Tom Hanks revealed the one scene from his 2000 adventure action film “Cast Away” that is “painful” for him to watch.
The cult-classic movie follows FedEx employee Chuck Norland (Hanks), who is on his way to Malaysia when his plane crashes in the Pacific Ocean.
Chuck washes ashore and lands on a deserted island with only his volleyball — which becomes a companion for the character — as he tries to survive and get back to civilization.
Before boarding the plane, Chuck’s girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt) gifts him a pocket watch with her picture in it. Four years later, when he returns home, he visits Kelly’s house to return it in an emotional scene.
“There is a moment. It was painful for me in ‘Castaway,’ in which I am back and Chuck is back in Kelly’s house and he gives her his, her watch back,” the “Toy Story” franchise star, 69, shared while on “The Rest is Entertainment” podcast on Wednesday. “And there’s a moment where I just think I’m not there.”
The actor said he did a gesture that is “false” to the character and was actually more him than Chuck.
“And if the movie is on, I will get up and leave the room before that scene comes on,” the star confessed.
Hanks wasn’t aware of what had happened until he saw the film for the first time.
“Cast Away” earned two Oscar nominations in 2001, including a Best Actor nod for Hanks. Though, the Hollywood icon ended up losing to Russell Crowe for his performance in “Gladiator.”
Hanks did, however, take home the Best Actor trophy at the 2001 Golden Globes. And the project has proven to still be a fan-favorite twenty-six years after it first debuted.
In May, Hanks attended the New York Yankees vs. New York Mets game, where the latter team’s mascot dressed up as the volleyball, named Wilson, from the film.
In a clip from the Citi Field game, Mr. Met sported a large red handprint on his face to match the movie’s bloody volleyball.
The duo shook hands with Hanks shouting “Wilson” — the famous line Chuck said in the 2000 hit.
In 2022, the Oscar winner held up a blood-smeared volleyball while throwing the first pitch at a Cleveland Guardians vs. San Francisco Giants game.
Two years later, during a 2024 interview with ReelBlend, Hanks said that Wilson became essential to the storyline because there was no reason for Chuck to talk unless he thought someone else was around.
Despite the film becoming a massive success, during shooting, Hanks was hospitalized and almost died of a staph infection.
“I was there for three days with something that, believe it or not, almost killed me,” he told the BBC in 2009. “I got an infection from a cut, and it was eating its way through my leg.”
Read the full article here
