How Tom Hanks Funded THIS Classic Scene In Forrest Gump And Saved The Film From Ruins (2024)

Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis had to pay from their own pocket for several important scenes in classic Forrest Gump. Read for more.

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump (PC: IMDb)

Forrest Gump will teach you about life, it will make you think about its meaning and whatnot! There are many reasons why this movie, directed by Robert Zemeckis will always be considered a classic for ages. Tom Hanks played the role of Forrest, a man with a low IQ, in the 1994 movie.

The film won six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Eric Roth. Forrest Gump was based on Winston Groom’s novel of the same name. Tom Hanks, whose acting style, and method need no introduction did an amazing job in this movie. But, what makes it more memorable for Hanks is he did something to save the movie.

Tom Hanks financed from his own pocket to get important Forrest Gump scenes shot

Tom Hanks and director Robert Zemeckis had to pay from their own pocket for several important scenes.

Hanks revealed in an interview for In Depth With Graham Bensinger that the famous scene of Forrest running across the country seemed too expensive by Paramount.

The film’s plot needed a varied range of sets, a large cast of characters, and the use of cutting-edge special effects. However, it was met with some financial limitations.

The iconic running scenes in the movie that also cast other notable actors like Robin Wright and Gary Sinise are some of the most notable ones in cinema history. However, the studio was at first uncertain to fund these scenes. But Hanks and Zemeckis were determined.

Hanks revealed that the studio was concerned that people would not receive the sequence well.

“Well, the studio just said, ‘We can’t afford it; you’re not gonna do it.”

But both of them took chances, and unwilling to give up on their vision, Hanks gave up a portion of his paycheck while Zemeckis contributed his own money. The movie was a huge hit. Their work on that particular scene guaranteed the authenticity of the movie and ultimately helped in its success.

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Tom Hanks used his brother, Jim Hanks as body double in Forrest Gump

Tom Hanks has three siblings: Jim Hanks, Larry Hanks, and Sandra Hanks Benoiton. Jim Hanks is also an actor who first got to play a major role in the 1993 comedy Buford’s Beach Bunnies. He has collaborated with his brother Tom Hanks on some projects.

In Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 film Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks plays Forrest, a man with low IQ. Distribution company, Paramount Pictures suggested cutting off the running scene to meet the filming schedule’s deadline. Not only that, they were also against the iconic scene since it was supposed to be expensive and would eventually burden the film budget.

However, Hanks’s unique way of running also added as a factor to take his brother as body double. In a 1995 PEOPLE interview, Jim Hanks shared,

“Tom had other doubles, but they couldn’t do the run.” He continued, “That’s a stupid Hanks thing.”

In order to film the final sequence, Zemeckis and the star of The Money Pit had to contribute an additional 1.5 million USD to the movie. When Paramount learned that the brother of the Sully star was acting as his double for the movie, it was reportedly revealed that they would not pay for the filming.

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