Harrison Ford thanks Star Wars creator George Lucas for giving him "a part in a wildly successful film" during emotional SAG awards speech

Harrison Ford thanked Star Wars creator George Lucas and Indiana Jones helmer Steven Spielberg as he accepted the Screen Actors Guild's Life Achievement Award last night (March 1).

"I'm in a room of actors, many of whom are here because they're nominated to receive a prize for their amazing work, while I'm here to receive a prize for being alive. That said, it is a little weird to be getting a lifetime achievement award at the half point of my career. It's a little early, isn't it? I'm still a working actor," he joked. Previous recipients of the award include Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand, Robert DeNiro, and Morgan Freeman.

"I was not an overnight success. I struggled for about 15 years, going from acting job to carpentry and back to acting," he continued. "Until I finally got a part in a wildly successful film. None of this happened on my own. Thank you, George Lucas. Thank you, Steven Spielberg."

Ford also thanked the late casting director Fred Roos and his former manager Patricia McQueeney, and went on to recount how he discovered he wanted to act while he was at college, at a time when he felt lost and isolated.

"I found a calling, a life in storytelling. An identity in pretending to be other people," he added. "The work I do with other actors is one of the great joys of my life. My career is built on their work, as well as the work of writers, directors, and every single cast member, every crew member I've ever been on set with. I've had incredible collaborators at every step of the way, and being able to deliver the work we create together to an audience is an honor and a privilege.

"Success in this business brings a certain freedom that comes with responsibility to support each other, to lift others up when we can. To keep the door open for the next kid, the next lost boy who's looking for a place to belong. I'm indeed a lucky guy. Lucky to have found my people. Lucky to have work that challenges me. Lucky to still be doing it. And I don't take that for granted."

Along with playing Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Ford has also starred in iconic movies like Blade Runner and Apocalypse Now over the course of his 60-year career. More recently, he's turned his attention to small-screen roles, leading Yellowstone spin-off 1923 and Apple TV comedy-drama Shrinking. His last movie role saw him make his MCU debut in Captain America: Brave New World.

Shrinking season 3 is currently releasing weekly on Apple TV. For more on what to watch, check out our guide to the other best new TV shows still to come in 2026.