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.
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.
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.
