The Reason Tom Hanks Had To Pay For ‘Forrest Gump’ Running Scene

Jul 09, 2021

Tom Hanks has landed the leading role in a number of films over the span of his career. Some of his most notable films include “Sleeping In Seattle,” “Apollo 13,” “Philadelphia,” “Forrest Gump” and the “Toy Story” franchise. Hanks has shown his wide range as an actor over his four decades in the film industry as he has played a variety of characters and showcased just how capable and adaptable he can be. Along with this, Hanks has also proven himself as a producer, screenwriter and director for a plethora of films and television shows.

Hanks’ impressive career has made him a favorite with both fans and critics, as he has won a litany of awards and accolades, and he is easily one of the most beloved actors in the industry today. Many people have even dubbed him as America’s dad. Getting his start during the 1980s, Hanks first struggled with making a name for himself and landing roles that led to success. He slowly worked his way up the ladder in Hollywood, and by the time the 1990s rolled around, Hanks had established himself as a reliable and dedicated actor.

In 1994, he landed the leading role in one of the most iconic films in his repertoire, “Forrest Gump.” Hanks was easily the shining star of the dramatic movie and really showcased his acting abilities. What some people may not know is that Hanks had to pay for the notorious running scene in “Forrest Gump.” Since the motion picture studio didn’t want to put the money down to film the cross-country run, Hanks dipped into his own pocket and made sure the memorable scene would be part of the final product.

Following his newfound fame from “Sleepless In Seattle” and “Philadelphia” in 1993, Hanks landed one of his best roles when he was cast as the lead in the 1994 movie “Forrest Gump.” The film was not only received well by fans, but critics couldn’t get enough of the amazing performance put on by Hanks and the overall theme of the movie. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film went on to win six Academy Awards, and grossed $683 million at the box office, according to IndieWire. 

Hanks himself won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his remarkable portrayal of the main character. To this day, “Forrest Gump” is a classic and a true legend in the world of film, but the production company behind the movie wasn’t so sure of the future it had. 

During an interview on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger,” Hanks talked about what it was like working with Zemeckis, and how hard it was for him to really nail his character. Surprisingly, Hanks struggled to figure out just how to portray Forrest Gump, but the film’s director was there to lend some support and give some meaningful advice to the star. 

According to Hanks, Zemeckis told him, “Look, I know what you are trying to do. I know how nervous you are and how self-conscious this can be before we get into the groove. But we’re not going to use any of these first three days because I don’t think you’ve got it.” Zemeckis had simply told Hanks to not try so hard. “And from that, everything settled down in a moment’s notice,” Hanks recalled.

During the interview, Hanks also revealed that he actually paid for the iconic running scene in “Forrest Gump” after Paramount refused to put down the money itself. Not wanting to increase the overall budget since the future of the film’s success was doubtful and unknown, the studio was not interested in spending more to make the now legendary scene come to life.

Hanks didn’t reveal just how much money he spent to bring the running scene to fruition, but he explained that he and Zemeckis agreed to split it and give it back to the studio so, in turn, Paramount could share the profits with them “a little bit more.” Hanks continued, “Which the studio said, ‘Fabulous, great. OK.’ And it was good for us, too.”

This deal meant that Hanks and Zemeckis paid for some of the scenes with their own money, but in return would get a larger percentage of the film’s box office gross. The two lucked out as “Forrest Gump” was a huge success. IndieWire reported that Hanks earned an estimated $65 million in profits from the movie, which far exceeded the studio’s $55 million promotional budget.

Even though Hanks had already begun establishing himself as a professional actor, Paramount struggled to conceive just how popular “Forrest Gump” would be. Thankfully, Hanks and Zemeckis emptied their pockets a bit to help make the movie as spectacular as it deserved to be, and in the end, delivered a meaningful message and beautiful film to audiences across the globe.

Did you know that Tom Hanks had to pay out of his own pocket to help make “Forrest Gump” even more memorable and legendary? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to any movie fans you know!