One of the reasons I love Shrinking is that it feels like I’m hanging out with one big chosen family who adore each other dearly. It turns out, the cast seems to feel that way about each other in real life, too. While many of them have spoken about how much they love their co-stars, the story I want to focus on here has to do with Jessica Williams giving Harrison Ford the sweetest gift that reminds me a lot of the time Gaby gave Paul a water bottle.
Ahead of Shrinking’s Season 3 premiere on the 2026 TV schedule, I had the chance to chat with the cast about what’s to come and what it’s like working on this series. During my interview with Jessica Williams, we spoke specifically about her character Gaby’s relationship with Paul (Harrison Ford) a lot. So, when I asked about her own relationship with the Indiana Jones actor, she recalled an adorable story about the time she gifted him a book of crossword puzzles:
Yeah, I've got a little cool thing. He likes doing the crosswords, and I love doing the New York Times crosswords. And I gifted him a book of Mondays. So there's compilations of the easy crosswords, and I got him the Mondays, because we both like the easy crosswords. So I got him a New York Times Monday compilation, and he did not know that was a thing, and he really liked it.
Well, that’s such a cute and thoughtful gift! I also adore the fact that it’s specifically the Mondays. The New York Times’ Crosswords do get harder with every day of the week, and I think it’s sweet that both Ford and Williams bonded over the fact that they like the “easy crosswords” the most. Honestly, same.
Now, this story gets better. While the Booksmart actress was waiting for this gift to come in, she was getting so excited that she just wanted to tell the 1923 star about it. However, he wouldn’t let her, as she told me:
The other funny thing was, I was so excited that I got him that, I was like, ‘Can I tell you the gift I got you?’ Because I was like, waiting for it to be delivered. I was like, ‘Can I tell you?’ And he was like, ‘No, no, don't tell me.’ So he, like, still played into it. It was like, ‘No, I want to be surprised,’ which was really nice.
Over the course of Shrinking’s run, it’s become very clear that Ford and Williams have a mutual admiration and love for each other. For example, when they were both nominated for Emmys last year, they texted each other adorable congratulations.
Plus, they never shy away from complimenting one another. In fact, the Star Wars actor once said that when he thinks of Williams, he thinks “of Yoda.” Meanwhile, the Incredible Jessica James star complimented Ford’s Season 2 finale performance while explaining how he supported her after the emotional moment.
This real-life connection is represented on-screen too, because Paul and Gaby support each other 100% both as friends and colleagues. Speaking to that point, and how their relationship evolves in Season 3, Jessica Williams said:
It was an honor to do. I love all the Paul and Gaby stuff this season. It's really tender. And there's such a surrogate – he has the surrogate father/mentor relationship with Jimmy and Gaby, and so it's really nice that he has to show up for her. I don't think you really see that dynamic on screen a lot. And Harrison is just one of the greatest actors of all time. And so to be able to do that in the same room with him, I'm blessed, I'm really blessed, and I love it. It was a joy to do that.
Well, I certainly can’t wait to see all this on screen! For Shrinking’s entire run, Paul and Gaby have had a very special relationship. It’s clear that Williams and Ford do too. So, yeah, I'm excited to see it grow as Season 3 airs, and I’d love for it to contain more water bottles, sing-alongs and maybe even crosswords.
To watch Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford and the cast of Shrinking in new episodes of the hit comedy, you can catch the Season 3 premiere with an Apple TV subscription on January 28. After that, episodes will air weekly on Wednesdays.
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