Casting Director Renee Godbout on the actor's older and wiser action hero

Can you ever go home again?

That’s the question Harrison Ford must have asked himself when he was given the chance to bring back Indiana Jones as a much older character. It may have been a dream come true for fans of this iconic character, but it was also a leap of faith. Ford is much older now and playing the lead in an action movie may have seemed like wishful thinking. But somehow, he pulled it off!

I wouldn’t vote Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as “movie of the year,” but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I've always been a fan of Indiana Jones, and I'll admit I saw the film in its opening weekend. I was excited to see the familiar characters and learn what they had been through in recent years, and it was great hearing those familiar sayings and references to other characters from the original series.

But there were also new characters to enjoy. Shia LaBeouf, who played Harrison Ford's son, is THE actor of the moment of his generation. His last few films, such as Disturbia and Transformers, have been extremely successful. It was a win-win situation for everyone involved with to cast him in the film.

What I think surprised me the most was that Harrison Ford didn't looked silly fighting the bad guys as an older action hero. Instead, his age provided moments of humor and a chance to see just how well he has aged over the years. And when I first saw Indiana’s fedora fall to the ground, I wanted to stand up and cheer! It was like seeing an old friend.

People of all ages have seen the Indiana Jones movies over the years - even those that weren’t born when they first appeared in theaters. So when you have a franchise like that, why not go back and revisit it one more time? With a good script and solid actors who are interested in the film, then the audience will follow.

And follow they did: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull grossed over $300 million worldwide in its opening weekend! If you've ever been a fan of Indiana Jones, I recommend you see it. It’s always nice to visit old friends and have a good laugh!

Renee Godbout - Freelance Casting Director. Renee Godbout recently worked on the first season of The CW's popular teen show Gossip Girl at Grant Wilfey Casting. Some past projects include 2 seasons of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, the pilot for Dirty Sexy Money, and the upcoming Jonathan Demme-directed Dancing with Shiva.