For more than four decades, Harrison Ford ruled our screen as the legendary adventurer Indiana Jones. That weathered leather jacket, dusty fedora and trusty bullwhip have found a permanent status in pop culture.
But as timeless as the costume is today, Ford wasn’t sold on it when he first put it on. In fact, he thought the look was completely ridiculous and needed plenty of convincing to finally bring it to screen.
Harrison Ford Thought Indiana Jones’ Costume Made No Sense
When the first Indiana Jones film, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, was in development in the 1980s, Harrison Ford was first introduced to his costume for the actor. “It was presented to me as an aspect of character in the first film,” Ford recalled.
Related: Steven Spielberg Once Pulled A Legendary Prank On Harrison Ford During ‘The Goonies’
But he struggled to understand why one would wear such an unusual outfit to hop through ancient ruins and jungles. If you separate the costume’s cultural impact, the leather jacket, the whip and especially the fedora all seem pretty impractical.
“My questions about it were many.” He stated, “Why am I wearing a leather jacket in the jungle? Isn’t it hot here? Why am I carrying a whip? What am I going to do with a fucking whip? I’m going to whip people?”
Fortunately, the costume department had an answer for his every concern. They explained the look is actually an homage to the adventure serials and classic Hollywood films that inspired the character. They described it as “an evocation of a time” and “a reflection of movies past.”
Ford had nothing to say in front of this explanation. So, he went along with the creative vision and fully embraced every element of the costume, which is impossible to separate from the character today.
Harrison Ford Had Many Complaints About His Fedora
While the fedora remains Indiana Jones’ signature accessory, keeping it on during the movie’s action scenes came with its own challenges. In one of famous archival footage from the movies, we see Harrison Ford stapling the hat to his head so it wouldn’t fly off.
In Case You Missed It: Harrison Ford Wishes This Embarrassing ‘Star Wars’ Project Never Existed
Speaking to GQ, Ford revealed that he still has faint scars on his forehead from doing that. He says,“You do what you need to do.”
But costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis has previously disputed Ford’s version of events, explaining that his fedora was custom-fitted so it naturally stayed in place during filming.
It was also revealed that the stunt performers often relied on hidden chin straps to keep the hat secure during more demanding scenes. They got to take advantage of the fact their faces were never clearly seen on screen.
So, Ford’s staple scars are very questionable. There is no way he actually used a staple gun on his head because that would result in far more severe injuries. Still, if Harrison Ford claims the opposite, who are we to get in the way of a good story?
You Might Also Like To Read: The Real Reason Why Harrison Ford Rejected Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jurassic Park’
