“Shrinking” Star Jessica Williams Loves Irritating Harrison Ford and Getting Him to Go Off Script (Exclusive)

Stacy LambeWed, February 25, 2026 at 8:49 PM UTC

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Jessica Williams and Harrison Ford in Los Angeles on Jan. 26, 2023Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty -

Jessica Williams loves to annoy her Shrinking costar, Harrison Ford

"There's nothing funnier than seeing Harrison Ford be annoyed," she tells PEOPLE

Their costars, Michael Urie and Luke Tennie, also dish on working with the legendary actor

Shrinking's Jessica Williams loves getting underneath costar Harrison Ford's skin.

While talking to PEOPLE about season 3 of the Apple TV comedy, in which the two performers play Gaby and Paul, two therapists and coworkers navigating a mix of personal and professional issues, Williams, 36, admits that she likes to annoy Ford, 83.

"I live to irritate that man, both privately and on the show," she says. "There's nothing funnier than seeing Harrison Ford be annoyed." She explains, "That's kind of the essence of Harrison and why it works. He plays these kinds of cowboy archetypes that are just hemming and hawing, but secretly want to be there and having a great time."

When it comes to working with him on Shrinking, Williams says that "if it's in the script, that's what I'm gonna do and then I'm gonna just irritate Harrison just a little more so that it gives him something to push off of too. Part of being a good supporting actor is always trying to give that polarity for the other actor."

When it comes to the dynamic between their two characters, Williams says that Gaby, as well as their coworker Jimmy (Jason Segel), is meant to annoy Paul. "So, to give Harrison something that he can work with and just be so annoying is key to the performance," she says, adding that it's such a "joy" to do.

Not only that, but Williams likes to see Harrison go off script. "Harrison is a very surprising person, actually," she says. "He does bits. He's very silly, very giving and yeah, he'll surprise you. That's what's fun about him, he'll try stuff."

One such example is when Michael Urie's character, Brian, is "wearing these really insane orange running shorts," Williams says. "He's like, 'The shorts are too short.' That's, like, the bit, and Harrison improvised a line right when my character walks out. He just looks at Michael and he goes, 'You look like you're on fire.' And that was never in the script, but it was so funny that it made it in."

"That's Harrison freaking Ford for you," she adds.

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Luke Tennie, Bill Lawrence, Christa Miller, Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, Creator/Writer/Executive Producer, Jessica Williams and Michael Urie on Jan. 27, 2023Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Getty

Echoing that sentiment, Urie, 45, says that's the funny thing about working with Ford. "He's our coworker, right? We see him all the time, and in many ways, he's just another actor," Urie explains. "He approaches it the same way we all do. He learns his lines. We think about the work, we talk about the blocking and we work out our bits. We're colleagues and collaborators."

"And then sometimes you remember, 'Oh right, that's Harrison Ford. That's the guy from Blade Runner and The Empire Strikes Back.' Especially when he says something particularly sassy," Urie continues, before recalling how the two were getting changed for a photo shoot.

"I was wearing this yellow get-up that was very flamboyant and wonderful. And I hear him saying, 'Where's my wallet?' And I'm like, 'Ugh, grandpa lost his wallet. There he goes again.' And he's like, 'I can't find my wallet. It was in my pants.' I'm like, 'What's wrong with him?' " the actor remembers. "And I turn around and he's got my bright yellow banana pants and he's riffling through them as if they were his. And I'm like, 'You're playing a joke on me, aren't you?' And he's like, 'Yeah.' He's a giant kid and he will say crazy s--t."

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Luke Tennie, who plays Sean, also says that Ford "is such a goofball and a joker and a prankster." In fact, "He's just somebody who loves to catch people off guard," he continues, adding that his costar "is a jokester. He loves to compliment and uplift and also cajole and tease."

Tennie, 31, says that it's also a treat to see someone of Ford's stature "cut loose and just be given an opportunity to explore a completely different side of their performance capabilities." The actor adds, "It's like no matter what I do in my career, I get to have been a part of that. And that's really exciting."

New episodes of Shrinking season 3 debut Wednesdays until April 8 on Apple TV.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”