Earnings
Instead of a salary, Tom Hanks agreed to a portion of the film’s earnings. Considering that the movie took in more than 677 million dollars, this turned out to be a brilliant move for Hanks. Tom Hanks won his second Best Actor Academy Award for his performance in the film, becoming only the second actor to win the award for two consecutive years. He previously won the award for his performance in Philadelphia.
The film’s director, Robert Zemeckis, also saw great success, and to date, Forrest Gump remains his highest-grossing film. Even when compared with his other films like Back to the Future and Castaway.
Tricks
That Ping-Pong scene? You probably didn’t notice that this was one of the many brilliant sneaky tricks in the movie. Computers were used to create the ball being hit back and forth in the scene, as well as many other illusions in the film. In reality, Hanks and his opponent were just hitting the air. It was one of the most iconic scenes in the film, as we got to witness Forrest gaining fame in his army years.
Like the rest of the movie, the scene also had some historical significance, as “ping-pong diplomacy” was really a part of former President Nixon’s plan to ease tensions with China. When Forrest first learns to play ping-pong in the hospital, he is told that the trick is to “keep his eye on the ball” by another soldier. After that moment, whenever he plays ping-pong, he never blinks.
The Lead Role
A few well-known actors turned down the role of Forrest Gump. Tom Hanks was given the role after John Travolta, Bill Murray and Chevy Chase did not accept, and they definitely had regrets about it later on. John Travolta turned down the role in order to film Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece Pulp Fiction, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
While Chase might be still kicking himself, Travolta certainly made the right decision. The film revived his career, put him back on the A-list, and subsequently landed him roles in other films. Still, Forrest Gump dominated the 67th Academy Awards and Travolta surely had his regrets. Who doesn't love Pulp Fiction though?
Sally Field
Sally Field, who you may remember as Forrest Gump’s mother, was actually only 10 years older than Tom Hanks at the time, despite their seemingly physical age difference. That's the magic of a grey wig and some skillfully applied makeup. In fact, just a few years prior to Forrest Gump, Sally Field, and Tom Hanks starred in the 1988 film Punchline, where Sally acted as Hanks’ love interest.
We wonder what poor Sally must have thought when she was called to reunite with her former on-screen love interest. We suppose it makes sense, seeing as Field is the mother throughout the film, starting from when Gump was just a young boy all the way to him being a full-grown man.
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks was cast in the film instead of Chevy Chase. Hanks embodied Gump’s character perfectly and it’s a good thing for the film’s sake that he was cast. Hanks was not only awarded by being cast in an award-winning film, but it also opened the door for him to become a dramatic actor. The role was a significant turning point for Hanks, to say the least.
While Tom Hanks was already pretty big at the time of the film, his career skyrocketed after that. The actor went on to nab up roles in pretty much everything, from heavy and action-packed dramas like the Spielberg classic Saving Private Ryan to animated childhood favorites like Toy Story and even some of our most beloved rom-coms like You've Got Mail.