Since the movie Forrest Gump first hit theaters, a child was born, grew up, and graduated with a Ph.D. It’s been 23 years since the world fell in love with the character Tom Hanks brought to life on the silver screen. To celebrate every one of those years, let’s look at 23 secrets you may have missed.
Tom Hanks Wasn’t First Pick
It’s normal for producers to attach various actors to a film leading up to the actual filming of the movie. For the role of Gump, John Travolta, Chevy Chase, and Bill Murray all had their chance to be Forrest but passed. This is a normal part of the process, although sometimes actors regret passing on a role. These three weren’t the only ones on Gump, but we’ll come back to that.
A New Tom
Had Chevy Chase taken the role, it would have been a completely different movie. His career may have gone a different direction too. As such, that opportunity went to Tom Hanks. For Hanks, the opportunity to play Gump afforded him the transition to more dramatic roles as an actor. It only helped his opportunities as he did so well in the role.