Indiana Jones is timeless. He’s one of the most beloved film characters of all time, and he’s connected with multiple generations in a way that few characters ever will. That being said, the actor who plays him is not. Harrison Ford may be in better shape than most of us, but he ages just like we do, and he was already a father of two by the time he landed the role of Indy.
Indiana Jones has a surprisingly complicated timeline, with prequels and flashback scenes that take place between the original sequels. That being said, we’re going to bypass the fictional chronology and focus on real-life dates. We’re here to determine how old Ford (not Indy!) was in each film.
Harrison Ford’s age throughout the Indiana Jones movies, explained
Ford was 38 years old when he appeared in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). He had been acting since he was 24, but the first leg of his career was riddled with bad parts and even worse films. It wasn’t until Star Wars (1977) put him on the map that things began to change. Raiders solidified him as an A-list talent, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Ford was 41 during the production of Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom (1984). He was in the best shape of his career due to multiple scenes involving a shirtless Indy, but he also suffered a back injury that required emergency surgery. Despite being told he needed months to recuperate, Ford returned to the set after only six weeks to complete the film. It went on to be the second-highest-grossing release of the year.
Ford’s age has a comical wrinkle in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). He was 46 years old during filming, which makes sense until you consider the fact that Sean Connery, the actor playing his father, was only 58! It’s a testament to the charisma of both Ford and Connery that they’re able to convincingly play father and son despite their minuscule age gap. (Ford also made a cameo in “Mystery of the Blues,” an episode of the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. He was 50 years old at the time, though his beard makes him look a bit older.)
Speaking of gaps, it would be nearly two decades before we saw another Indy film. Ford was 65 years old by the time he returned for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). Despite being at retirement age, the actor did many of his own stunts and proved that he could still navigate an action film with the best of them. The quality of Crystal Skull is debatable, but Ford’s commitment is not.
The same can be said for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. The reviews for the film were not kind, but nearly every critic has pointed out that Ford can still deliver the goods at 80 years old. Dial of Destiny will mark the last time the actor dons the hat and whip, and we’re pleased to see that he went out on his own terms.