Harrison Ford Knows Real Actor Imitations of His Characters Are Way Better Than AI


Any time Harrison Ford goes on a press tour to do his actorly duty of talking about his latest project—right now that’s his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Captain America: Brave New World—he’s unavoidably asked about his Lucasfilm heroes.

The fanboy speculative line of inquiries tends to visibly annoy the actor, whose legacy as Star Wars‘ Han Solo as well as professor, adventurer, and legendary Nazi puncher Indiana Jones follows him wherever he goes. Thankfully he’s softened up to these questions with his trademark wit and humor over time—and in some cases brings these characters up himself. Recently in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the actor addressed how he felt about the threat of AI in the field of acting.

“You don’t need artificial intelligence to steal my soul. You can already do it for nickels and dimes with good ideas and talent,” Ford said, referencing Troy Baker’s performance as Indy in the Indiana Jones and the Great Circle video game.

Ford continued, “He did a brilliant job and it didn’t take AI to do it.” And he’s right, AI tech is nowhere near capturing real human emotions. While his statement could be seen as a dig at the attempt to replicate Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian, we really doubt he’s seen any more Star Wars than is required of him. He doesn’t need to see the Star Wars if he’s lived the Star Wars.

We do have to hand it to Baker: the voice actor gave a cinematic level performance in Betheseda’s game as Indy. While the gameplay itself left much to be desired, Great Circle‘s story has been hailed as one of the best Indiana Jones adventures to date. Even if you’re not a gamer, we recommend watching the cut scenes to experience it.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.


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