Editing Saving Private Ryan (section)

=== Casting ===
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| footer            = [[Matt Damon]] (pictured in 2014) and [[Adam Goldberg]] (2015)
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| alt1              = A photograph of Matt Damon
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| alt2              = A photograph of Adam Goldberg
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Spielberg wanted older actors for his main cast, claiming that young soldiers would look older than their age under the stresses of war.<ref name="Privatespielberg"/> Miller is the "adult in the story," intended to project a calmness and feeling of safety that is undermined by the character's uncontrollable handshaking.<ref name="LATimes2018Spielberg"/> Spielberg wanted Hanks to play Miller because he was the only actor he thought of who would not "want to use his teeth to pull out a pin from a hand grenade".<ref name="Privatespielberg"/> Hanks formed Miller's character based on the history of the 2nd Ranger Battalion before Omaha Beach, saying he believed Miller was "horribly afraid" of getting more of his men killed.<ref name="LATimes2018Spielberg"/> [[Mel Gibson]] and [[Harrison Ford]] were considered for the role.<ref name="JoeIEFacts"/> Miller's detachment is a diverse group, including a Jew and Italian, reminiscent of earlier WWII films; this was not a deliberate choice, although Spielberg believed he had subconsciously drawn on conventional WWII films.{{sfn|Schickel|2012|p=187}} Burns described Reiben as a "wise guy" in the script, but the experience of filming the Omaha Beach landing inspired him to give the character a "much harder edge".<ref name="NYTimesTrue"/> Sizemore was cast in ''[[The Thin Red Line (1998 film)|The Thin Red Line]]'' (1998) when Spielberg offered him an alternative role as Horvath, Miller's friend, and confidant.<ref name="LATimes2018Spielberg"/>{{sfn|Schickel|2012|p=187}} The actor had a history of drug addiction, and Spielberg mandated that he pass regular drug tests to keep his part, or the role would be recast and his scenes re-shot.<ref name="NewsComAU"/><ref name="UproxxFacts"/> Describing his character, Sizemore said, "he was a quiet man; he was taciturn; he followed orders, and he loved the captain{{nbsp}}... if he had a tragic flaw, it was that he didn't know when he had had enough, when it was time to say, 'I can't do this anymore.'"<ref name="NYTimesSizemore"/>

Diesel was cast after Spielberg saw his self-starring directorial efforts, ''[[Multi-Facial]]'' (1995) and ''[[Strays (1997 film)|Strays]]'' (1997). The actor was working as a telemarketer at the time, having struggled to secure acting jobs.<ref name="LATimes2018Spielberg"/> Goldberg's role did not exist in the script until his casting.<ref name="LATimes2018Spielberg"/> Spielberg wanted a relatively unknown actor to portray Private Ryan. Spielberg visited the set of ''[[Good Will Hunting]]'' (1997), and [[Robin Williams]] introduced him to Damon. Spielberg cast him shortly after, believing he possessed a "great American everyboy look," unaware that ''Good Will Hunting''{{'}}s success would significantly raise Damon's profile.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="ColliderCast"/><ref name="DOGStarsLaunched"/><ref name="UproxxFacts"/><ref name="Privatespielberg"/>}} [[Neil Patrick Harris]] was considered for the role, and [[Edward Norton]] turned it down for ''[[American History X]]'' (1998).<ref name="JoeIEFacts"/><ref name="MovieFoneFacts"/><ref name="GlobeNorton"/> [[Pete Postlethwaite]], [[Tony Shalhoub]], and [[Garth Brooks]] were considered for unspecified roles.<ref name="Postlethwaite"/><ref name="IndieWireBrooks"/><ref name="NYTimesShaloub"/>

At Hanks's and Dye's suggestion, Spielberg had the principal cast take part in a six-day [[Military recruit training|boot camp]], wanting them to experience cold, wet, and exhaustive conditions, like those of  WWII soldiers.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<ref name="UproxxFacts"/><ref name="BuffaloNewsFacts"/><ref name="Privatespielberg"/><ref name="ASCSpielberg98"/><ref name="EmpireMakingOf"/>}} Overseen by Dye and retired U.S. Marines, the actors remained in character while simulating attacks, performing {{convert|5|mi|km|adj=on|0}} runs with full backpacks, weapons training, military exercises, and push-ups after making mistakes, on three hours of sleep per night in cold and rainy conditions.<ref name="ASCMagJanusz"/><ref name="UproxxFacts"/><ref name="Privatespielberg"/> The men wanted to quit, but Hanks convinced them otherwise, saying they would regret not following through and the experience would help them understand their characters and motivations.<ref name="NYTimesTrue"/><ref name="EbertHanks"/> Diesel said, "at that moment we got this huge respect for him in real life, we were all exhausted, we all wanted to leave and here was this guy who was a superstar, who doesn't have to be here, voting to stay".<ref name="EmpireMakingOf"/> Dye was present throughout filming to remind the actors of their training.<ref name="NYTimesTrue"/> Spielberg kept Damon out of the boot camp because he wanted the other actors to resent him and his character.<ref name="ColliderCast"/><ref name="DOGStarsLaunched"/>

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