Harrison Ford recalls being told he had 'no future' unless he changed name and got Elvis Presley haircut

LOS ANGELES, CLAIFORNIA: Harrison Ford’s long journey to Hollywood stardom wasn’t always smooth.

Early in his career, the 83-year-old actor was dismissed by industry insiders who failed to see his potential.

Harrison Ford was told to drop his name and get an Elvis Presley-style makeover

In a recent interview with Variety, Harris Ford revealed a moment from the 1960s that could have completely changed his path.

At the time, he was earning $150 a week for a small role in 'Dead Heat' on a Merry-Go-Round while under contract with Columbia Pictures. Expecting a routine feedback session, Ford instead faced a blunt dismissal.

“He wanted me to change my name. He thought that Harrison Ford was too pretentious a name for a young man, and then he asked me to get my hair cut like Elvis Presley,” Ford said during his conversation with Variety. “That I didn’t go along with.”

The studio executive made his opinion clear, telling the young actor he had “no future in the business.” Ford, however, didn’t budge on his identity or image.

“I lasted about a year and a half of a seven-year contract,” he said, reflecting on his decision to walk away from Columbia Pictures not long after the meeting.

Harrison Ford later crossed paths with the same exec who doubted him

Years later, with several blockbuster titles under his belt, Harrison Ford encountered the same executive who had once doubted him.

This time, the interaction came with a hint of regret. “I met him later across a crowded room,” Ford recalled.

“He had sent me a card on which he had written, ‘I missed my guess.’ And I looked around and couldn’t remember which one he was, but then he nodded at me and smiled, and I thought, ‘Oh, yeah, I know you.’”

Despite a brief detour in the 1960s and ’70s—when he worked as a carpenter to support his family—Ford’s Hollywood resume now includes legendary roles such as 'Han Solo,' 'Indiana Jones,' and Rick Deckard in 'Blade Runner.'

He also earned praise for his performances in 'Witness,' 'The Fugitive,' 'Working Girl,' and 'The Age of Adaline.'

Harrison Ford once lost a hospital chef job after cutting off part of his finger

Though now known for his iconic action and drama roles, Harrison Ford’s early jobs were far from glamorous.

On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' in 2024, he shared how he briefly worked as a chef at a hospital, until a mishap cost him the gig. "Until they found out about me and fired me.”

“My first job was, I cooked at a hospital. I don’t know what I told them but they gave me a knife and a bunch of carrots, and I cut this part of my finger off within minutes,” said Ford.

He also recalled working aboard a yacht owned by the youngest bank president in Chicago.

“He had a yacht and a boutonniere and he was a nice guy, but he didn’t know much about cooking,” Ford said.

“But he was heir to the Swift meatpacking factory, so all I had to do was buy really expensive beef.”

Ford’s career took a pivotal turn after he was spotted by George Lucas, who later cast him in 'American Graffiti' and 'Star Wars.' That discovery changed everything.