‘Shrinking’ stars share their favorite Harrison Ford memories from Season 3: “He’s the best of the best”

With Shrinking‘s Season 3 finale on the horizon it’s time to look back and marvel at the career-great performances the legendary Harrison Ford continues to deliver in Apple TV‘s hilarious, heartfelt series.

Ford’s curmudgeonly character Paul Rhoades is essential to Shrinking‘s DNA. His relationship with Julie (Wendy Malick) is one of the greatest on TV. And his thoughtful portrayal of Parkinson’s disease raises crucial real-life awareness while evolving each season. After landing his first Emmy nomination for his work in Season 2, the 83-year-old icon returned for Season 3 to deliver more hearty laughs, cathartic cries, and profound performances like those seen in Season 3’s penultimate episode, “The Bodyguard of Sadness.” But because Paul spent a significant chunk of Season 3 winding down his practice and is moving to Connecticut to live with his daughter Meg (Lily Rabe), fans are wondering if Ford is leaving the show.

As noted in a previous piece, there are a number of reasons why Ford is likely returning in Season 4 — regardless of where Paul lives. So try not to stress! No one from the series has confirmed Ford is leaving, the actor himself has expressed a desire to return, and he’s never shy about his love for the show and the team’s fulfilling work. I personally can’t imagine Shrinking without Ford, and based on the overwhelming love that his co-stars shared in interviews with DECIDER, I can’t imagine they’d want to make Season 4 without him either. Ahead of next week’s finale, here are some of the cast’s favorite Shrinking Season 3 memories and scenes shared with Ford.

“This season, as with every season, [working with Harrison] is such a gift. It will always be something I will look back on and just be in awe of. His presence is insane. His relationship with cast, with crew, with camera. He’s been doing it forever. He loves it so much. And the care and attention he has for everything — he’s just the best,” Lukita Maxwell, who plays Paul’s honorary granddaughter Alice, told DECIDER via Zoom. “He’s the best of the best.”

Photo: Apple TV

When Luke Tennie reflected on his character’s Season 3 arc, Sean’s intimate one-on-one therapy sessions with Paul stood out as some of his favorite scenes to film. “There is one in particular, it’s kind of like a graduation scene between Harrison and myself — Paul and Sean — and he kind of let Sean know, ‘I think you’re going to be all right when I’m not here, when this disease takes over.’ And I think Sean understands that Paul’s right. He does have all the tools and the skills necessary to continue his life and grow in a responsible way,” Tennie told DECIDER. Turns out the scene was a professional and personal high, because the actor had a special visitor on set that day.

“What was really cool is my dad came to visit during that time. And that one scene was the only thing I had to do at work that day,” Tennie shared. “My Pop came. He got to meet Harrison. We did this really cool scene. And Harrison was really particular about nailing some some certain arc moments, but when it clicked, we just locked in and it was wonderfully warm. The scene itself was like a hug. And I’m just really grateful my dad got to be there and see the magic on that.”

Photo: Apple TV

Ford’s co-star Christa Miller, whose character Liz inducts Paul into her elite Covenant of the Rock in Season 3, also shared a “very sweet” personal memory from filming. “I love working with Harrison, even though he teases me endlessly, and I give him grief endlessly,” Miller mused. “I had to give him a rock on the show, which is from my personal collection. They used my one of my rocks that I had worked on and tumbled and was from Malibu. And when we finished the scene, Harrison said, ‘Would it be OK if I kept the rock?’ It was really meaningful to me. And it’s why this show works. We have all these meaningful relationships with each other.”

While the Shrinking team has been filming for three seasons, Ted McGinley who plays the fan-favorite Derek was admittedly starstruck by Ford for quite some time. “Every scene I have with Harrison is highly meaningful and super exciting for me. When I first got on the show, I was really struggling trying to separate Harrison and Paul and Derek and Ted. It was a real exercise for me to force myself to not see Harrison Ford there, because we didn’t have that many scenes together, and we didn’t have anything simple,” McGinley explained. “Now, after we’ve spent time on set chatting and hanging out, he’s put me at ease. He’s done a lot of work for me. He’s helped me immensely.”

That said, McGinley’s favorite Season 3 Ford scene isn’t one the two share. It’s Paul reacting to Jimmy (Jason Segel) and Brian’s (Michael Urie) impromptu performance of  “The Confrontation” from Les Mis.

Photo: Apple TV

When Urie went deep with DECIDER about the ambitious performance, he also shoutout out Ford as his favorite part of the scene. “I don’t usually get the dailies, but because this was such a special one, they sent them. I went to watch it. And I’m not kidding, I only watched Harrison,” Urie said. “That should be his Emmy clip. He is so good in that scene. If you could bottle and sell a movie star, it would be that. He goes through every human emotion. He is sad. He is happy. He is afraid. He is moved. He is silly. He is serious. He’s going through it all. And without any words! I was like, ‘OK! This is a movie star. You steal a scene from the back seat with no lines.’”

Another major contender for Most Fantastic Ford Scene of Season 3 is his Episode 9 tearjerker with Jessica Williams, when Paul told Williams’ character Gaby that she’s his legacy.

“Harrison was blowing my mind in that scene,” Williams told DECIDER. “This is a weird connection, but you know that part in Oppenheimer where it’s just quiet? They see the blast, and everybody puts on the sunglasses, and it’s just silent? That’s what it felt like when he was acting that day. It was like watching a supernova. It was a masterclass.”

Photo: Apple TV

From moving moments with Michael J. Fox and hilarious line deliveries to loads of humanity and heart, there’s no question that Ford brings his A-game in Shrinking Season 3. So naturally, his co-stars are hoping for another Emmy nomination — and this time, a win!

“He’s doing some of the best work of his whole career, which is a crazy thing to say,” Williams said. “He deserves some gold, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to get it this year,” Tennie concluded.

New episodes of Shrinking Season 3 premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV.