Editing Forrest Gump (section)

=== Casting ===
[[John Travolta]] was the original choice to play the title role and later said that passing on the role was a mistake.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40271801|title=9 stars who turned down great film roles|last=Smith|first=Neil|date=June 16, 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=June 29, 2017|language=en-GB|archive-date=June 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629191413/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40271801|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://celebs.answers.com/movies/iconic-roles-and-the-stars-who-regret-turning-them-down?param4=fb-us-mo-gut#slide11 |title=Iconic Roles and the Stars Who Regret Turning Them Down |publisher=Celebs.Answers.com |access-date=April 1, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222152251/http://celebs.answers.com/movies/iconic-roles-and-the-stars-who-regret-turning-them-down?param4=fb-us-mo-gut |archive-date=February 22, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="JTRole">{{cite news|author=''Forbes'' staff |title=Star Misses – 4) Forrest Gump Starring ... John Travolta |url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/02/25/nicole-kidman-gwyneth-paltrow-kate-winslet-business-media_star_misses_slide_5.html?thisSpeed=30000 |work=Forbes |date=February 25, 2009 |access-date=October 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722063736/http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/25/nicole-kidman-gwyneth-paltrow-kate-winslet-business-media_star_misses_slide_5.html?thisSpeed=30000 |archive-date=July 22, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Bill Murray]], [[Chevy Chase]], and [[Matthew Broderick]] were also considered for the role.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2019/07/05/forrest-gump-movie-celebrates-25th-anniversary/1634248001/# |title=Is there a real Forrest Gump? 25 years after Tom Hanks' film, we have answers |work=USA Today |last=Alexander |first=Bryan |date=July 5, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2023}}</ref> [[Sean Penn]] had stated in an interview that he had been second choice for the role; he would later portray a character with a disability in the 2001 film ''[[I Am Sam]]''. Hanks revealed that he signed on to the film after an hour and a half of reading the script.<ref name="HankSign">{{cite news|last=Mal|first=Vincent|title=Show Some Gumption Hanks Excels in Tale of a Simple Man's Brushes with Fame|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VP&p_theme=vp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAFF785EECC284D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|format=Fee required|work=[[The Virginian-Pilot]]|date=July 6, 1994|access-date=July 1, 2009|archive-date=October 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009013256/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=VP&p_theme=vp&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAFF785EECC284D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|url-status=live}}</ref> He initially wanted to ease Forrest's pronounced Southern accent, but was eventually persuaded by director [[Robert Zemeckis]] to portray the heavy accent stressed in the novel.<ref name="HankSign" /> Hanks also said it took him three days producing unusable footage in order to learn how to play the role.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.startribune.com/no-oscar-nom-for-tom-7-of-the-best-tom-hanks-movies-to-remind-you-how-talented-he-is/600029750/|title=No Oscar nom for Tom? 7 of the best Tom Hanks movies to remind you how talented he is|last=Hewitt|first=Chris|work=[[Star Tribune]]|date=March 3, 2021|access-date=March 11, 2021|archive-date=June 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629191413/https://www.startribune.com/no-oscar-nom-for-tom-7-of-the-best-tom-hanks-movies-to-remind-you-how-talented-he-is/600029750/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Winston Groom]], who wrote the original novel, describes the film as having taken the "rough edges" off the character whom he had envisioned being played by [[John Goodman]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Grimes|first=William|title=Following the Star Of a Winsome Idiot|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/01/movies/following-the-star-of-a-winsome-idiot.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 16, 2013|date=September 1, 1994|archive-date=February 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201221457/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/01/movies/following-the-star-of-a-winsome-idiot.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, Tom's younger brother [[Jim Hanks]] is his acting double in the movie for the scenes whenever Forrest was running.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://nypost.com/2014/09/05/secrets-behind-the-infamous-forrest-gump-running-scene/| title= Secrets behind the infamous 'Forrest Gump' running scene| date= September 5, 2014| access-date= August 2, 2022| archive-date= August 2, 2022| archive-url= 
https://web.archive.org/web/20220802201731/https://nypost.com/2014/09/05/secrets-behind-the-infamous-forrest-gump-running-scene/amp/| url-status= 
live|work=The New York Post}}</ref> Tom's daughter Elizabeth Hanks appears in the movie as the girl on the school bus who refuses to let young Forrest sit next to her.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stark|first=Chandler|url=
https://www.looper.com/960822/small-details-you-missed-in-forrest-gump/| title= Small Details You Missed In Forrest Gump|date=September 5, 2014| access-date=July 6, 2024|work=Looper}}</ref> [[Joe Pesci]] and [[Kevin Bacon]] were considered for the role of Lieutenant Dan Taylor, which was eventually given to [[Gary Sinise]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/photos/28395/25-facts-about-forrest-gump|title=25 Facts About Forrest Gump|access-date=August 2, 2022|archive-date=August 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802202242/https://www.eonline.com/photos/28395/25-facts-about-forrest-gump|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kevin-bacon-forrest-gump_n_3732424 |title=Kevin Bacon Turned Down Role Of Lt. Dan In 'Forrest Gump' |work=The Huffington Post |date=August 9, 2013 |access-date=September 3, 2024}}</ref> Sinise drew inspiration from the struggles that Vietnam veterans, some on his wife's side of his family, were going through when returning from serving in Vietnam.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottking/2021/03/01/why-serving-honoring-veterans-became-gary-sinises-lifelong-mission/ | title=Why Serving, Honoring Veterans Became Gary Sinise's "Lifelong Mission" | website=[[Forbes]] }}</ref> [[David Alan Grier]], [[Ice Cube]] and [[Dave Chappelle]] were offered the role of Benjamin Buford Blue, but all three turned it down.<ref name="BMRole">{{cite news|last=Wiser|first=Paige|title=Might-have-beens who (thankfully) weren't: The wacky world of Hollywood's strangest casting calls|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1161512A55EF6310&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|format=Fee required|work=Chicago Sun-Times|date=December 17, 2006|access-date=July 1, 2009|archive-date=October 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009052703/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1161512A55EF6310&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CubeGrierBubba">{{cite news |last=Boucher |first=Geoff |title=On the Trail of a Hollywood Hyphenate; Rapper/Actor/Writer/Producer/Director. Is There Room For Anything Else on Ice Cube's Resume? |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-mar-26-tm-12661-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 26, 2000 |access-date=October 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108044726/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/mar/26/magazine/tm-12661 |archive-date=January 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Chappelle, who said he believed the film would be unsuccessful, has been reported as saying that he regrets not taking the role. Hanks was aware of Chappelle's disappointment in missing out on the part and agreed to work with him in a future movie, which ended up being ''[[You've Got Mail]]''.<ref name="BMRole" /> Rapper [[Tupac Shakur]] also auditioned.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/tupac-shakur-auditioned-for-an-iconic-movie-role-that-went-to-tom-hanks.html/ | title=Tupac Shakur Auditioned for an Iconic Movie Role That Went to Tom Hanks | date=July 28, 2021 | access-date=October 27, 2022 | archive-date=October 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221027070449/https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/tupac-shakur-auditioned-for-an-iconic-movie-role-that-went-to-tom-hanks.html/ | url-status=live }}</ref>