During a recent episode of the popular talk show, The Graham Norton Show, Hollywood actor Tom Hanks delighted audiences with behind-the-scenes stories from one of his most iconic roles, Forrest Gump. As Norton asked about the most common things fans say to him, Hanks revealed that the famous line “Houston, we have a problem” from Apollo 13 used to be a frequent shout-out. However, it seems that nowadays, it’s all about “Wilson.” No matter where Hanks goes, fans can’t help but reference the volleyball from the beloved film Cast Away.
Surprisingly, Hanks shared a little-known fact about his portrayal of Forrest Gump. The voice he used for the character actually came from a real person, a young actor named Michael Conner Humphreys, who played the young version of Gump in the movie. Hanks explained that he initially had to teach Humphreys how to talk like him, but instead, he decided to adopt Humphreys’ Mississippi accent. The result was a charming and authentic portrayal of the beloved character.
Hanks reminisced about his time with Humphreys, sharing that the young actor’s father worked in a grease factory. This led to an interesting conversation about the various products that grease is used in, including lipsticks. Hanks humorously recalled the hours of cassette tapes where he and Humphreys engaged in chitchat, capturing the essence of Forrest Gump’s manner of speaking.
The conversation took a turn towards awards, as Norton noted that the year Hanks won his second Oscar for Forrest Gump (1995) was a memorable year for Peter Capaldi, who was sitting next to him on the show. Capaldi won an Oscar for a short film he had made and described the surreal experience of being on the Academy Awards stage. However, he laughingly revealed that when he was called backstage for a press conference, nobody showed up to talk to him, leaving him feeling forgotten.
Hanks jumped in, adding that the Oscar experience, while incredible, had a similar outcome for him. He mentioned how after the ceremony, winners are taken backstage to face the world’s press, but when it was his turn, nobody wanted to talk to him either. It seems that Capaldi and Hanks both had their brief moments of fame overshadowed by the glitz and glamour of the larger stars in attendance.
Despite the ups and downs of awards shows, Hanks is staying busy with upcoming projects, even revealing that Toy Story 4 is currently in the works. Set to be released in 2018, Hanks teased that fans can expect another heartwarming and enjoyable adventure with Woody and the gang.
As the interview concluded, Norton couldn’t help but appreciate Hanks’ son, who was in the audience. Hanks proudly mentioned that his son has sold a staggering 42 million books, making him a force to be reckoned with in his own right. And who knows, maybe one day he’ll follow in his father’s footsteps and bring home an Oscar of his own.
Overall, this lively and entertaining talk show episode gave fans a glimpse into the fascinating world of one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors. As Hanks shared stories and laughed alongside his fellow guests, it was a reminder that even the biggest stars can have humorous and relatable moments, making them even more endearing to their fans.
