Harrison Ford has spoken candidly about battling severe depression during his college years, revealing that he became deeply withdrawn and rarely left his room.
In an appearance on Awards Chatter, a podcast by The Hollywood Reporter, the Star Wars actor recalled spending long stretches alone while attending Ripon College.
Ford described a repetitive and isolating routine, saying he would get out of bed only to order food before returning to lie down again. Reflecting on that period, he admitted his condition went beyond ordinary sadness, explaining that he was not only depressed but also struggling socially and psychologically.
He said he found it difficult to connect with others and never felt a sense of community at the time. However, things began to shift when he signed up for a drama class, initially to boost his grades. There, he discovered a group of like-minded individuals and began to feel a sense of belonging. Ford noted that people he once saw as outsiders turned out to be some of the most interesting individuals he had met, marking a turning point in his life.
Although he was studying philosophy, Ford was expelled just days before graduation after admitting to plagiarism in his final thesis. Despite that setback, he went on to become one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, starring in major franchises such as Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and credits his success to a combination of opportunity, persistence, and luck.
