Harrison Ford Explains Why Helen Mirren Is a “Broad” — and Why That’s the Highest Compliment He Can Give

Harrison Ford has never been one for elaborate flattery — but when it comes to his 1923 co-star Helen Mirren, the 82-year-old Hollywood legend found a term that, in his eyes, says it all. In an exclusive interview with People published on February 27, 2025, Ford affectionately referred to Mirren as “a broad,” quickly clarifying that in this case, the word is pure praise.

“And there’s no disparagement in calling a Dame a broad,” Ford said with a grin. “It means she’s a woman that has the bandwidth to hang with men — not just to be a lady with them, but to actually hang with them. She’s a real cool lady.”

A Compliment in Context

While “broad” can carry outdated or even negative connotations, Ford’s choice was deliberate and rooted in respect. His explanation makes clear that for him, the word signifies a rare kind of versatility — someone who can navigate both professional intensity and casual camaraderie with ease.

Mirren, now 79 and long since knighted as Dame Helen, took the description in stride. Speaking in the same People interview, she said of their time together on set:

“We would sit around together and shoot the s— off-set. Harrison is not like an ‘I’m going to my trailer’ person. I don’t think I ever knew him [or] remember him going, ever, to his trailer.”

Their rapport, both in front of and away from the camera, appears to have been central to Ford’s warm assessment.

A Partnership Decades in the Making

Ford and Mirren’s working relationship dates back to 1986, when they co-starred in Peter Weir’s The Mosquito Coast. Mirren has recalled that at the time “nobody had heard of me,” a far cry from her current status as an Oscar-winning, globally recognized actress. That long history of mutual respect and professional trust clearly informs their present-day collaboration.

Life and Love on the Frontier — and Beyond

In 1923 — the Paramount+ prequel to Yellowstone, which returned for its second season on February 23, 2025 — Ford and Mirren play ranching couple Jacob and Cara Dutton, facing harsh Montana winters, fierce land disputes, and a deep, enduring love.

Mirren has described their characters’ relationship as a “rare” depiction of “the happily ever after,” noting that audiences get to see “a couple who absolutely should be together, are together, [and] fit perfectly well together.” That ease and compatibility mirrors the off-screen chemistry Ford was describing with his “broad” remark.

Seasoned Pros, Timeless Connection

Between them, Ford and Mirren boast more than a century of acting experience, with careers spanning from Star Wars and Indiana Jones to The Queen and The Last Station. At this stage, neither has anything to prove — which may be why they value colleagues who can simply enjoy the work and each other’s company.

Ford’s term of endearment, then, is less about slang and more about shorthand: a nod to Mirren’s ability to match him stride for stride, on the prairie or on the Paramount lot. And in Ford’s book, that makes her “a real cool lady” indeed.