“Your girlfriend turned me down”: Steven Spielberg Used Harrison Ford to Convince His Ex-Wife for $792M Movie After She Rejected Legendary Director

Harrison Ford impressed the global audience with his roles in the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises which eventually made him an American cultural icon. However, his action-star persona as the adventurous guy kickstarted when he collaborated with Steven Spielberg in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark which became the foundation of the popular franchise.

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But, do you know that the duo has worked outside of the adventurous world but not as an actor? The latter actually used the former to convince his ex-wife, Melissa Mathison to work with him for another movie that came out in 1982.

Harrison Ford’s Ex-Wife Refused to Work With Director, Steven Spielberg

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Harrison Ford was married for the second time to late screenwriter, Melissa Mathison in 1983. However, their relationship ended in 2000 with the duo finalizing their divorce in 2004.

Last year, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the former’s old pal, Steven Spielberg revealed how E.T.’s iconic screenplay came into existence.

He mentioned,

“I pretty much had worked out most of the story and I needed a writer to write with me or, hopefully, write it based on the story.”

His eyes eventually went for Ford’s then-girlfriend Mathison to get her aid in that project after getting impressed by her screenplay for The Black Stallion. He approached her with the same intention but the late screenwriter initially didn’t think likewise.

He explained that he was straight-on rejected,

“She said, ‘Well, I’m retired from writing. I don’t write anymore. I’m not interested in writing anymore, it’s too hard.'”

After she turned him down, he didn’t lose hope and tried a different strategy to convince her of his project. Around the time, he was associated with the Indy actor on their first installment of the Indiana Jones franchise, Raiders of the Lost Ark. He knew what to do next!

Steven Spielberg Asked Harrison Ford to Convince His Then-Beau, Melissa Mathison

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Spielberg turned to his Indiana Jones actor and explained the entire situation. The Star Wars actor decided to take things in his hand and his charm totally worked!

“I went to Harrison and said, ‘Your girlfriend turned me down. She doesn’t want to write my next movie.’ He said, ‘Well, let me talk to her.’”

The director recalled Mathison approaching him the next day and eventually agreed to give it all for the 1982 film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. 

“He talked to her and she came to me the next day and said, ‘OK you got Harrison so excited about this. What is it that I missed?’ I think I hadn’t told her the story very well because I told her the story again and she got really emotional and she committed right there in the Tunisian desert.”

The film was a major hit grossing over $797 million worldwide meanwhile the duo’s efforts were appreciated and even earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter