Harrison Ford may be a Hollywood legend, but even he needs a little motivation to take on a new project, and apparently, Jason Segel’s full-frontal scene in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” did the trick. In a new interview with Variety, Segel revealed that before signing on to star alongside him in the Apple TV+ comedy-drama “Shrinking,” Ford watched a couple of his films to get a sense of who he’d be working with, including the 2008 rom-com, where Segel memorably bares it all.
“He didn’t know anything about me,” Segel said. “They sent him ‘The End of the Tour’ and ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’.” But it wasn’t the emotional performances that sealed the deal. It was the full-frontal moment. “[Producer] Bill Lawrence got a text that said, ‘I’m in. And tell the kid, great d-ck,’” Segel recalled with a laugh. Seth Rogen, who was also part of the joint interview, chimed in with the perfect response, “Even if he was out, that would be great. I would take that.” Ford, who plays therapist Dr. Paul Rhoades in the series opposite Segel’s grieving counselor Jimmy Laird, has joked about Segel’s now-iconic scene before, and clearly hasn’t forgotten it.
Naturally, the internet had thoughts. “Looking at Jason’s shoe size and I have no doubt Harrison is correct,” one commenter wrote in the comments section of Page Six‘s report. Another quipped, “Clearly Ford is hiding his true feelings!!!!” while someone else joked, “Harrison is telling on himself.”
Harrison Ford Says Shrinking Helped Him Discover What He’s ‘Always Wanted’ Acting to Be
“Shrinking” premiered in 2023 to critical acclaim, with both Ford and Segel praised for their emotional range and comedic chemistry. “This mixture of comedy and pathos and really emotional stuff, it gives you a sense of responsibility for the things you’re communicating and how you’re communicating,” Ford said of the show. “I think that that shows up on screen, and it shows up in the work these people do every day and how they do it. I had never done anything like this before and it was like suddenly recognizing what I’ve always wanted [acting] to be.”
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford’s chemistry on “Shrinking” isn’t just great acting. It’s rooted in real life. In an October 2024 interview with Hoda Kotb on “Today,” Segel revealed that his relationship with the Hollywood icon offscreen closely resembles their dynamic on the Apple TV+ series. “I desperately want his approval,” Segel joked. “And he doles it out in such small doses, and it just means the world to me. Every time he says ‘good job, kid,’ I’m like, ‘he likes me!’”
The “How I Met Your Mother” alum also admitted he was initially nervous when Ford officially joined the cast. “Oh my God, Harrison Ford’s gonna show up! We better fix the script!” he quipped, recalling the panic that set in as soon as the “Indiana Jones” star signed on. Despite the nerves, Segel’s admiration for Ford is clear, and it’s that real-life respect and comedic timing that makes their on-screen connection so believable.
