Steven Spielberg says he was “crushed” when Harrison Ford turned down the lead role in Jurassic Park.
The legendary filmmaker made the revelation on the Happy Sad Confused podcast after its host, Josh Horowitz, asked whether Ford had passed on playing paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in the 1993 blockbuster.
“Yes, he did,” Spielberg replied. “He may not remember that, but I sure do.”
When fellow guest Emily Blunt asked if he was upset by Ford’s decision, the director admitted: “I was crushed.”
The role ultimately went to Sam Neill, who starred alongside Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough in the dinosaur adventure adapted from Michael Crichton’s bestselling novel.
Looking back, Spielberg said the casting change worked out exactly as it should have.
“But then Sam Neill came available,” he said. “He’s Alan Grant, and it now belongs to him.”
Jurassic Park became one of the highest-grossing films of all time, spawning a franchise that continues more than three decades later.
The near-miss is one of several major Hollywood casting twists involving Spielberg and Ford. Before Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark went into production, Spielberg and George Lucas had settled on Tom Selleck as their first choice to play Indiana Jones.
Speaking on the IMO podcast with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, Spielberg recalled that Selleck had won over both filmmakers during auditions.
“We wanted Tom. We gave Tom the part,” Spielberg said, joking that the actor would have had to part with his signature mustache for the role.
But Selleck’s commitment to CBS prevented him from taking the film. With their original choice unavailable, Spielberg suggested Ford after watching an early screening of The Empire Strikes Back.
Lucas initially worried audiences would only see Ford as Han Solo, but eventually sent him the script.
The gamble paid off. Ford went on to play the iconic adventurer in five Indiana Jones films and helped turn the franchise into a global phenomenon spanning television series, books, video games, and theme park attractions.
Spielberg now views the decision as one of those rare Hollywood twists that worked out for everyone involved.
