Harrison Ford Reveals Why He ‘Barely Regrets’ Punching Ryan Gosling on Set of ‘Blade Runner 2049’

In the world of Hollywood action films, mishaps are bound to happen, especially during the filming of high-stakes scenes. One such incident occurred on the set of Blade Runner 2049, where Harrison Ford unintentionally punched Ryan Gosling during an action sequence. While the moment might sound controversial at first, Ford’s reaction to the incident reveals a laid-back attitude, with the actor admitting that he “barely regrets” the punch, treating it as a small part of the filmmaking process rather than a serious mistake.

The Incident: An Accidental Punch Amidst Complex Filming

The punch occurred during a fight scene between Ford’s Rick Deckard and Gosling’s Officer K. In a 2017 interview with GQ, Ford explained that the punch was unintentional, the result of the dynamic nature of filming the scene. “I punched Ryan Gosling in the face,” Ford said, adding that “Ryan Gosling’s face was where it should not have been.” This indicates that, while Ford was attempting to execute a staged punch, the action went slightly awry due to the physical nature of the scene.

According to Polygon‘s account from October 2017, a photo released by Warner Bros. captured the moment, with Ford looking horrified and Gosling stunned, clearly conveying the accidental nature of the punch. The complexity of shooting with shifting camera angles and movement likely contributed to the mistake, but Ford’s comments underscore the technical challenges inherent in staging such a sequence.

Ford’s Take on the Punch: A Lighthearted Approach

Ford himself downplays the incident in interviews, giving it little weight in the grand scheme of things. “You know, I threw about a hundred punches in the shooting of it, and I only hit him once,” Ford remarked during a 2022 appearance on The Graham Norton Show. This statement reveals that the punch was an outlier, a rare occurrence amidst the otherwise controlled environment of filming, where the primary goal was to make the action appear realistic without causing harm.

Ford humorously added, “No, we were doing a scene in flashing strobe lights, he’s walking backwards, I’m walking forwards, you have to make it look like the punch was intended, but I hit him. One out of 100 times I hit him.” The technical complexity of the scene, combined with the strobe lighting and actors’ movements, was partly to blame for the punch landing where it shouldn’t have.

A Dose of Scotch to Smooth Things Over

Ford’s reaction to the incident speaks volumes about his nonchalant attitude toward it. Following the mishap, he went to Gosling’s dressing room with a bottle of scotch, a gesture that Gosling later described as “a rite of passage” in an interview with People in December 2016. Ford himself explained in GQ that he figured “one drink would fix it,” suggesting that the punch wasn’t something he viewed as a serious misstep, but rather a small, humorous mishap on set.

This lighthearted handling of the situation was mutual. Gosling, not harboring any hard feelings, reflected on the event in a playful manner during a 2022 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, joking, “I should be lucky I didn’t get hit more,” to which Ford interjected, “It was not a good punch,” before Gosling humorously retorted, “I’ll be the judge of that.” Their playful banter reveals that both actors viewed the incident with humor rather than any lingering tension.

Ford’s Attitude: Minimal Regret, Maximum Humor

While Ford’s comments about the incident might suggest a lack of deep remorse, they also reflect his seasoned perspective as an actor accustomed to the physical demands of action films. In various interviews, Ford made it clear that he didn’t view the punch as a big deal, often attributing part of the responsibility to Gosling for not being out of range. “His job was to be out of the range of the punch. My job was also to make sure that I pulled the punch,” Ford said in Entertainment Weekly in 2017, further suggesting that the incident was a miscalculation within the complexities of filmmaking.

The phrase “barely regrets” seems to stem from journalistic interpretation rather than a direct quote, but it accurately captures Ford’s attitude toward the mishap. He downplayed the incident consistently across interviews, offering a glimpse into his relaxed, no-nonsense approach to the demands of his craft.

A Positive Working Relationship

Despite the unexpected punch, Ford and Gosling’s working relationship appears to have remained positive and collaborative. Ford praised Gosling as “fun to work with” and “a smart guy” in his 2017 GQ interview, suggesting that their camaraderie helped diffuse any tension from the incident. Gosling, for his part, never seemed to take the punch personally, even referring to it as a “rite of passage.”

This incident, which has been discussed widely across various platforms, including Reddit threads and articles from TheWrap and Collider, speaks to the humorous dynamics that often emerge on set. With the photo of Ford looking horrified and Gosling stunned, the punch became a memorable moment that fans of both actors now recall with a smile.

Conclusion: A Minor Mishap in a Major Film

In the end, Harrison Ford’s punch to Ryan Gosling on the set of Blade Runner 2049 remains a lighthearted anecdote in the history of filmmaking. Rather than viewing it as a major mishap, both Ford and Gosling took it in stride, treating the incident with humor and camaraderie. Ford’s casual approach and lack of deep regret only add to his legendary persona as an action star who can roll with the punches—literally.