Harrison Ford’s relationship history: Marriages, divorces, Carrie Fisher affair and more explained

9 April 2025, 13:39

The Indiana Jones actor was married twice before he met his wife of over 20 years, Calista Flockhart.

Harrison Ford charmed us all as Star Wars’ Han Solo and as Indiana Jones in blockbuster hit after hit.

But who are the women who were charmed by the actor in real life?

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From a high-school sweetheart to an Oscar-nominated screenwriter, the now 82-year-old was married twice before he settled down with his current beau.

Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart's beautiful love story

Here’s everything to know about the Blade Runner actor’s relationship history...

Mary Marquardt (1964-1979)

Harrison Ford and Mary Marquardt met at college and tied the knot in June 1964.

The pair welcomed two sons, Ben and Willard, in 1966 and 1969 respectively.

Harrison and Mary were together during the actor’s early showbiz career, a time in which he starred in films including American Graffiti, Apocalypse Now and The Conversation.

In 1977, Harrison got his big break when he starred in the first Star Wars movie, A New Hope, as Han Solo.

But while his professional life was flourishing, his family life struggled as the pair’s relationship broke down during this period, and Harrison and Mary divorced in 1979.

Carrie Fisher (1976)

Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford met on the set of Star Wars: A New Hope in 1976, when Harrison was 33 and Carrie was 19.

Their characters Princess Leia and Han Solo were destined for romance, and as it turned out, so were the actors.

In her 2016 memoir The Princess Diarist, Carrie Fisher revealed that she and Harrison Ford had a three-month-long affair while filming the first Star Wars film, while Harrison was still married to his first wife.

“It was so intense. It was Han and Leia during the week, and Carrie and Harrison during the weekend,” she penned.

Carrie described her younger self as having been “shocked” that the older Harrison was interested in her, but also suggested she had pursued the affair like “an exotic fruit, because [she]’d never had one.”

The couple were only together during the filming of the first Star Wars film, but seemingly stayed friends during the rest of the franchise and appeared to still be close when they reunited to film the Star Wars sequels of the 2010s.

After the publication of Carrie Fisher’s memoir in 2016, Harrison Ford shared it was “strange” to have the news of their affair suddenly out in the open, but didn’t comment further on the matter.

It has however been confirmed that the late actress cleared the fact she would be mentioning their affair in the memoir with Harrison before the book was published.

Melissa Mathison (1982-2001)

Harrison Ford and screenwriter Melissa Mathison first met in 1976, on the set of the Francis Ford Coppola film Apocalypse Now.

At the time Harrison was still married to his first wife, and he and the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial writer didn’t begin dating until 1982, several years after that earlier relationship had come to an end.

Harrison and Melissa married in 1983, and welcomed two children - a son, Malcolm; and a daughter, Georgia - in 1987 and 1990.

In 2000, it was revealed that the couple had separated, and in 2001 Melissa filed for a divorce.

The pair’s legal split was only finalised in 2004, after a difficult and expensive three-year battle ensued as a result of Harrison and Melissa not having agreed a prenup when they tied the knot.

Melissa died in 2015 from neuroendocrine cancer.

Calista Flockhart (2002-now)

Harrison met his current wife, Ally McBeal star Calista Flockhart in 2002, at the 59th annual Golden Globe awards.

When they met, Harrison was 59 and Calista was 37, and the age gap between the couple was the subject of many headlines after the pair’s romance was revealed later that year.

In 2003, Calista opened up about the topic during an interview with Hello! magazine, saying: “It doesn’t faze me. Sometimes I even say, ‘Wow, I keep forgetting that he’s 22 years older than me.’

“It doesn’t factor into our relationship at all,” she continued. “I like the way he looks first thing in the morning. It's not handsome, it’s more cute. He looks like a little boy.”

Harrison and Calista moved in together in January 2003, and got engaged six years later on Valentine’s Day, 2009.

The pair’s wedding took place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was a private affair, matching how the Hollywood couple have largely avoided the limelight during their 23 years together.

Prior to meeting Harrison, Calista Flockhart adopted a son called Liam in 2001, who Harrison would go on to formally adopt after their marriage in 2010.

The pair were co-parenting Liam and Harrison’s other children in a blended family dynamic from the early days of their relationship, however.

In 2008, the Cowboys & Aliens star told Reader’s Digest: “[Calista]’s the best [mother] in the world.

“She’s a mother by choice – she adopted Liam before we met, as a single parent, which is an awesome responsibility to take.

“She’s devoted herself to Liam and has done a really wonderful job raising him. I’m happy to now have a part of the job.”

Over the years, the pair have most regularly stepped into the spotlight together to celebrate film and TV show premieres.

In 2023, while at the world premiere of Harrison’s fifth and final outing as Indy in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the actor paid tribute to his wife’s support for his career over the years.

“My life has been enabled by my lovely wife, who has supported my passions and my dreams and I’m grateful,” he gushed during a speech at the exclusive event.

“You’ve given my life purpose and meaning and I’m grateful for that, so grateful,” he added.