The Hollywood Reporter’s Comedy Actor Emmy Roundtable

Harrison Ford, Glen Powell, Owen Wilson, Zach Braff, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Riz Ahmed sat down for an in-depth conversation on fame, fan interactions, early career struggles, and advice for navigating success.

Fan Encounters

"You can't care or they'll see it on your face—but you've got to care before you decide to not care." — Marlon Brando’s advice, recalled by Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford recalled a fan shouting, “My mother wants to sleep with you” at an airport.

Glen Powell told a story about a woman who printed his face and ate it daily for 80 days, demanding a role.

Riz Ahmed shared that a fan chased him after claiming his signature was fake.

Zach Braff described a stranger commenting on his poor parallel parking: “You’re killing it, Braff.”

Early Career Challenges

Owen Wilson told a story about his brother Andrew Wilson climbing down a fire escape after a disastrous audition.

Ahmed noted the liberating feeling of making films when no one was watching.

Abdul-Mateen discussed evolving from self-confidence to self-doubt and back.

Advice from Ford

Ford emphasized two key lessons:

• Be useful on set and don't show off.
• Marlon Brando’s paradox: “You can't care or they'll see it on your face—but you've got to care before you decide to not care.”

Scrubs and Garden State’s Impact

Braff described instant fame in his 20s, which led to self-consciousness and difficulty following up on success.

Powell on Discipline

"Discipline is the key to my happiness." — Glen Powell

Powell shared a letter from Richard Linklater advising to separate the experience of making a movie from its release.

Anonymity and Fame

Abdul-Mateen said he assumes anonymity and maintains the ability to do what he wants.

Ahmed decided to stop hiding—removing his cap and glasses—and noted that nothing negative happened.

Memes and Fan Lines

Harrison Ford asked, “What’s a meme?”

Owen Wilson reported fans shouting “Ka-chow” from Cars.

Ford noted that autograph seekers, not fans, most often approach him.

Roles They Fought For

Braff auditioned twice for Scrubs by pretending it was his first time.

Ahmed secured his role in Nightcrawler by sending tapes to the director despite being told he wasn’t right. He used his last money to fly to Los Angeles for the screen test.

Shrinking Appeal

Ford said he enjoys the ensemble format and not knowing his character’s fate—especially now, playing a man with Parkinson’s disease.

Closing Reflections

The actors discussed the difference between public and private selves. Ahmed noted the stress of being recognized while also wanting to be seen.