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Hollywood icon Harrison Ford will not be presenting at the 97th Academy Awards after being diagnosed with shingles. The actor, who was set to be one of the presenters at the prestigious ceremony on Sunday, March 2, withdrew from the event on Saturday morning following his diagnosis. According to Entertainment Weekly, Ford received the news on Friday and is currently resting.
What is Shingles?
Shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. The Mayo Clinic describes it as a painful condition that leads to a rash, often appearing as a stripe of blisters on the body. Despite the discomfort caused by the illness, Ford is reportedly doing well and focusing on recovery.
Ford’s Recent Appearances
Before his diagnosis, Ford had been active in public events. Earlier in the month, he attended the Captain America: Brave New World event and also made an appearance at the 1923 season two premiere in Los Angeles.
At the red carpet event for 1923, Ford shared his passion for working on the Western series. “I love the viscerality of it, I love the physical nature of the storytelling, I love being in natural circumstances,” he said.
He also expressed his admiration for the show’s traditional filmmaking approach. “[It’s] a kind of old-fashioned movie-making mostly, no CGI or very little CGI, a little something to sweeten the location. But it’s really essential, old-time storytelling and I love working with this kind of material.”
A Memorable SAG Awards Moment
Just last weekend, Ford made headlines with his appearance at the 2025 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. During the Netflix broadcast, he had a fun moment on stage when he playfully interrupted his Shrinking co-star Jessica Williams while she was delivering her introduction. His lighthearted gesture delighted fans and showcased his signature humor.
Star-Studded Oscars Presenter Lineup
Ford was officially announced as one of the presenters for the Oscars on Wednesday, joining a lineup of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Some of the notable names scheduled to present awards include Dave Bautista, Gal Gadot, Andrew Garfield, Samuel L. Jackson, Margaret Qualley, Alba Rohrwacher, Rachel Zegler, and Best Supporting Actress nominee Zoe Saldaña.
Other confirmed presenters for the night include Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr., Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Whoopi Goldberg, Penélope Cruz, Halle Berry, Goldie Hawn, Oprah Winfrey, Selena Gomez, Ben Stiller, Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, Joe Alwyn, Ana de Armas, Connie Nielsen, and Lily-Rose Depp.
