Harrison Ford is an actor who has worked with some of the biggest celebrities, directors, and actors. His stance in Hollywood is that of an iconic actor with franchise after franchise filled with roles that help him stand out. Nicolas Winding Refn has also done some brilliant movies that have boosted his career, including Drive with Ryan Gosling.
Out of the many actors Refn has collaborated with, one opportunity slipped from his hands before he realized just how important it really was. Not only would he have grabbed a chance to work with Harrison Ford, but he would also have done something many wouldn’t even dare to do in Hollywood.
Harrison Ford Said No To A Key Idea Of Nicolas Winding Refn
One project that Nicolas Winding Refn was hoping to continue on was The Dying of the Light. Unfortunately, the movie was quickly dropped because of one actor not agreeing with the script. Refn was more than eager to pitch the script to Harrison Ford and he had planned just how it would go, gripping an idea of the execution for the film.
“It was a wonderful, wonderful script about a C.I.A. agent who goes on an existentialistic journey and dies at the end. And I thought, ‘If I could do a movie where Harrison Ford dies, I would contribute to society.’ So I was really into making this film.”
The idea in particular that did not sit well with Ford was how his character would ultimately die in the end. The Drive director could not convince him otherwise and soon the idea was dropped. The foundation of the movie had been the unique concept of killing Ford on-screen, something that had never been done before.
Nicolas Winding Refn Was Blinded By Harrison Ford’s Refusal
Nicolas Winding Refn added to how he completely ditched the idea when Harrison Ford refused his idea instead of finding another way around the script. Although the script was rather interesting, the thought of changing it somewhere to meet both their needs did not occur to him at all.
“It’s like, ‘Fucking hell. Okay, then there’s no movie, Harrison.’ Well, he’d been thinking about it and ‘Wasn’t there another way?’ and back and forth. And I thought, ‘Oh God dammit.’ So I was so angry at myself for buying into the illusion of Hollywood and of course, nothing ever happens.”
He was angry at both himself and Ford for not being able to see the wonderful ideas in front of them. Although it is something he regretted greatly, there is nothing Refn could have done about it. The idea had long died and no amount of back and forth could have helped in reviving it.
Source: IndieWire
