Jason Segel’s Biggest Takeaways Working With ‘Shrinking’ Costar Harrison Ford: ‘Dream Come True’
Jason Segel is still in awe of his Shrinking costar Harrison Ford ahead of the show’s season 2 premiere.
“It’s a dream come true,” Segel, 44, exclusively told Us Weekly of working with Ford, 82, while attending the Rhett & Link's Wonderhole premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday, August 14.
After teaming up with Ford in 2023 for season 1 of Shrinking, Segel felt like he’d made it as an actor. “The thing about working with somebody like Harrison Ford is that if you have any part in your brain that is conditioned to feel like something is wrong or things haven’t worked out the way you want it and [then] you find yourself acting across from Harrison Ford, that voice loses,” Segel explained. “You instantly know that ‘Oh, my gosh, it all worked out OK, didn’t it?’”
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On Shrinking, Segel plays a grieving psychiatrist named Jimmy Laird, who at his breaking point starts to tell his patients what to do and exactly what he thinks. Ford portrays senior therapist Dr. Paul Rhoades, who is Jimmy’s colleague and one of his sounding boards. (Season 2 premieres on Apple TV+ Wednesday, October 16.)
Like their characters on the show, Segel told Us that he has learned a few things about his career and life in general thanks to his friendship with Ford.
“I think that what I have taken from Harrison about longevity is to show up prepared. Give it everything you’ve got and don’t take any of it for granted,” Segel shared. “Guys who have been around that long have just watched people come and go and come and go and I think that being consistent and caring and respecting everybody around you goes a long way.”
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While acting alongside Ford has been a dream job, Segel told Us there is one more big name he’s being dying to work with: Big Bird!
“I worked with all the Muppets, but he’s on the Sesame Street side,” Segel said, noting, “I love kids stuff.”
The comedian teased, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have maintained a sense of childlike wonder and the Muppets, Sesame Street, all of those were a big inspiration to me.” Segel employed Us to “put the word out” about the possible collab.
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In addition to his own projects, Segel sang the praises of Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, who are YouTube hosts launching their first scripted series, Rhett & Link's Wonderhole, on Friday, August 23.
“I watch them every morning,” Segel said of the duo’s Good Mythical Morning show. “It started a while ago when I realized I wanted to start the day with something other than news. I wanted to start on a positive note.”
The actor recalled making his way through “every episode of Mr. Rodgers” before discovering Good Mythical Morning. “That’s how I start my day every day now.”
With reporting by Lanae Brody
