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Despite facing fierce competition in a year marked by classic movies, Tom Hanks’Forrest Gumpclinched six Academy Awards. The film earned prestigious wins in categories such as Best Picture, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Eric Roth. Hanks’ portrayal received critical acclaim for perfectly balancing the character between comedy and sadness.
Surprisingly, many might not know that theSaving Private Ryanactor was not the first choice for the role. Several actors, including Hanks’ rival at the Oscars that year, John Travolta, were considered for the role.
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John Travolta
John Travoltabecame hugely popular in the 1970s, with his roles in films likeGreaseandSaturday Night Fever. But his career graph declined with some less favorable film choices in the 1980s. The role ofForrest Gumpcame to him at his most desperate time, but he decided to turn it down. The reason—his commitment toPulp Fiction. The role was not exactly a loss for Travolta as theQuentin Tarantinomovie gave the much-needed boost to his career.
He admitted in anMTVinterview that his role, as Vincent Vega was equally interesting as Forrest Gump. Travolta shared,“If I didn’t do something Tom Hanks did, then I did something else that was equally interesting or fun.”While he lost the Best Actor Oscar toTom Hanksin 1995,Pulp Fictionhas stood the test of time better thanForrest Gump.
Also Read:Tom Hanks Was Exhausted After He Was Given an Impossible Job in One of the Best Christmas Movies Ever: ‘The Polar Express’
Bill Murray
Bill Murraycame close to an Oscar for his role inSofia Coppola’sLost in Translation. However, a few years before that role, Murray was offered the role of Forrest Gump. Having done some amazing work on films likeGroundhog DayandGhostbusters, Murray could have delivered a compelling portrayal. In a 2014 appearance onThe Howard Stern Show, Murray revealed that he“did have Forrest Gump conversations.”
Murray seriously considered the role, even conducting research with the original book. He shared,“I think I had the original book and all that sort of stuff.”TheRushmoreactor admitted that he never managed to watchForrest Gump. He also revealed missing out on a chance to collaborate with Tom Hanks in the latter’s other Oscar-winning film,Philadelphia. Murray was almost cast in the role of Joe Miller, played byDenzel Washingtonin the film.
Also Read:“If you just jump off the train…”: Austin Butler Landed ‘Masters of the Air’ After Tom Hanks Became Concerned About His Mental Health
Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase proved his talent as a comedian in projects likeNational Lampoon’s VacationandThree Amigos. He had the opportunity to alter his career trajectory withForrest Gump. In a 2012 interview withHuffington Post, theCommunityactor addressed his lost roles, includingForrest Gump,American Gigolo,Ghostbusters, andAnimal House.
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He was pretty disappointed, not because the roles were exceptional, but because they made a lot of money. Chase shared,“So all those I regret only because they made huge amounts of money and I would be very wealthy.”It is interesting that the filmmakers approached both Bill Murray and Chevy Chase for theForrest Gumprole considering their rivalry. Murray and Chase famously got into a fistfight on the sets ofSNL.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
