Harrison Ford on Parenting Liam: 'It's Not My First Rodeo'

Kevin Winter/Getty

In a new interview with the Independent, actor Harrison Ford says that the 34-year age difference between his oldest and youngest child is a parenting asset, rather than a liability.

“My older children have taught me a lot,” he reveals. “My first child was born when I was 25; I reckon I’m a little better at it now.” When the interviewer suggests that at the age of 67, he might experience difficulty in keeping up with son Liam, 9, Harrison disagreed.

“I’ve got five kids in total, so it’s not my first rodeo. Yeah, obviously, I’m getting older but I don’t relate to it very much. It doesn’t interest me as something to dwell on. I have a 9-year-old kid at home. I feel like the father of a 9-year-old.”

At the same time, Harrison can’t ignore that he already has three grandchildren — one of whom is twice as old as Liam.

“I have those obligations and that’s my life,” he concedes. “[But] I don’t think so much about how old I am.”

Harrison is dad to Benjamin, 43, and Willard, 41, with ex-wife Mary Marquardt; With ex-wife Melissa Mathison, he is dad to Malcolm, 23, and Georgia, 20. Liam is his son with fiancée Calista Flockhart.

Source: Independent

Comments

Has Harrison ever formally adopted Liam? I understand he’s certainly his father in all ways that matter, but has he ever made it official?

- Tess on February 23rd, 2010

i’m glad he doesn’t think about his age. the mind is very powerful and if he were to dwell on his age, he’d definitely FEEL his age. he’s still a hottie. *drool*

- lover on February 23rd, 2010

I want Harrison Ford as my dad.

I think it is great, but I wonder if he officially adopted Liam.

- Brooke on February 23rd, 2010

I was wondering that too. Is Liam his legal son? I do think that’s a little weird that his youngest is half the age of one of his grandchildren. But hey, if he can still keep up with a nine-year-old, more power to him. I’m less than half his age and I can’t keep up with my eight-year-old son.

- Luna on February 23rd, 2010

That’s so sweet! It doesn’t matter and it’s none of our business – he calls him son and that’s all we need to worry about!

- acmommy09 on February 23rd, 2010

It’s not “weird” that one of his grandchildren is twice as old as Liam, it’s just LIFE. Who cares how old he is! The interviewer sounds like an idiot and a jerk. I think he handled these rude questions with humor and grace.

- Lily on February 23rd, 2010

Weird isn’t necessarily a negative thing, but if you don’t like that term, then it certainly is very unusual. I don’t think anyone is judging him, just remarking how funny it would be to have nieces and nephews twice your age.

- Isabella on February 23rd, 2010

My dad is the youngest of 7. By the time he arrived, most of his siblings were moved out and married. He has a nephew that is a year or 2 younger than him. It is what it is.

I LOVE that he calls Liam his son. Whether or not he has officially adopted him or not. He is the only father that Liam has ever known and that’s the most important thing.

- Sarah M. on February 23rd, 2010

i think its weird that so many people bashed gary busey for being a dad at 65, yet everyone praises harrison who is not all that much older…

- steph on February 24th, 2010

Yeah, he may have grandkids who are twice as old as Liam, but his kids with his second wife are 20 years younger than his kids with his first wife. Liam is actually closer in age to Malcolm and Georgia than those two are to his oldest sons. i think it’s great that he’s been raising Liam with Calista for so long, I used to find their relationship kind of random, but I think they make a really great family.

- Kate on February 24th, 2010

Steph (#9) – I do, also. The same thing is true for several other new & older father lately. Although, I think the current age of the children involved plays a role. In Busey’s case it’s a 65 year old with a newborn and in Ford’s case it’s a 67 year old with a 9 year old. There’s an 8 year age difference with the children’s ages. I would guess that’s a big part. Otherwise, I don’t know. (I’m guessing, of course. I’m not a mind reader or anything. )

- Sarah M. on February 24th, 2010

Sarah M.- I think another factor is that Gary chose to bring a child into the world at his age, whereas Harrison did not. Calista had already adopted Liam by the time Harrison started dating her.

- CelebBabyLover on February 24th, 2010

Steph, Sarah M, it is completely different as Liam was already with Calista when she got together with harrison. He did not purposely decide to have a child at his age.

- Anna on February 24th, 2010

CelebBabyLover (#12) & Anna (#13) – Another good point. But I could entirely see someone that would still find a problem with the fact that Harrison chose to stay with Calista and be a big part of Liam’s life (I think he and Calista started dating when Liam was still under a year old) from an early age, knowing that he was at least 58 or 59 years old, thereby he has more of a chance of dying when Liam is still a younger age. (I don’t think that, but given the way comments have been lately, it’s very possible!!)

- Sarah M. on February 25th, 2010

actually i dont see a difference. Both made the choice to be a father actually, one biological, the other not. They both said yes therefore its not completely different. No one knows if gary and his partner planned their pregnancy, and im sure Harrison didnt plan on falling in love with calista. Harrison also made a decision to become liam’s dad so to me aside from the small age difference I see no difference in situation in terms of one old dad compared to another.
The only thing i conceed is that harrison is perhaps a better role model while gary has had many demons in his past.

- steph on February 25th, 2010