Tom Hanks signed onto the film after reading it for only an hour and a half. The film’s producer Steve Starkey said: “We sent the script to Tom Hanks because he was the only one who could play it … About an hour and a half, after he started reading it, Tom called and said, “I’m in.” From that point on, we knew we could get the movie made.”
When you know, you know. Hanks has yet to pick the wrong role throughout his entire career. Either that means has great instincts about what is the right part for him, or he can play just absolutely anything under the sun.
Jenny’s Last Name
Jenny was never addressed by her last name, however, she still had one in the film. If you pay close attention, you can definitely catch it, and the name is Curran. Even though it never mentioned in the film, you can see it on the back of the envelope that Forrest mailed to her while he was in Vietnam.
It's also written on her mailbox when in her childhood home. And lastly, you will see the name written on the letters that are delivered to him in the hospital. She may have never said her full name as much as Gump, but she sure does have one!
Tom Hank’s Accent Inspiration
Director Robert Zemeckis had difficulty finding Forrest Gump’s accent, but when they heard the young actor who played Forrest as a child (Michael Conner Humphrey,)they loved it. This inspired Tom Hanks’ accent in the film. According to Hanks, Humphreys had a very deep Mississippi accent and pronounced words with a hard “g.”
Humphreys struggled to make his accent sound like Hanks’, so Hanks decided he would try to speak more like the young boy. Hank has shared that he has hours of cassettes of himself talking with Humphreys. That's commitment.
Historical Precision Clause
Hanks agreed to star in the film as long as historical events were as accurate as possible. The film touches upon a turbulent period in U.S history and includes many real-life events that occurred throughout the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Events such as the Vietnam rally, the ping pong scene, the Black Panther Party, the Watergate Scandal, and many others.
Also included were appearances by many famous figures such as Elvis and President JFK. This makes sense, as Hanks is a known history buff, which is why he has also frequently collaborated with fellow history nerd, director Steven Spielberg on numerous grand projects involving World War II (Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers.)
Emotional Scenes
The film is quite the tearjerker and apparently, Tom Hanks often became emotional while playing the role of Forrest. The actor even admitted to crying during the scene where LT Dan, with his titanium legs, first introduces Forrest to his wife. You can't really blame the guy. The film is an epic journey filled with just about every human emotion.
Even producer Wendy Finerman remarked on it. In an interview, she said "I don't want to sound like a bad version of 'the child within'. But the childlike innocence of Forrest Gump is what we all once had. It's an emotional journey. You laugh and cry. It does what movies are supposed to do: make you feel alive."