Harrison Ford Named Disney Legend At D23

TV & Film

Aug 24

At D23, Harrison Ford, Han Solo, himself was honored as a Disney Legend. Ford’s career started rough until he landed a part in American Graffiti directed by George Lucas. His impressive performance led Lucas to cast him as Han Solo in Star Wars: A New Hope, and later, he starred as the titular character in the Indiana Jones franchise. His next major role is President Thaddeus Ross in Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World.

Ryan Seacrest hosted the ceremony and invited Bob Iger to present the first award. Iger called Ford “a man of deep integrity, big-heartedness, with incredible work ethic” before adding that his “dry wit isn’t scripted either.” His introduction showed that Ford quickly rose from a leading man to a category all his own. Directors admitted looking for a Harrison Ford-type to take on certain roles. Ford thanked the fans and expressed that stories are the human bond we share. He thanked Iger for his generous introduction and for being an able captain of the Disney company. The actor ended his speech with mixed feelings of delight and embarrassment and a lot of gratitude.

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Ford was in good company as Disney had thirteen other honorees. Jamie Lee Curtis and Angla Bassett were named legends for their iconic roles in Freaky Friday and Black Panther. Upon receiving her award, Curtis led the crowd in a rendition of “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,” to honor her favorite ride, the Carousel of Progress.

Colleen Atwood made history as the first costume designer to be named legend. Meanwhile, a staple of the park’s history, Martha Blanding was awarded Legend status for being a pioneer as the first African American woman to be employed as a Cast Member. James L. Brooks was named a Legend for his multiple television appearances with the Simpsons doing the honors of introducing the performer. James Cameron earned Legend status for his work on the Avatar films.

Miley Cyrus had the distinction of being named the youngest Disney Legend as the singer and actress who gained fame as Hannah Montanna is only 31 years old. In a moment of humility, Cyrus told the crowd that legends get scared too but, it’s legendary to be afraid and do it anyway. Kelly Ripa, a long-time talk show host for the company, and Frank Oz, a respected director and original Muppet performer, received awards for their roles in film and television. Steve Ditko was posthumously named a Legend for his work on Marvel Comics with particular note to the characters of Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. His nephew Mark Ditko accepted the award on his behalf.

D23 audience for Disney Legends — Image Source: The Walt Disney Company

Disney named Mark Henn a legend for his work as an animator drawing attention to his work on animating the Disney Princess line of Belle, Ariel, Jasmine, Mulan, and Tiana with the voice actors dressed as the part to show their support. John Williams’s plethora of memorable scores across classic and modern cinema earned him the honor of being named a Disney Legend in music. Imagineer Joe Rohde, who was responsible for designing Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, received his award after being introduced by Jane Goodall. For more on these latest Legends, the full ceremony can be streamed on Disney Plus.

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