James Marsden Got Involved in Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart’s Relationship in the Best Way

There are certain celebrity romances that have worked for so well for so long that they largely fly under the radar. This is the case with the steadfast love between Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford.

Despite the 22-year age difference, and Ford’s questionable marriage history, the two have been going strong since they first met in 2002. James Marsden is partially to thank for their initial success in courtship, at least if he does say so himself.

James Marsden was the third wheel on Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford’s first date

In a recent interview with James Corden, James Marsden reminisced on his time working with Flockhart during the last season of her hit show, Ally McBeal. He said the two were close for a time and it was because of this that she used his help as wingman when she was first interested in Ford. 

“I was the harbinger of a wonderful long relationship,” he joked, “I take the credit for that. Really, thank God I was there.”

The story goes that during the 2002 Golden Globes, Flockhart “accidentally” spilled her drink on Ford as a ploy to meet him. He was accepting the lifetime achievement award that year and she was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her role as Ally McBeal.

When Ford subsequently asked Flockhart out, she urged Marsden, her costar at the time, to come along and it became a group outing along with a few others.

In an interview with Playboy magazine, Marsden explained what happened when they ended up at Ford’s house after dinner for drinks: “He was giggly and goofy around her but pretty aloof with the rest of us. I kept thinking, ‘We should leave the two of them alone,’ but Calista was like, ‘Don’t leave, don’t leave…'”

Eventually, Marsden did leave, and according to his chat with Corden, he never was thanked by Ford, nor does he even think Ford remembers who he is.

Harrison Ford had been married twice before

Ford was already 60 and had been married twice by the time he met Flockhart. He was married to his first wife, Mary Marquardt from 1964 to 1979 and the couple had two sons, Ben and Willard.

Thanks to Carrie Fisher’s 2017 memoir, it’s since been revealed that they had a three-month-long affair while filming Star Wars in 1977. Ford is very private about his personal life and didn’t comment on the revelation much further than saying it was “strange” for him.

Ford’s second marriage was to screenwriter Melissa Mathison and lasted from 1983-2001. They had two children together as well, Malcolm and Georgia.

Flockhart had a few high-profile dating rumors before she met Ford, which included Ally McBeal creator David E. Kelley, but at 38, she hadn’t yet been married. She did, however, have one son, Liam, that she had adopted on her own before meeting Ford.

Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart are still very much in love

The couple has been married since 2010 and has enjoyed over a decade now of marital bliss. Ford took up fatherhood once again with Liam and is now also a grandfather of four.

Flockhart said in a rare interview: “Harrison is a wonderful parent. He’s funny, and warm, and loving.”

And their age difference? Flockhart says: “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.”

Ford, like his character Han Solo, loves to fly and Flockhart is supportive, even after a harrowing, near-death incident: “My wife, who is a wonderful lady, understands my passion for aviation, she understands what it means to me and flies with me to this day.”

Here’s to even more happy years in the air and on land for the couple and their family, and a tip of the hat to Marsden for his little piece of the puzzle.