Harrison Ford Opens Up About Heartbreaking Experience With Daughter’s Epilepsy

Star Wars actor Harrison Ford revealed that his daughter suffers from epilepsy, as he attended an event supporting research into the illness. The charity event was an opportunity for Ford to share the deeply personal revelation that his 26-year-old daughter, Georgia, is epileptic.

Regarding Henry Star Harrison Ford Opens Up About Raising An Epileptic Daughter

In Regarding Henry (1991), Harrison Ford plays a tough as nails lawyer and neglectful family man who survives a shooting, only to lose his entire memory. The film shows the struggles his family goes through to help Ford’s character return to his former self.

That kind of a struggle in helping a family member to overcome a medical condition is something with which Harrison is very familiar. He says watching Georgia deal with epilepsy has been a devastating experience, especially knowing that the disease will affect their entire lives. Ford says people with epilepsy, like his own daughter, will have limited opportunities in their lives and, as a parent, the Star Wars actor says he looks for some way to help.

“You want to find a way that they can live a comfortable and effective life.”

Harrison was brought to tears, as he shared with attendees at the charity event that Georgia experienced her first seizure at a friend’s slumber party. At the time, Georgia was given migraine medication. The diagnosis of epilepsy didn’t come until years later.

Now an adult and an actress, Georgia has been seizure free for eight years, Ford reported.

“I admire a lot of things about her,” Harrison said. “I admire her perseverance, her talent, her strength. She’s my hero. I love her.”

Daisy Ridley’s Heart Breaks, As Harrison Ford Bids Farewell To Star Wars

Daisy said watching Harrison Ford film his last scenes as Star Wars‘ Han Solo was a sobering experience. She adds that the feeling was the same for everyone on the Star Wars Episode VII set. Ridley says watching Harrison and Adam Driver go through that last scene was a surreal experience, something that has remained with her from that day forward.

Daisy says Ford made a great speech about his farewell to the franchise, adding that she thought he was a terrific public speaker.

“He really put into words what we were all thinking. There was a huge amount of appreciation. I think he – I don’t want to speak for him – but I think he enjoyed it maybe, not more than he thought he would, but it was so enjoyable, the whole thing,” the Star Wars actress said. “And I think that took people by surprise.”

Ridley went on to comment that keeping Star Wars Episode VII secrets wasn’t difficult for the cast, because they all wanted to keep the magic of the Star Wars experience alive. She adds that she was amused by the rumors she heard from fans. Ridley’s favorite rumor was that she would be playing daughter to Harrison Ford’s Han Solo. The actress says Star Wars fans were very convinced that Rey was Solo’s daughter, even though they hadn’t yet seen the film.

Han Solo may no longer be racing through the galaxy, but Harrison Ford is still soaring. Up next, Ford will reprise his Rick Deckard character in a Blade Runner sequel, which is to be produced by original Blade Runner director, Ridley Scott. Following on the heels of that film, Harrison is rumored to be reprising Indiana Jones once again. The film, still very early in the pre-production stages, is tentatively titled Indiana Jones 5 and will be directed by Steven Spielberg.

Blade Runner is scheduled for a January 5, 2018 theatrical release.

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