All of Tom Hanks' Most Iconic Movie Roles to Date
From Forrest Gump to Cast Away, Tom Hanks has established himself as one of the most iconic actors in Hollywood.
There's no role that Tom Hanks can't do. While that statement has become widely overused, in this case, it's nothing but the truth. The actor has a come long way from his breakout role in the 1984 film Splash, quickly becoming one of Hollywood's most esteemed actors. He has built a reputation as the "nicest man in Hollywood," and rightfully so. Unlike many actors, there's no decade that can be considered Hanks' "peak" era, as he is still highly prevalent today.
He has won numerous accolades including two Oscars, two Screen Actor Guild Awards, five Golden Globes, and seven Emmy Awards. While he's best known for his comedy, he can do drama, romance, thriller, action, and the list goes on. Most recently, Hanks stars in the 2023 film Asteroid City, alongside Maya Hawke, Scarlett Johansson, and Margot Robbie. In honour of Hanks' 67th birthday, L'OFFICIEL looks back at some of his most iconic movie roles.
Hanks finds himself in the sports world in the 1992 film A League of Their Own as he stars as Jimmy Dugan, a cynical, alcoholic former baseball player who agrees to coach an all-women's baseball team. He was abrasive, snarky, and comedic all in one, giving an unforgettable performance for the ages.
Meg Ryan and Hanks — a duo no one saw coming, but worked absolutely perfectly. This classic rom-com tells the story of Sam Baldwin (Hanks), a recently widowed man who moves to Seattle with his son Jonah (Ross Mallinger). When Jonah calls a talk radio show, Sam ends up expressing his feelings, in which Annie Reed (Ryan) ends up hearing him and falls in love with him — having never met him before.
Forrest Gump is the epitome of a cinematic masterpiece, one of Hollywood's most remembered movies decades after it was first released. In the film, Hanks plays the naive but genuine Forrest Gump, a man with a low IQ who doesn't take anything in his life for granted. From playing college football to fighting in the Vietnam War, it follows Gump's life through the years, especially as he chases his childhood love, Jenny Curran (Robin Wright).
"Houston, we have a problem."
The famous saying from the beloved '90s film Apollo 13. Alongside Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton, Hanks plays an astronaut who was sent on a mission to land on the moon. However, when the oxygen tank erupts, the three men must band together and figure out how to safely return back to Earth.
In the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan, Hanks plays Captain John Miller, an army captain who must take his troops behind enemy lines in search of Private James Ryan (Matt Damon). The Steven Spielberg-directed film was one of the highest-grossing movies of the year and won accolades at the Oscars, Critics Choice Awards, and Golden Globes.
This survival drama follows Chuck Noland, a FedEx exec whose plane crashes during a storm and lands on a deserted island. With no way to call for help, he learns how to survive, lasting on the island for years with no one except his handmade volleyball friend, Wilson. It's a story about perseverance, desperation, and longing that is certainly one of Hanks' most heartwrenching performances to date.
In a battle for survival, Hanks plays Richard Phillips, a captain whose boat is unexpectedly overtaken by Somali pirates while out at sea. Phillips must do everything he can to ensure the safety of himself and his crew as pirates demand a ransom of millions of dollars.
