Tom Hanks Revealed He Questioned If 'Forrest Gump''s Iconic Opening Scene Was Necessary

Jun 30, 2022 by apost team

Tom Hanks has landed the leading role in a number of films over the span of his career. Some of his most notable films include “Sleepless In Seattle,” “Apollo 13,” “Philadelphia,” “Forrest Gump” and the “Toy Story” franchise. Hanks has shown his wide range as an actor over his four decades in the film industry as he has played a variety of characters and showcased just how capable and adaptable he can be. Along with this, Hanks has also proven himself as a producer, screenwriter and director for a plethora of films and television shows.

Hanks’ impressive career has made him a favorite with both fans and critics, as he has won a litany of awards and accolades, and he is easily one of the most beloved actors in the industry today. Many people have even dubbed him "America’s dad." Getting his start during the 1980s, Hanks first struggled with making a name for himself and landing roles that led to success. He slowly worked his way up the ladder in Hollywood, and by the time the 1990s rolled around, Hanks had established himself as a reliable and dedicated actor.

In 1994, he landed the leading role in one of the most iconic films in his repertoire, “Forrest Gump.” Hanks was easily the shining star of the dramatic movie and really showcased his acting abilities. The film was received well by fans and critics at the time and even went on to win several Academy Awards, including the award for Best Picture.

However, many people were shocked to hear that some of the famous scenes from the movie almost didn’t make it to the big screen. 

Hanks has been recognized as a lovable star for many decades. He and his wife Rita Wilson are a well-known power couple in Hollywood and their lasting marriage has always appeared rock solid. A fixture in the entertainment industry for decades, they're not only known for their individual work as successful actors and filmmakers, but for their wonderful love story that really does appear as if it's straight out of a Hollywood movie.

Over the years, they’ve opened up in the past about what makes their long-running marriage work. When she appeared on Kelly Clarkson's daytime talk show in April 2020, Wilson revealed that Tom's talkative character was "one of the things, when we met, that we just got along instantly," as reported by People. She continued:

"First of all, I love a good storyteller. So anybody who could tell a good story, I'm down with that ... I love that. He makes me laugh all the time. He's a great storyteller."

On top of that, Hanks is known for being an outstanding actor. Following his newfound fame from “Sleepless In Seattle” and “Philadelphia” in 1993, Hanks landed one of his best roles when he was cast as the lead in the 1994 movie “Forrest Gump.” 

Hanks has plenty of fond memories from his time filming the movie, from paying for the iconic running scene after the production company refused to put down the money itself, to shooting the bus stop scene. Although at first, Hanks said he didn’t think anyone would “care” about the dialogue in the scene, he has since realized just how critical it was for the film, according to the New York Times Magazine.

apost.com

While on the ReelBlend Podcast in 2022, Hanks revealed that not all the scenes were planned and produced. 

“I will tell you, in ‘Forrest Gump,’ all the stuff that we shot on the park bench in Savannah, Georgia … we were just shooting fodder for a possible narrative piece of it,” he said. 

“And I said to Bob (Zemeckis), ‘Is anyone going to care about this nut sitting on a (bench)? What is this? No one knows what’s in this thing I mean,’” Hanks remembered. The award-winning actor admitted that they had to use cue cards while filming the iconic scene at the beginning. 

“We ended up shooting, it was probably like, you know, 13 pages of dialogue that we had to shoot in a day and a half,” he said.“It was written on cue cards … I didn’t need the cue cards after a while because you get into it,” he added. Over the years the star has realized that the scene was needed to help make the movie as iconic as it is. For Hanks, being an actor is all about authenticity. He said:

“You know, I was not an overnight sensation. I had been in movies for a long time until I had enough opportunities and experience to realize that I don’t have to say yes to everything just because they’re offering me the gig.”

He added:

“But if you look at anybody’s career, there’s hits and misses. There’s movies that simply don’t work, and if something not working is debilitating to you, you’re toast.”

Do you think “Forrest Gump” would have been as amazing without the park bench scene? If you love this movie and Tom Hanks— make sure to send this to other fans too!