Featured Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
Topics: Tom Hanks, Celebrity, Money, Film and TV, Hollywood
Ella Scott
Topics: Tom Hanks, Celebrity, Money, Film and TV, Hollywood
Hollywood actor Tom Hanks definitely made a genius decision when he reportedly decided to insert a specific clause into his Forrest Gump contract.
In 1993, Hanks, then 37, nabbed the role in Robert Zemeckis’ award-winning movie after Grease star John Travolta decided to turn the part down.
The California native - who also beat out Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Matthew Broderick to the role - began portraying the titular character in August of the same year and eventually went on to win Best Actor at the 1995 Academy Awards.
If you’ve yet to see 1994’s Forrest Gump or just want a refresher, check out the iconic trailer below:
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The movie follows the life of an Alabama man named Forrest and chronicles friendship, love and loss in the 20th-century United States.
During the course of the movie, Forrest joins the U.S. Army and is sent to serve in Vietnam, becomes a shrimper and tells President John F. Kennedy that he needs to use the bathroom.
Starring alongside Hanks, now 67, in the charming movie was Robin Wright, 58, Mykelti Williamson, 67, and Gary Sinise, 69, among others.
Ahead of the film’s cinematic release, the Elvis actor reportedly negotiated a specific clause in his contract which would allow him to take home earnings based on a portion of box office receipts.
This was instead of receiving a flat fee for his acting role - a pretty risky move, right?
Thankfully though it paid off for Hanks as he reportedly took home $40 million from the 1994 project.
This was bolstered by the extra earnings he and Zemeckis raked in after investing their own funds in Forrest Gump to keep scenes in the flick Paramount Pictures supposedly weren’t willing to pay for.
Following Forrest Gump’s triumphant cinematic release, the movie became the film house’s fastest-grossing offering, passing records of $100 million and $200 million.
And as Awards Season swung around, it took home six Oscar gongs including Best Picture, Best Director and the previously-mentioned Best Actor.
Unfortunately, Hanks has never shared his official records of Forrest Gump earnings but reports from Business Insider have previously claimed he could’ve taken home around $60,000.
According to Collider, Forrest Gump is Hanks’ fourth-highest-grossing movie - with the Worldwide Box Office Gross landing at $678,226,465.
Only 2006’s The Da Vinci Code ($760,006,945), Toy Story 3 ($1,067,316,101) and Toy Story 4 ($1,073,841,394) earned more at the box office.