Harrison Ford was spotted for the first time without his cast or crutch last week boarding his private helicopter, the New York Daily News reports. Ford was injured last month while filming a scene for J.J. Abrams' "Star Wars: Episode VII," where he is reprising his role as Han Solo.
The 72-year-old actor, who is a licensed pilot, was photographed walking in Santa Monica wearing a bandage wrapped around his ankle. This could be the first sign that Ford is almost ready to return to work on the highly-anticipated film.
Since injuring his leg, Ford has not been on set and was said to be undergoing rehab to help speed his recovery. Abrams had to rearrange the production schedule for "Star Wars" to make up for Ford's absence.
Earlier this month, Disney announced that the film would be taking a two-week break in August while the actor recovered.
"In August, the team will take a brief two-week hiatus while adjustments to the current production schedule are made as actor Harrison Ford recovers from a leg injury. Harrison is doing well and is looking forward to returning to the set soon. Shooting remains on track to wrap in the fall with the film scheduled for release on December 18, 2015," the statement read.
On June 12, Ford was hurt at Britain's Pinewood Studios when a hydraulic door from his character's spaceship, the Millennium Falcon, reportedly fell on his leg. He was immediately taken to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for leg surgery.
A few weeks ago Ford was photographed boarding a plane with his wife and son wearing an IWalk hands-free crutch that acts as a prosthetic leg and keeps his knee bent and foot elevated. According to reports, the plot for "Star Wars: Episode VII" will take place three decades after the events in "Return of the Jedi," which was released in 1983.
