Stars who stand out for their passion for wood

We spoke at one point about Brad Pitt's passion for wood, furniture, design and architecture. This passion has materialized into a collection with furniture maker Frank Pollaro. I thought I'd see if there were any other celebrities with such passions. What I found delighted me. Not only are they passionate about wood, but they also love working with it. Here are a few examples.

Harrison Ford, the fearless Indiana Jones

Harrison Ford, the 73-year-old actor who had the courage to reprise his role as Han Solo in Star Wars, the heartbreaker in Hanover Street, the fearless adventurer in Indiana Jones, had a tough time before he became a big star. In order to pay the bills, he had to return to his old passion of furniture making. And it was just as well because The Doors hired him to set up their stage on tour. During the same period he also worked on some furniture for George Lucas, the director he would later collaborate with on Star Wars.

William H Macy

William H Macy is another wood enthusiast. The actor in Fargo, Jurassic Park III, Sahara and many other blockbuster movies discovered his passion for woodturning after becoming a star. And the passion was so great that Macy has "held" the cover of Woodturning Basics Magazine, even having filmed presentations. He says he discovered his passion while filming Fargo.

Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln

In his youth, Daniel Day-Lewis wanted to be a furniture maker. The Oscar winner for his roles in My Left Foot (1989), There Will Be Blood (2007) and Lincoln (2012), he studied the craft in school and even applied for a 5-year apprenticeship, but was rejected. The passion has remained and manifested itself throughout his life, even working alongside the crew to make a canoe while filming The Last Mohican.

Mark Harmon, Special Agent Jethro Gibbs from NCIS

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs from the cop show NCIS, played by actor Mark Harmon, is passionate about making wooden boats. Anyone who watches the show knows that the workshop where Gibbs works is well-equipped with all sorts of woodworking tools. The passion with which Harmon works on the boat makes you think it's not just an act. And it is.

Harmon discovered his passion while working a summer job in high school. He happened to tell the show's producers that he helped a neighbor make a biplane out of wood in a garage, and immediately his character picked up the skills. Hammon says he doesn't know much about boats and that there's a big difference between making airplanes and making furniture, but in the end it's all about his passion for wood. The actor's two boys share the same passion, having been familiar with specific woodworking tools since they were young.

Tom Selleck, the famous Magnum private detective

Tom Selleck, the private detective from the Magnum series, P.I., also known from the Three Man and a Baby movie series and the cop show Jesse Stone, admitted in an interview with Jon Steward, also a woodworking enthusiast, that he has a passion for wood. Selleck says that working in the studio reduces his daily stress and that when he's done with his artistic endeavors, he will retire to the studio to pursue his passion.

Clearly, we're in a very select entourage 😊. And I only mentioned movie stars. But there are also presidents among the passionate. Jimmy Carter's passion for building wooden houses is already well known. But that's a subject for another time.