Editing Cast Away (section)

=== Wilson the volleyball ===
[[File:Wilson The Volleyball.jpg|thumb|right|Wilson the volleyball]]
In the film, Wilson the [[Volleyball (ball)|volleyball]] serves as Chuck Noland's [[personification|personified]] [[imaginary friend|friend]] and only companion during the four years that Noland spends alone on a deserted [[island]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DTNB&s_site=detnews&f_site=detnews&f_sitename=Detroit+News%2C+The+%28MI%29&p_multi=DTNB&p_theme=gannett&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F7502916F603973&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=''Cast Away'' lets Hanks fend for himself|access-date=November 26, 2008|work=[[Detroit News]]|date=December 22, 2000|archive-date=June 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608193150/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DTNB&s_site=detnews&f_site=detnews&f_sitename=Detroit+News,+The+(MI)&p_multi=DTNB&p_theme=gannett&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F7502916F603973&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SDGB&p_theme=sdgb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1110F27098BA70F3&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=''Cast Away'' proves great films still exist|access-date=November 26, 2008|work=[[Daily Gazette]]|date=January 7, 2001|author=Nate Smith|archive-date=June 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608193206/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SDGB&p_theme=sdgb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1110F27098BA70F3&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BLFJ">{{cite web|url=http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/62/62castaway.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130118143419/http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/62/62castaway.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 18, 2013|title=The Volleyball in the Void|access-date=November 26, 2008|first=Alan|last=Vanneman|work=Bright Lights Film Journal}}</ref> Named after the volleyball's manufacturer, [[Wilson Sporting Goods]], the character was created by screenwriter [[William Broyles Jr.]] While researching for the film, he consulted with professional survival experts, and then chose to deliberately strand himself for one week on an isolated beach in the [[Gulf of California]], to force himself to search for water and food, and obtain his own shelter. During this time, a Wilson-branded soccer ball washed up on shore, providing the inspiration for the film's inanimate companion. When the idea was presented to Tom Hanks, he happily agreed on the volleyball as a memento to his wife, Rita Wilson, knowing he would be away from home for a long period of time for filming.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The True Story of Wilson the Volleyball |url=https://www.wilson.com/en-us/blog/volleyball/behind-scenes/true-story-wilson-volleyball |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230327134438/https://www.wilson.com/en-us/blog/volleyball/behind-scenes/true-story-wilson-volleyball |archive-date=2023-03-27 |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www.wilson.com |language=en}}</ref> From a screenwriting point of view, Wilson also serves to realistically allow dialogue to take place in a solitary scenario.<ref name="hepola">{{cite web |last=Hepola |first=Sarah |date=December 29, 2000 |url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2000-12-29/79994/ |title=Lost at Sea and Back Again |work=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |access-date=September 28, 2012 |archive-date=May 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503054258/http://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/2000-12-29/79994/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=latimes>{{cite news|last1=Natale|first1=Richard|title=Casting About|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/20/entertainment/ca-2136/2|access-date=April 9, 2015|work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 20, 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418162919/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/20/entertainment/ca-2136/2|archive-date=April 18, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

It is rumored, but not confirmed,<ref>{{cite web |last=VanHooker |first=Brian |title=What Would Have Happened to Wilson After |date=April 17, 2020 |url=http://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/what-would-have-happened-to-wilson-after-cast-away |access-date=April 29, 2021 |archive-date=May 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501041133/https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/what-would-have-happened-to-wilson-after-cast-away |url-status=live }}</ref> that one of the original volleyball props was sold at auction for $18,500 to the ex-CEO of [[FedEx Office]], [[Ken May]]. At the time of the film's release, Wilson launched its own joint promotion centered on its products "co-starring" with Tom Hanks. Wilson manufactured a volleyball with a reproduction of the bloodied handprint face on one side. It was sold for a limited time during the film's initial release and continues to be offered on the company's website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball/balls/outdoor-volleyball/cast-away-volleyball/|title=Wilson Cast Away Volleyball|access-date=April 27, 2014|publisher=Wilson Sporting Goods|archive-date=April 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428022633/http://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball/balls/outdoor-volleyball/cast-away-volleyball/|url-status=live}}</ref> A screen-matched original Wilson the volleyball prop sold via [[Heritage Auctions]] on December 7, 2024 for $162,500.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://entertainment.ha.com/itm/movie-tv-memorabilia/props/cast-away-dreamworks-2000-tom-hanks-chuck-noland-hero-screen-matched-wilson-prop-character/a/7388-89134.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515|title=Cast Away (DreamWorks, 2000), Tom Hanks "Chuck Noland" Hero Screen Matched "Wilson" Prop Character|access-date=December 11, 2024|publisher=Heritage Auctions}}</ref>