Wendie Malick recently shared a charming behind-the-scenes moment from the set of Shrinking, revealing the thoughtful gestures her costar Harrison Ford has made during filming.
In an interview with PEOPLE at the season 2 premiere of the Apple TV+ series, Malick, 73, reflected on her time working alongside the legendary actor, 82. She noted that their relationship has blossomed into a sweet bond, highlighted by a special ritual they share while on set.
“He lets me ride around in his little golf cart that says ‘Cowboy’ on it,” she shared. “He always picks me up and takes me to the stage, which is very generous of him. But I have to say that he is just one of the loveliest, most generous and funny leading men I’ve ever had.”
In addition to his kindness, Malick described Ford as her personal sommelier, introducing her to exquisite wines and crafting delightful mixed drinks, including “really wonderful tequila cocktails.” Reflecting on Ford’s status as PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1998, she articulated the reasons for his enduring appeal:
“Harrison has such lasting power, and it doesn’t matter if he’s getting older and a little wrinklier and gray-haired,” she said. “It’s that little mischievous smile he has in everything he does. That little dry sense of humor is so irresistible, and he doesn’t take himself too seriously. There’s something so appealing about that.”
As the second season of Shrinking unfolds, Malick explained that she and Ford have developed a solid rapport, which has made portraying their on-screen love interests more natural.
“That pretty much happened right away, but coming back last season was really interesting because we got into my backstory, and our relationship shifted when I could no longer be his doctor,” she said, referring to her character, Dr. Julie Baram, who embarks on a romantic relationship with Ford’s Dr. Paul Rhoades after he becomes her patient following a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
“What I love about this show is it mirrors what so many of us are going through, dealing with unexpected loss and health challenges, and how you choose your family at a certain age,” she added. “It’s not so much about blood relations but rather the friends you want in your life.”
Malick is also starring in the new Hallmark+ series The Chicken Sisters, portraying Augusta “Gus” Moore, the owner of Mimi’s Fried Chicken restaurant. Speaking about her preparation for the role, which is based on a bestselling novel, she described how she added her unique spin to the character.
“They just gave me the description of her and moved it from the bestselling novel to being set in a fictional town in the South,” she explained. “When I read how the townspeople described her, they often said she was kind of a witch and a mean old so-and-so. I thought, ‘Maybe she’s like an old hippie and a hoarder.’ So I imagined her wearing overalls and men’s boots, being almost androgynous, but with long, steely gray hair. That just seemed like great fun to me.”
She humorously added, “So it was the easiest hair and makeup and wardrobe I ever had.”
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