Tom Hanks, the star of the iconic 1994 film “Forrest Gump,” admitted during the New Yorker Live event that he had doubts about the movie’s potential success. Hanks confessed that he once asked director Robert Zemeckis if anyone would care about the film, which featured a man sitting on a bench in a peculiar outfit with a suitcase full of Curious George books. Hanks expressed his concerns about the film’s potential to make sense to anyone.
Zemeckis’ response to Hanks was that the movie was a “minefield.” He said that they could be sowing the seeds of their own destruction and any footstep they took could be a bouncing Betty that would blow their nuts off. Fortunately, their fears were unwarranted. The film was a huge success, and Hanks received the Best Actor Academy Award, while Zemeckis won Best Director and the movie was voted Best Picture. The film also grossed over $1 billion worldwide.
Filmmaking is a leap of faith
Hanks praised Zemeckis for landing on the absolute truth that anyone who commits to a film project never knows how it will turn out. Filmmaking requires faith, and the end result is never guaranteed. Hanks added that Zemeckis had a remarkable ability to take a risk and succeed in the end.
In conclusion, Tom Hanks shared his initial doubts about the success of “Forrest Gump,” which went on to become one of the most beloved films of all time. The film’s success serves as a reminder that filmmaking requires faith and that the end result is never guaranteed.
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