Harrison Ford Says Playing Late William Hurt's Marvel Character in “Captain America 4” Was 'Not a Barrier for Me' (Exclusive)

Harrison Ford is reflecting on stepping into William Hurt's shoes in Captain America: Brave New World.
In Ford's first Marvel Cinematic Universe turn, the actor, 82, stars as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, a role previously portrayed across five MCU movies between 2008's The Incredible Hulk and 2021's Black Widow by Hurt, who died at 71 in 2022.

"We knew each other enough to nod and say hello, but I didn't know the man very well," Ford told reporters at the movie's Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday, Feb. 11, when asked if he and Hurt got to know each other over the years. "But I knew his work, and his work is fantastic. To have the opportunity to step into the shoes of a character that he helped to create was not a barrier to me. It seemed like a wonderful opportunity when I read the script, and that's how I felt about that."

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Brave New World continues the tense relationship Ford's character Ross holds with many of the MCU's superheroes. The movie's plot revolves around Ross, who's elected president of the United States but turns into a red version of the Hulk. He becomes a formidable foe for Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, who's operating as Captain America without the super soldier serum that made Chris Evans' Steve Rogers stand out from a crowd.

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Ford's comments echoed a similar answer he gave PEOPLE at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, when asked about taking over for the late Hurt, who was also known for movies like Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), The Big Chill and Broadcast News.

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"He laid a very firm foundation for the character. I respect him enormously in the work that he did in his lifetime," Ford said of Hurt at that time. "God bless his soul. I'm delighted to be able to stand on his shoulders and continue playing the character."

Ford and Mackie costar in Brave New World with Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Tim Blake Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito and Xosha Roquemore. Captain America: Brave New World is in theaters Feb. 14.

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