Forrest Gump is considered a heartwarming classic, but before Tom Hanks was cast the role was originally meant to go to John Travolta - here's why that wouldn't have worked. Based on Winston Groom's 1986 novel of the same name, Forrest Gump takes a tour of American history through the latter part of the 20th century by way of a slow-witted but kind-hearted southern boy. As he navigates his way through changing times and relationships, Forrest's search for meaning and purpose reflects that of the general American consciousness.
Leading up to the film's production, Philadelphia. Forrest Gump is now one of the actor's most defining performances, but the original choice for the titular role wasn't Hanks - it was John Travolta.
Travolta had established himself in the 1970s with Saturday Night Fever and Tom Hanks was somewhat of a risk considering his comedic pedigree, his Philadelphia turn cemented his ability to command a dramatic vehicle like Forrest Gump. For Travolta, the role would've represented a comeback attempt, and potentially a much riskier proposition.
While it's obviously not true of every performance, Travolta does have a tendency as an actor to go a little broader or even hammier, which can be seen in everything from Wyatt Earp. Travolta's Pulp Fiction role paid off in a big way, earning him a nomination for Best Actor and revitalizing his career.
Ironically, he lost the Oscar to Tom Hanks performance as Forrest Gump. Interestingly enough, their fellow nominee Tim Robbins wasn't the initial choice for his role in The Shawshank Redemption either. Andy Dufresne was first offered to Hanks, who ed to play Gump. The three films which headlined the 1994 Best Picture class each jostled with one another from development through production and release and each has gone down as a classic in its own right. In this regard, audiences should be thankful Hanks ended up with Forrest Gump while Travolta lent his talents instead to Pulp Fiction.
