Summary
- Harrison Ford finds it amusing that scientists keep naming animals after him, especially ones that terrify children.
- Ford embraces the irony of being associated with a snake species, given Indiana Jones' fear of snakes.
- The 81-year-old actor responds to the news with dry wit, joking about singing lullabies to his plants and being one of the few actors with three animals named after him.
Harrison Ford reacts to scientists naming another animal after him. Now 81 years old, the veteran actor is one of the most beloved of his generation. Ford began his acting career nearly six decades ago and is most known for playing Han Solo in the Star Wars franchise and the iconic titular archaeologist in the Indiana Jones series.
Scientists now name (another) animal after Ford, and the actor has a bizarre reaction. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ford noted that scientists “keep naming critters” after him, but that for some reason it is “always the ones who terrify children.”
Ford leaned into his observation about his creature namesakes. While the new creature's name is derived from something kids fear, Ford pointed out that he has a much tamer effect. Ford said he “spends [his] free time cross stitching” and is a loving plant dad by “sing[ing] lullabies to [his] basil plants, so they won’t fear the night.”
Why Do Animals Keep Being Named After Harrison Ford?
The new “critter” named after Ford is a snake that now holds the strange scientific title Tachymenoides harrisonfordi. The group of scientists who discovered the snake species claim they chose Ford’s name to honor the actor’s environmental advocacy work through Conservation International. Besides Tachymenoides harrisonfordi, Ford’s name has also inspired the nomenclature for a new species of ant, called Pheidole harrisonfordi, and a spider named Calponia harrisonfordi.
Though the snake scientists have a clear explanation for the choice, Ford is right that these are quite the selection of animals to be named after him. The newly-minted Tachymenoides harrisonfordi snake seems a particularly ironic title, given Ford’s most iconic character, Indiana Jones, has a fear of snakes. Because this is not the first animal named after Ford, it is unclear whether the scientists were just Indiana Jones fans wanting to make an inside joke, but the parallel is amusing to note nonetheless.
Ford now has not one but three animals named after him. It is amusing to see the 81-year-old actor react to this news with his characteristic dry wit, manifesting in an oddball sentence about singing sweet melodies to plants. Many actors boast Oscars and other accolades, but Ford is now one of the few that can brag about three animals taking his name.
Source: THR/Twitter
