 90s, hinting at her nonconformist past:

  “I always preferred going out with married men because they always spent so much more money on you.”
  (Francis Spufford recounting his grandmother, [44:01])

6. Writing Female Characters with Integrity

• Spufford is conscious of the challenges of writing from a female perspective:

  “The way to cross the distance between me and someone like Iris is to really commit to her viewpoint... She is always the subject, the person who is looking at the world."
  (Francis Spufford, [44:27])

7. Personal Loss and the Uses of Literature

• Opens up about growing up with a very ill sister, his immersion in books as coping, and feelings of survivor’s guilt:

  “I spent my childhood feeling I needed to reassure [my parents] that I was fine, which was emotionally laborious in itself.”
  (Francis Spufford, [46:02]) “I write to try and find concrete and fully felt ways to give pity a place to live and endure.”
  (Francis Spufford, [50:20])

Key Timestamps

• [03:24] Harrison Ford interview begins
• [06:53] Ford reflects on work and identity
• [08:00] On playing his own age and de-aging technology
• [10:30] Mirroring real Parkinson’s unpredictability in character portrayal
• [12:52] On improvising “I know” in Star Wars
• [17:41] On performing his own stunts and their narrative value
• [19:39] Star Wars casting story
• [25:49] Memoir, Elton John conversation, and privacy
• [27:34] “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man” review
• [33:30] Francis Spufford interview begins
• [35:53] The mythic “Blitz Spirit”
• [38:04] Protagonist’s love for “nylons, lipsticks, and invitations”
• [40:54] WWII’s political “close call” and relevance today
• [44:01] Anecdote about Spufford’s grandmother’s adventurous side
• [50:20] On writing as a way to “give pity a place to live”

[Conclusion & Takeaways]

• Harrison Ford reveals vulnerabilities, humor, and wisdom after decades at the top of his profession, embracing age and challenge both on and off screen.
• Francis Spufford crafts historical fiction that melds myth, politics, feminism, and personal memory—themes that resonate powerfully in today’s social climate.
• David Bianculli’s review highlights the richness and depth of the "Peaky Blinders" universe, affirming the series' addictive appeal.

This episode is a moving, thoughtful, and sometimes funny exploration of legacy, identity, resilience, and the stories—on screen and in books—that sustain us.