Every Indiana Jones Actor Who Portrayed The Iconic Action Hero
Whenever the slow staccato trumpets of John Williams' triumphant theme for Indiana Jones crescendos from the screen, audiences know they're in for an unparalleled action-packed adventure. Indiana Jones, the studied archeologist with a knack for kicking butt, has become the heroic archetype of historical globe-trotting explorers. Equal parts intelligent and daring, Indiana Jones is a character who people both want to be and want to be with. Kitted out in his fedora, leather jacket and whip, Indiana cuts a dashing figure while he saves the day, and ancient artifacts, from villainous ne'er-do-wells.
Indiana Jones has been delighting audiences for decades and while Harrison Ford's portrayal of the character might be the most recognized, other actors have depicted Indy on both big screen and small. Taking on a character of such pop-culture magnitude is no small feat, but plenty of folks have given it a shot. Let's swing into action and take a look at every actor who has portrayed the iconic action hero.
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford, the original Indiana Jones, first appeared in 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and he hasn't stopped since. After "Raiders," Ford appeared in three more Jones adventures, "Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom," "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," and he'll revisit the character again in 2023's "Indiana Jones 5." And to think that Indiana Jones creator George Lucas and director Steve Spielberg initially cast mustachioed Tom Selleck for the part. Good thing Selleck was too busy racing around Hawaiʻi in a red Ferrari on "Magnum P.I." Ford told Vanity Fair he knew Indiana Jones was meant to be a series, and that there was enough information available to him to portray Indy for a number of films.
Indiana Jones is just one of the iconic characters Harrison Ford has played in his illustrious career. Of course, Ford played another George Lucas-created swaggering hot-shot character, Han Solo in the "Star Wars" film series. He also starred as Rick Deckard in the dystopian sci-fi classics "Blade Runner" and its sequel "Blade Runner 2049," wrongly-accused Dr. Richard Kimble in "The Fugitive," and butt-kicking United States President James Marshall in "Air Force One." A versatile tinseltown player, Ford is ranked by Statista as one of the highest-grossing leading actors of all time in the United States. Not too shabby of a film career for a former "carpenter to the stars."
River Phoenix
River Phoenix plays a young Indiana Jones in the third film of the franchise, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." Boy Scout Indy takes on a gang of grave robbers bent on stealing a golden crucifix for a mysterious benefactor. Racing through the rugged Utah landscape, Indy does his best to thwart the thieves, but his efforts prove unsuccessful. However, he learns how to use a whip, something that comes in handy later in life. While they never share a scene together in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," Phoenix's brief appearance in the movie wasn't his first time crossing paths with Harrison Ford. He played Ford's son in the 1986 movie "The Mosquito Coast" and Harrison Ford was key in casting River Phoenix as young Indy.
By the time Phoenix played Indiana Jones, he was already one of Hollywood's most-promising young stars. He starred in the 1986 coming-of-age classic "Stand By Me," and as a 17-year-old, he delivered an Oscar-nominated performance in the drama "Running On Empty." After "Last Crusade," Phoenix starred in the influential indie film "My Own Private Idaho" and more Hollywood fare like "Sneakers." Tragically, Phoenix died in 1993 at age 23 from a drug overdose (via The Guardian). At the time of Phoenix's death, Ford told The New York Times "He played my son once, and I came to love him like a son, and was proud to watch him grow into a man of such talent and integrity and compassion."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
George Hall
Veteran stage actor George Hall played the elderly Indiana Jones in "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles." Craggy Jones, decked out in an eyepatch and bowtie, shuffles his way through modernity armed with stories from his youth, something he'll share with anyone who has time to spare. Episodes of "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" are framed by old Indy's memories and he serves as narrator for the adventures. Perhaps having such a romantic figure as Indiana Jones dealing with routine medical checkups didn't resonate with audiences. Old Indy was eventually edited out of the series when creator George Lucas re-cut it as "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones" (per Entertainment Weekly).
Playing Indiana Jones came late in Hall's decades-long acting career. He trained at the famed Neighborhood Playhouse School and worked in vaudeville before hitting the Broadway stage in the 1940s. After playing Indiana Jones, Hall appeared on the AMC series "Remember WENN" depicting bumbling radio station handyman Tom Eldridge. Hall died in 2002 at the age of 85, performing on stage just weeks before his death (via The New York Times).
Sean Patrick Flanery
Sean Patrick Flanery played a young Indiana Jones in the '90s television series "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" and several Indiana Jones made-for-TV movies. Indiana Jones creator George Lucas hatched the idea for a prequel series as a way to answer curiosities about the character (via YouTube). Lucas cast Flanery as the young adventurer because he embodied the youthful and enthusiastic innocence that Lucas was looking for. And while The New York Times reports Lucas intended "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" to educate as much as entertain, there's still plenty of action and adventure to be had. Flanery, a former autocross racer and triathlete, readily tackled the physically demanding role of young Indy, telling the SciFi Channel he performed most of his own stunts.
Playing Indiana Jones kicked off Flanery's Hollywood career, which quickly moved into lead-role status for 1995's fantasy drama "Powder." He made a name for himself as a gritty action star, most notably as a main player in the cult classic film "The Boondock Saints" and its sequel "The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day." In TV, Flanery has shown up on shows like "The Young and the Restless," "Dexter," and "The Dead Zone." As for returning to Indiana Jones, Flanery wouldn't turn down the opportunity, but he told popculture with a laugh in 2021, "Man, I can probably count on one hand the amount of people that wouldn't want to do something that George Lucas originated."
Corey Carrier
Corey Carrier played a youthful Indiana Jones in "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicle," depicting Indy as a precocious, globe-trotting nine-year-old. Under the supervision of his parents, Henry Jones, Sr. (Lloyd Owen) and Anna Jones (Ruth de Sosa), while decked out in short pants and pith helmet, Carrier's version of young Indy takes in the wonders of the world and gets into a little trouble along the way. Even young Indy didn't want to be locked away in the classroom for too long and his formative experiences give context for the iconic adult version of Indiana Jones we've all grown to love.
Carrier maintained an active acting career in the '90s, including roles as a young Richard Nixon in director Oliver Stone's 1995 film "Nixon" and Pinocchio's mischievous chum Lampwich in "The Adventures of Pinocchio." Since then, Carrier has been living life off-screen. He keeps an active social media presence, both on Instagram and on Twitter. Based on his posts, he's a fan of his cats, family, and basketball.
Neil Boulane
Even baby Indiana Jones got himself into a fair share of mischief and Neil Boulane depicted just that in "The Indiana Jones Chronicles." Only credited for one episode, baby Henry Jones, Jr. is introduced to his adorable puppy Indiana while in the crib. Precocious from the get-go, Henry and Indiana have the beginnings of a beautiful friendship. Little Henry grows up after several scenes, ready to take on more mature, childhood adventures. Albeit brief, Boulane's performance depicts a context for an important part of Indiana Jones lore. Yes, Henry Jones, Jr. prefers his canine-inspired moniker thoroughly into middle age.
Boulane only has one other acting credit to his name, playing Jesus baby in 1995's "Marie de Nazareth." Currently, his whereabouts are not publicly known. Perhaps not everyone is cut out for the actor's life, but Boulane's brief stint in front of the camera is a small, but important part of the Indiana Jones legacy.
Chris Strompolos
Chris Strompolos' depiction of Indiana Jones might not be in the official canon, but his tribute movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation" has become a legendary feat of film fandom. As a 10-year-old living in Gulfport, Mississippi, Strompolos and his friend dedicated much of their childhood to remaking "Raiders of the Lost Ark" scene-for-scene, something which Vanity Fair reports took seven years to complete. Youthful Strompolos plays Indiana Jones in "The Adaptation" and because production on the project occurred during the throes of puberty, the look of Indy is all over the place. As to why Strompolos made the project, he told The New York Times, "I just wanted to be Indiana Jones," adding, "I wanted to see what it would be like to be so self-sufficient and get in and out of trouble."
In the years after its 1989 completion, "Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation" garnered a cult following. Eventually, the movie found its way to director Eli Roth, who passed it along to geek tastemaker Harry Knowles, whose screenings of "The Adaptation" made the little fan-film a bonafide underground hit. And adding an extra meta layer to the story, the 2016 documentary "Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made," is essentially a fan-film about the making of "The Adaptation." These days, Strompolos has traded in his Indy fedora and whip for a computer, with his LinkedIn showing he works in the animation and visual FX field.
Tony Cox
Tony Cox plays Indiana Jones in 2008's Hollywood spoof "Disaster Movie," joining a long tradition of pop culture parodies of the iconic action-adventure hero. According to TV Tropes, elements of the "Raiders of the Lost Parody" trope have become ubiquitous in film and television. This is somewhat ironic considering the Indiana Jones film franchise itself takes tropes from old movie serials of the 1930s and 1940s, and is an homage to movies like "Spy Smasher" and "Tailspin Tommy" (via The Washington Post). Cox's portrayal of Jones fits right in the Indiana Jones parody cannon. He takes Indy in a raunchy direction, but it definitely suits the vibe of "Disaster Movie." However, best not to look to "Disaster Movie" as a gold-standard of Indiana Jones homages (or any cinematic tributes for that matter), as the film scores a paltry 1% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.
Don't let Cox's appearance in such a universally panned movie deter from his acting talents. With film credits dating back to 1980, he's scored parts in some seriously iconic movies from the decade, including "Spaceballs," "Willow," and "Beetlejuice." He's also had comedic roles in laughers like "Me, Myself & Irene" co-starring comedy titan Jim Carrey and he acted alongside Billy Bob Thorton in the hilariously cantankerous holiday classic "Bad Santa" and its sequel "Bad Santa 2."