Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump voice is one of the most imitated in film history, but the story behind its origin is not as well known. Decades after the film's release in July 1994, Forrest Gump's accent is still one of the character's most defining and recognizable traits. The story behind how Hanks came to create the Forrest Gump accent is not as instantly familiar, but it is genuinely heartwarming, and it gives further insight into the beloved actor's mindset and character.
It's well known that Forrest Gump is from Alabama, yet his accent can be difficult to place. In reality, the voice that Tom Hanks used to bring Forrest to life is from Mississippi. Notably, the reason why Hanks chose this accent underscores why he is a respected leading actor and what it means to be part of a Tom Hanks movie.
Related: Forrest Gump Hidden Detail Reveals The Dark Secret Of His Ending
Tom Hanks Made Gump's Accent To Sound Like Young Forrest
While Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump voice and overall performance defines the character, he is not the only actor to take on the role. As the film spans Gump's life from childhood, acclaimed director Robert Zemeckis cast actor Michael Conner Humphreys to play the role of young Forrest. Humphreys was an Independence, Mississippi-born native who won the coveted role at an open casting call in Memphis, Tennessee despite not having any previous film experience. Humphrey's thick Mississippi accent was reportedly one of the key reasons the casting team and producers made their decision.
After casting Humphreys, Zemeckis realized that he faced quite an uphill battle getting the Mississippi-born eight-year-old novice actor to sound like well-known movie star Tom Hanks. When the director informed Hanks of the challenge, Hanks offered to instead learn to imitate Humphrey's accent, a reminder that Zemeckis made the right call in casting the lead actor for Forrest Gump. Hanks pointed out that, as the trained actor in the scenario, it would be the most efficient and effective way to move forward. It was arguably the most compassionate way to handle the dilemma, given his costar's age and inexperience, which certainly speaks to Hanks' humanity and professionalism.
Forrest Gump's Accent Makes The Movie Even Better
Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump voice is so recognizable that people still try to replicate it years later. It makes Hanks' role feel more true-to-life as well. It's certainly worth noting that the film Forrest Gump is based on Winston Groom's book of the same name. In Groom's novel, Forrest Gump is a man from Mobile, Alabama, who is written as a simple man. The author frequently uses misspellings and grammatical errors throughout the novel to indicate Gump's accent and education. By employing Gump's thick southern accent, Hanks leans into the character's origins and gives a more authentic portrayal of the character, turning Winston Groom's Forrest Gump into a household name.
Almost three decades after Forrest Gump's release, it's nearly impossible to separate the character from the accent. Simply saying the name Jenny may not conjure a pop culture reference, but add a slow southern drawl to it, and it's unmistakably Forrest speaking about Jenny Curran (Robin Wright). This is a testament to what a good choice it was for Hanks to mimic his young costar's Mississippi accent. In doing so, Hanks cemented Gump as one of the most iconic film characters of the modern era.
Related: Forrest Gump: What Illness Jenny Dies From
What Did Michael Conner Humphreys Do After Playing Young Forrest Gump?
Apart from inspiring Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump voice, actor Michael Conner Humphreys was nominated for a Young Artist Award for the role. Humphreys also appeared in a television adaptation of John Grisham's A Painted House in 2003. After graduating from high school, he served in the military from 2004 to 2008, which includes a deployment to Iraq - somewhat mirroring Forrest Gump's history-inspired story of a veteran.
Humphreys went back into acting in 2011, when he appeared in Pathfinders: In the Company of Strangers, an independent war movie. He also appeared in an episode of the 2021 series Knight's End, but has since shied away from the spotlight. Like Tom Hanks, Michael Conner Humphreys remains primarily known for being Forrest Gump.
Next: What Forrest Gump’s Young Jenny Actress Has Done Since The Movie
FAQs
In reality, the voice that Tom Hanks used to bring Forrest to life is from Mississippi. Notably, the reason why Hanks chose this accent underscores why he is a respected leading actor and what it means to be part of a Tom Hanks movie.
Is Forrest Gump autistic? ›
It would have been extraordinary if Groom had created the character with autism in mind and all evidence points to the idea that he simply intended Forrest to be a low-IQ individual stumbling through some of recent history's most historic events.
What is the hidden message in Forrest Gump? ›
The phrase, "Run Forrest, Run" said by Jenny, holds a deep meaning that we should keep moving forward without looking back. After all, we are intelligent enough and it is on us how much we apply it. The film, Forrest Gump, is an American comedy-drama directed by Robert Zemeckis, released in the year 1994.
Who was Forrest Gump's voice based on? ›
On the BBC's Graham Norton Show last week, Tom Hanks told how after searching for the voice of Gump, he found his muse in the young Mississippi boy who portrayed Gump in his early years. Hanks also reveals that the boy named Michael Conner Humphreys is now a grown up veteran of Us Army service in Afganistan.
How did Forrest Gump talk? ›
He initially wanted to ease Forrest's pronounced Southern accent, but was eventually persuaded by Robert Zemeckis to portray the heavy accent stressed in the novel, and he patterned his accent after Michael Conner Humphreys (young Forrest), who actually spoke that way.
What disease does Forrest Gump suffer from? ›
It is never explicitly stated in the movie or book that Forrest Gump has autism. While the movie itself doesn't provide a concrete diagnosis for Forrest's condition, the character displays traits suggestive of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Why does Forrest Gump talk weird? ›
Tom Hanks Made Gump's Accent To Sound Like Young Forrest
Humphrey's thick Mississippi accent was reportedly one of the key reasons the casting team and producers made their decision.
Is Forrest Gump's son his? ›
Much like the rest of his life, Forrest is direct, honest, and unwaveringly kind in handling Jenny's death and Forrest Jr.'s upbringing. At the end of the day, Forrest is his son's real father (genealogy aside).
What caused Jenny's death in Forrest Gump? ›
That said, what's clear is that Jenny dies of Hepatitis C in the second book, while she dies of AIDS in the movies, even though it was only implied. Notably, Hepatitis C was discovered in 1989, which is why the doctors could do little for Jenny in the '80s.
What does Jenny symbolize in Forrest Gump? ›
Jenny however is a representation of true America, she is flawed and ultimately broken, we see throughtout the story Forrest chases after her but he can never reach her, he doesn't see her for who she is.
Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump: At an early age, Forrest is deemed to have a below-average IQ of 75. He has an endearing character and shows devotion to his loved ones and duties, character traits that bring him into many life-changing situations.
Who was supposed to play Forrest Gump instead of Tom Hanks? ›
John Travolta was reportedly in consideration to play Forrest Gump in the film of the same name, but turned down the part.
Where is Forrest Gump's dad? ›
It is revealed that his father was a longshoreman who worked for United Fruit Company. He was killed when a crate of bananas being loaded off of a boat fell on top of him, crushing him to death.
What was Forrest Gump's most famous line? ›
Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is. My mamma always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you gonna get.
Why did Jenny leave Forrest? ›
Why did Jenny leave Forrest before he went on the long run? She recognised the innocence and purity of Forrest and all his actions and due to her childhood trauma that had caused her to have a tough life she did not want to burden Forrest with the same suffering.
What is the theory behind Forrest Gump? ›
The film also deals with the Karma theory, which follows the hardwork without having the desire of any result out of it. Throughout the film, we encounter the shortcomings and the problems in life of Forrest Gump, but despite of all, he comes out as a champion of his own world, where people followed him.
What disorder did Jenny have in Forrest Gump? ›
That said, what's clear is that Jenny dies of Hepatitis C in the second book, while she dies of AIDS in the movies, even though it was only implied. Notably, Hepatitis C was discovered in 1989, which is why the doctors could do little for Jenny in the '80s.
Does Forrest Gump have Savant syndrome? ›
Film adaptations
The screenplay differs from the book in some elements. It does not identify Forrest as a person with savant syndrome. It sanitizes his sex life and reduces profanity as expressed by Forrest in the book. According to author Winston Groom, the movie "took some of the rough edges off" Forrest.
How does Forrest Gump represent disability? ›
Forrest is mentally disabled, with an IQ of 75, and he finds disabled friends in both Bubba and Lieutenant Dan (after he loses his legs). Some people have celebrated the film's sensitive portrayal of the struggles of disability, while others have suggested that it is an insensitive portrait.
What is savant syndrome autism? ›
Savant syndrome is a rare, but extraordinary, condition in which persons with serious mental disabilities, including autistic disorder, have some 'island of genius' which stands in marked, incongruous contrast to overall handicap.
