Forrest Gump’s southern accent is one of the most easily recognizable parts of the character. Its origin isn’t as well known, but it’s heartwarming.
The accent Tom Hanks uses as the titular character in Forrest Gump 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, Gump’s accent is still one of the iconic character’s most defining and recognizable aspects. 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.
Forrest Gump unfolds across several eras of Gump’s life from childhood through adulthood. The film explores Gump’s life as he develops friendships, falls in love, goes to war, starts his own business, and becomes a ping-pong champion. He also participates in so many historic moments that it would be easy to question if Forrest Gump were a real person. The American Film Institute lists the film, which took home Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing, at #76 on their 100 Years… 100 Movies list. In December 2011, the Library of Congress selected Forrest Gump for preservation in their National Film Registry, honoring the film for its ambitious technological innovations like inserting Gump into archival film footage and its cultural resonance which has lifted Gump to the status of folk hero. As of July 2022, it remains the 139th top-performing film at the box office at $678 million.
Although Hanks is universally associated with Forrest Gump, 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, Missippi-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, pointing 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.
Forrest Gump’s Accent Makes The Movie Even Better
Hank’s accent as Gump is so recognizable that people still try to replicate it years later. It makes Tom Hanks’ role feel more authentic 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 level. By employing Gump’s thick, southern accent, Hanks leans into the character’s origins and thus gives a more authentic, and unforgettable, portrayal of the character.
Almost three decades after Forrest Gump‘s release, it is nearly impossible to separate the character from the accent. Simply saying the name Jenny aloud may not conjure a pop culture reference, but add a slow southern drawl to it and one will instantly think of Forrest Gump speaking of Robin Wright’s Jenny Curran. This is a true 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.
