Harrison Ford shares important rule that is the success behind his 15-year marriage

Marriages are notoriously hard work, with only a few seeming to know the secret to a long and happy union.

But Harrison Ford is the exception; the actor, 83, and his wife Calista Flockhart, 61, having enjoyed 15-years of marital bliss together.

The actor made clear his adoration for his wife on Sunday (1 March), when he had his mighty career honored with SAG-AFTRA's annual Lifetime Achievement Award after having acted for more than half a century.

Visibly emotional, the actor delivered an eight-minute-long acceptance speech onstage, leaving both husband and wife in tears.

"Sometimes we make entertainment; sometimes we make art. Sometimes we're lucky to make 'em both at the same time, and if we're really fortunate, we also get to make a living doing it," he said, reflecting on his career. "I'm indeed a lucky guy. Lucky to have found my people, lucky to have work that challenges me, lucky to still be doing it. And I don't take that for granted."

The Indiana Jones star revealed the couple’s formula to a happy marriage (Valerie Macon / AFP / Getty Images)

Directly addressing his wife, Ford said. "I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to my extraordinary, beautiful wife, Calista," he said. "And my family, who have given me love and courage through all of it."

Prior to accepting the award, he shared his secret to his and Calista's marriage in a red carpet interview.

“I don't tell my wife what to do,” he told E! News.

It's a rule he applies to both home and work life. Asked whether his wife would make a future appearance on his Apple TV show Shrinking, he said, "That would be up to her."

The couple, who wore matching black-and-white outfits to the prestigious awards ceremony, have been married since 2010 after first meeting at the Golden Globes in 2002.

Harrison Ford met his wife at the Golden Globes in 2010 (Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Paramount+)

During an interview with The Times in 2024, Flockhart recalled the moment the pair first laid eyes on each other, revealing, "I had never seen Star Wars, which I know sounds really crazy. But I grew up in a small town without a movie theatre.

"I was aware of who Harrison Ford was! But I didn't think, 'Oh, this is Indiana Jones.' It was more along the lines of, 'This is some lascivious old man, and what is he doing at our table?"

Despite a 23-year long stint being married, the pair are still very loved up. During an appearance on the Wild Card with Rachel Martin podcast, Ford joked that he'd realized over the years that 'old people' fall in love just as much as the youth do.

"Old people can love, too," he said. "You know, you think about falling in love and all of that business. You think it's the business of youth or something, you know, and staying in love is the issue. Maintaining, nurturing, basically, not [expletive] up."