Harrison Ford is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Shrinking, and a win on September 14 would give the 84-year-old actor his first Emmy. It would also make him the oldest winner the category has ever had.
This is Ford’s second straight Emmy nomination for playing therapist Paul Rhoades. Despite a career that includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner, and more than six decades on screen, he has never won a competitive Emmy.
What record could Harrison Ford break?
Henry Winkler currently holds the age record for this category. He was 72 when he won for Barry in 2018. Ford turned 84 on July 13, so a Shrinking win would move the record forward by 12 years.
Ford is not receiving a career-honor nomination here. Voters are judging his work as Paul, the dry, blunt therapist who is living with Parkinson’s disease while continuing to advise his patients and colleagues.
Why is Ford in the race?
Shrinking gives Ford room to be funny without asking him to play a softened version of himself. Paul can be impatient, warm, frightened, and stubborn in the same episode. Season 3 pushes his illness further into the story and lets Ford handle the fear without losing the character’s sharp humor.
Jason Segel leads the series as Jimmy, with Jessica Williams as Gaby and Christa Miller as Liz. Michael Urie, who plays Brian, is also nominated in Ford’s category. The ensemble keeps Paul connected to a larger group instead of isolating his health story from the comedy around it.
Who is Harrison Ford competing against?
The supporting comedy actor nominees are Ford, Paul W. Downs for Hacks, Nick Offerman for Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Stephen Root for Widow’s Bay, Michael Urie for Shrinking, and Tyler James Williams for Abbott Elementary.
Ford has the history-making headline, but the field is not light. Downs has one of the season’s most nominated comedies behind him, Williams has been a consistent Emmy presence, and Ford is splitting attention with a castmate from his own show.
Jean Smart can make history too
Hacks enters the ceremony with 24 nominations, the most ever for a comedy in one year. Jean Smart is chasing a fifth consecutive win for playing Deborah Vance. Another victory would bring her to eight acting Emmys, tying Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Cloris Leachman among women.
When are the 2026 Emmys?
The 2026 Emmy Awards air Monday, September 14, at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific on NBC and Peacock. Mariska Hargitay hosts. Ford’s category offers one of the night’s cleanest possible records: one win would be both his first Emmy and a new age mark for supporting comedy actors.
