Forrest Gump featured Tom Hanks’ title character interacting with several well-known historical figures. The 1994 movie, which was based on the 1986 Winston Groom novel of the same name, was directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay by Eric Roth. It was a major sensation in the mid-1990s, becoming the second highest-grossing movie of the year worldwide thanks to a gross of $678.2 million against its $55 million budget. It would then go on to win six Oscars, including Best Picture.

By the time the Forrest Gump ending catches up with the character in the early 1980s, he has the opportunity to meet quite a few real-life historical figures over the course of his adventures. The majority of these characters were represented onscreen via then state-of-the-art special effects that allowed Tom Hanks to interact with altered archive footage. This was part of Zemeckis’ frequent endeavors to push the envelope of onscreen effects, a commitment that he had already displayed in movies including the Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and Death Becomes Her.

1

Elvis Presley

Presley Lived From 1935 To 1977

The first major historical figure to join the Forrest Gump cast onscreen was Elvis Presley, the iconic rock icon. As dramatized in a variety of movies including the 2022 smash hit Elvis, the singer – guided by his complicated manager Colonel Tom Parker – became known for his hip-thrusting dance moves and massive hit songs including “Hound Dog” and “Love Me Tender.” He also starred in a run of movies including Viva Las Vegas and Jailhouse Rock.

In the movie, Presley is depicted as staying in the Gump household for a brief period in the early 1950s and taking inspiration from Forrest’s dancing, which is limited by the leg braces that he wore as a child. The Frighteners‘ Peter Dobson portrayed Presley onscreen, though the rocker was voiced by Kurt Russell, who had previously played the role in John Carpenter’s 1979 biopic Elvis.

2

Bear Bryant

Bryant Lived From 1913 To 1983

Paul William “Bear” Bryant is an iconic figure in the sports world. After playing college football himself between 1933 and 1935, he went on to be the coach at the University of Alabama from 1958 through 1982. Important players that he worked with included Joe Namath, Kenny Stabler, and Wilbur Jackson. Between 1961 and 1979, he coached the team to win half a dozen national titles.

In Forrest Gump, Bryant becomes Forrest’s coach when he joins the University of Alabama football team in 1963. Just like Elvis Presley, Bryant was portrayed onscreen by an actor rather than via archive footage. The actor who stepped into the role was Sonny Shroyer, who is perhaps best known for playing Officer Enos Strate in 98 episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard as well as starring in its short-lived spinoff Enos.

3

Governor George Wallace

Wallace Lived From 1919 To 1998

George Wallace was a major figure in the political history of Alabama. He served as the governor of the state for four terms between 1963 and 1987, with one of the hiatuses between terms occurring when his wife Lurleen Wallace took the position in 1967. The staunch segregationist and pro-Jim Crow politician also ran for President on three separate occasions, though he was never elected into office. Although his terms were not all consecutive, he is the U.S. governor who has held the position for the third-longest span in history at the time of writing.

The movie depicts Forrest Gump encountering George Wallace in 1963 when he becomes a student at the University of Alabama. There, he witnesses Wallace’s demonstration against school desegregation that became known as the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door. Wallace appeared in the movie via archive footage, which was edited to include Hanks.

4

Vivian Malone Jones

Jones Lived From 1942 to 2005

Along with James Hood, Vivian Malone Jones was one of the first Black students to be admitted to the University of Alabama. Their arrival at the school was symbolically blocked by George Wallace at the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door. She would later become the first official Black graduate of the school, with a degree in business management. In the 1960s, she became a research analyst in the U.S. Department of Justice’s civil rights division.

In the movie, Gump was present at the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door, which took place on June 11, 1963, though he was largely unaware of the larger sociopolitical meaning of the event. He is shown witnessing Malone dropping a book and chasing after her in order to return it. This establishes a general disregard for racism that he continues to display throughout the movie.

5

President John F. Kennedy

Kennedy Lived From 1917 To 1963

John F. Kennedy, also known as JFK, was the 35th President of the United States. The Democratic politician was one of the most prominent members of an American dynasty that produced other notable historical figures including his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and his brothers Robert and Ted Kennedy. On November 22, 1963, Kennedy was shot in Dallas, becoming the fourth and so far final U.S. President to be assassinated.

In the movie, after Gump excels at football and joins the all-American team, he meets President Kennedy, at which point he tells him he needs to pee. Kennedy’s delighted reaction to Gump’s statement was created with a combination of archive footage and special effects. The voice for the late President was provided by Jed Gillin, who also played JFK in 1995’s The Misery Brothers and the 1999 short Evil Hill.

6

President Lyndon B. Johnson

Johnson Lived From 1908 To 1973

Johnson was the 36th President of the United States. As the Vice President during JFK’s term as president, he succeeded the late politician at the time of his assassination in 1963. After serving in Kennedy’s place, he won the 1964 election, taking on Hubert Humphrey as his Vice President. However, he chose not to run for re-election in 1968 and was eventually succeeded by Richard Nixon.

In Forrest Gump, Johnson was the second of three presidents with whom the title character interacted. Via archive footage of a real medal ceremony, Gump was awarded the Medal of Honor by Johnson in honor of his heroism during his service in the Vietnam War. Johnson’s voice was provided by John William Galt, a prominent voice actor who had previously portrayed the same character in Oliver Stone’s 1991 movie JFK.

7

Abbie Hoffman

Hoffman Lived From 1936 To 1989

Abbot “Abbie” Hoffman was an activist and co-founder of the Youth International Party. He was perhaps best known as a member of the Chicago Seven, a group of people who were tried after participating in protests at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968. This story was dramatized in the 2020 Aaron Sorkin movie The Trial of the Chicago 7, which was nominated for six Oscars and in which Hoffman was portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen.

In Forrest Gump, Gump finds himself interacting with the iconic figure while attending the March on the Pentagon in 1967. In the movie, he is portrayed by actor Richard D’Alessandro, who would later become better known as a television performer with some of his most prominent roles including playing Dennis Capozza in The Sopranos and Gaspar Digregorio in Godfather of Harlem.

8

John Lennon

Lennon Lived From 1940 To 1980

John Lennon was a founding member of the era-defining British rock band The Beatles. One of the most well-known 1960s groups of all time, the band produced towering hits including “Twist and Shout,” “Hey Jude,” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” After the band’s breakup, Lennon frequently collaborated with his artistic and romantic partner Yoko Ono before being shot by Mark David Chapman in 1980.

Zemeckis, who has a previous connection with Lennon, having helmed the Beatles-centric 1978 movie I Want To Hold Your Hand, brought the iconic music artist back to life via archive footage. Gump appears alongside him as an interview subject on an episode of The Dick Cavett Show, inadvertently inspiring his solo hit “Imagine.” Lennon was voiced by Joe Stefanelli, who later portrayed Lennon in a 1996 episode of Dark Skies and the 2002 short A Hard Day’s Day.

9

Dick Cavett

Cavett Was Born In 1936

Cavett is the only major historical figure depicted in Forrest Gump to still be alive at the time of writing. He is best known for being the host of the talk show The Dick Cavett Show, which ran on a variety of networks between 1968 and 1986. Over the years, he interviewed many iconic celebrities including Salvador Dalí, Lucille Ball, Jimi Hendrix, Kirk Douglas, Better Davis, Orson Welles, George Harrison, and even the real John Lennon.

In Forrest Gump, Cavett is the only real-life person to portray himself onscreen. He is seen conducting the interview that features both Gump and John Lennon. However, instead of being presented via archive footage, Cavett is transformed into his younger self via makeup, presaging the use of de-aging technology that has been deployed in recent movies including Captain Marvel and The Irishman.

10

President Richard Nixon

Nixon Lived From 1913 To 1994

Although the Forrest Gump book contains several historical figures who aren’t included in the movie, the final major real-life character to make an appearance is Richard Nixon. Nixon became the successor to Lyndon B. Johnson when he won the 1968 election and took office in 1969. He would eventually resign from the post in 1974 after being exposed for corrupt activities including illegal recording of opponents as part of the Watergate scandal.

Nixon is the third and final United States President to interact with the title character in Forrest Gump. Naturally, Gump is invited to spend some time at the Watergate complex, where he unwittingly becomes the person to expose the President’s corruption. Nixon, who was brought to the screen via archive footage, was voiced by Joe Alaskey, a longtime voice actor who had previously worked with Zemeckis when he voiced Yosemite Sam in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?