Actor Awards: Woody Harrelson to Present Life Achievement Nod to Harrison Ford; harrison ford on red carpet
harrison ford was the focus of Sunday’s Actor Awards ceremony, where Woody Harrelson presented the Life Achievement Award and the 83-year-old accepted with jokes and remarks about his marriage and career. The event unfolded at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles during the 32nd annual awards show on March 1.
Harrelson’s opening struggled
Woody Harrelson began his remarks with a string of quips that repeatedly failed to land with the audience. He opened by joking that most of the actors in the room would be “losers” by the end of the night; when most of the audience didn’t laugh he conceded, “That didn’t go quite as… Anyway…” and then made a similar comment from the teleprompter.
He warned the room, “You know, this will probably go the same road, ” and told the crowd, “People sometimes complain about actors getting awards. Isn’t the life we’ve been awarded enough? But in truth, 80 percent of you will get lessons in humility this evening, ” which was met by silence. “OK, that’s what I expected, ” he added.
Harrelson at times blamed the crowd for the reaction. Addressing Ford directly, he said, “You have more talent in your little finger than I have in my little finger. ” He continued, “Of all the actors in the world… you’re one of them. Everyone in this industry… knows you. ” When the audience finally offered a few laughs, Harrelson said, “Thanks for warming up a little. ”
How Ford asked Harrelson
Harrelson recounted the moment Ford asked him to present, noting they have never appeared in a movie together. “He wanted me to present this award to him, and I called him a couple days later and said I would. He said, ‘To be totally forthcoming, I asked Helen Mirren, she turned me down. And then I asked Kamala Harris, she couldn’t do it. ’ I said, ‘Dude, let me just stop you right there. Am I in the top 10?’ He said, ‘I can count you on one hand, ’ which I took to mean three fingers. I’m happy to take the bronze—just happy to make the podium, ” Harrelson said, again to a mostly quiet room.
He quipped, “You guys are tough, man. I f---ing write these jokes for you, ” and even became distracted during the speech by spotting Kate Hudson in the audience: “Oh, hi. I just saw Kate!”
Harrison Ford on the red carpet
On the March 1 red carpet at the Shrine Auditorium, harrison ford told an interviewer that one rule has helped his 15-year marriage to Calista Flockhart: “I don't tell my wife what to do. ” He said this on Live From E!: Actor Awards 2026 while walking the carpet in coordinating black ensembles with Calista Flockhart.
Ford, 83, noted he might have some pull when it comes to casting decisions on his show Shrinking, but “that would be up to her” if Calista chose to appear. He and Calista share son Liam, 25.
On the red carpet Ford added, “I’ve been a very lucky guy, ” and said he was “very grateful for this attention and very grateful for this acknowledgement. ” He also joked, “But gosh, I'm only halfway through my career. ”
Delivery and final tribute
Harrelson worked through more jokes, at one point praising Ford: “Harrison is a true renaissance man—iconic actor, distinguished pilot, and a master carpenter who built his own home, ” then noting, “I don’t know how to work the coffee machine, and it’s a French press. ” After a stretch of silence he said, “You guys are finally gettin’ me. Thank you. It’s about time. ”
He closed by acknowledging the personal nature of the tribute: “I have a dual purpose to honor my friend, the esteemed living legend, Harrison Ford, and two, to discourage any other friends of mine from asking me do this again. ” He then formally presented the award as the “recipient of the 2026 SAG-AFTRA life achievement award—the timeless American treasure, the man himself, my dear buddy Harrison Ford. ”
Ford drew laughs in his acceptance when he quipped, “Thank you, Woody, for that restricted introduction, ” and later said, “I am quite humbled. I’m in a room of actors, many of whom are here because they’ve been nominated to receive a prize for their amazing work, while I’m here to receive a prize for being alive. ”
