When Bill Lawrence was developing his new Apple TV+ comedy B次元官网网址漇hrinking,B次元官网网址� he introduced one character in the pilot script as a B次元官网网址淗arrison Ford-typeB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� but never dreamed he would get

Although the showrunner has had comedy success working with big names and executive-producing hits like B次元官网网址淪crubs,B次元官网网址� and nabbing a huge movie star like Ford seemed unrealistic.

But he decided to take a shot and send Ford the script.

He was gobsmacked when liked the story and eventually agreed to play the part of a tough therapist who works with star Jason Segel in a mental health practice.

B次元官网网址淚f he had not shown up on set, I would not have been shocked,B次元官网网址� Lawrence told the Associated Press in a recent interview. B次元官网网址淏ut he showed up. HeB次元官网网址檚 lovely, heB次元官网网址檚 inspiring. HeB次元官网网址檚 80 years old and still challenging himself.B次元官网网址�

For B次元官网网址淪hrinkingB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� which started streaming Friday B次元官网网址� Lawrence teamed with Segel and writer Brett Goldstein (also ) to help create and write the show. They had the lofty goal of making a comedy about grief, set it in an office shared by therapists and starring Segel, Ford, and Christa Miller.

Segel plays a character whose wife dies suddenly, leaving the father of a teen daughter lost and willing to ignore his ethics to start telling his patients what he really thinks. FordB次元官网网址檚 character is a curmudgeonly colleague and mentor who delivers zingers with restrained glee.

Lawrence calls working with Ford a B次元官网网址渃areer highlight,B次元官网网址� and says thereB次元官网网址檚 only one downside.

B次元官网网址淓verybodyB次元官网网址檚 terrified of B次元官网网址� telling him to do anything,B次元官网网址� Lawrence said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淏ut heB次元官网网址檚 so much fun to work with. Every scene gets ruined B次元官网网址� at least one take B次元官网网址� by me or one of the actors in the middle of it going B次元官网网址業tB次元官网网址檚 Harrison Ford!B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 crazy.B次元官网网址�

Goldstein B次元官网网址� who isnB次元官网网址檛 acting in this show but serves as another executive producer B次元官网网址� describes Ford as B次元官网网址渄ream castingB次元官网网址� and says they still donB次元官网网址檛 know how they got him.

B次元官网网址淗e really loved the scripts and related to a lot of the aspects of the character,B次元官网网址� Goldstein said. B次元官网网址淲e talked to him a lot about character, and it was so easy that B次元官网网址� I feel like I should have had to complete a series of Herculean tasks to get him, you know what I mean?B次元官网网址�

Segel appreciated how Ford B次元官网网址渂reaks through the awe really quickly so that you can get down to work.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淥ne of the things thatB次元官网网址檚 really cool about Harrison Ford is that he considers himself a tradesman, like a craftsman. He was a carpenter and now heB次元官网网址檚 an actor,B次元官网网址� Segel said. B次元官网网址淗is job is to come in and build these scenes and youB次元官网网址檙e his partner in that.B次元官网网址�

Williams B次元官网网址� who plays another therapist B次元官网网址� shares witty banter with Ford in many scenes and says it was B次元官网网址渟urrealB次元官网网址� to work with the acting legend she watched in movies as a kid. She says it took about a week to remain present and get used to his face staring at her.

B次元官网网址淗e is delightful, charming, nice, giving. And heB次元官网网址檚 magic to watch, honestly.B次元官网网址� Williams said. B次元官网网址淵ou just watch him do some takes and B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 got the glimmer in his eye. HeB次元官网网址檚 got the thing. And itB次元官网网址檚 really inspiring to see someone thatB次元官网网址檚 like over 80 hitting his marks and staying so sharp while also, you know, really caring about the work.B次元官网网址�

Goldstein agrees that Ford never made the cast feel like he needed special treatment.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 as wonderful and amazing as ever,B次元官网网址� Goldstein said. B次元官网网址淏ut heB次元官网网址檚 also a very generous actor and he is part of this ensemble. ItB次元官网网址檚 not like he takes over. He fits into this world. He plays the character, he disappears into it. HeB次元官网网址檚 a brilliant actor.B次元官网网址�

Williams says working on the show was fun because of the cast chemistry, and the license to ad lib at times to make scenes funnier felt B次元官网网址渧ery fulfilling.B次元官网网址�

One of the secrets to a successful show, especially in comedy B次元官网网址� according to Lawrence B次元官网网址� is if the cast gets along and is friendly, even outside of the show: B次元官网网址淲e try to put together groups of people that have similar voices and that interact really well,B次元官网网址� Lawrence said.

B次元官网网址淚f you see a lack of chemistry behind the camera, even when the cameras arenB次元官网网址檛 rolling,B次元官网网址� he said, B次元官网网址渋f itB次元官网网址檚 a show about a family or a dysfunctional family or people who are supposed to care about each other, it wonB次元官网网址檛 work.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擝rooke Lefferts, The Associated Press