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Between Forrest and Lieutenant Dan, it’s a whole story of friendship: rediscover these two lines which take on a whole new meaning when combined…
If you’ve read Winston Groom’s 1986 novel, Forrest Gump, you’ll know that Robert Zemeckis ‘ cult film only adapted its first eleven chapters before jumping straight to the end, but Forrest did a lot more throughout his life that could have appeared in the film: being an astronaut, a wrestler, or even a chess player, for example.
Warner’s Initial Doubts
However, all this was not necessary for the film to be an absolute success. And yet Warner, at first, rejected the idea of producing it because, after the success of Rain Man, the company was convinced that no one would want to see the story of a scientist again.
If the actors Zemeckis had in mind had been chosen, we would be talking about a very different film: Tom Hanks would be John Travolta and Gary Sinise would have been replaced by Joe Pesci or Kevin Bacon . Of course, it would have been a very strange thing to see. Oddly enough, and even though he was not his first choice, Gary Sinise was so in love with his role that he founded a band, The Lt. Dan Band, and performed at military bases around the world, giving over 400 concerts.
From Gary Sinise to Lieutenant Dan
And the CSI: NY star has repeatedly stated that on the street, he’s better known as “Lieutenant Dan” than “Gary Sinise.” That’s not so surprising since he delivers some of the best lines in the movie, though it takes multiple viewings to realize that. Remember the moment when he tells Forrest, ” If you ever really do get to be a shrimp boat captain, I think I’ll be an astronaut. ” Later, when the pair reunite and the lieutenant shows Forrest his new legs, he taps them with his cane and says, ” Titanium alloy. That’s what they use on the space shuttle. “
A Metaphorical Journey to Space
So, metaphorically, he managed to be an astronaut… And Gary Sinise became an astronaut the following year, playing one of the protagonists of Apollo 13, again alongside Tom Hanks. According to legend, Ron Howard even offered him to play the character of his choice, who was then one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood for successful supporting roles. His filmography also includes The Green Mile by Frank Darabont and Snake Eyes by Brian De Palma. Few actors can say that they have worked with the best…
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