Hanks, 68, spoke on the red carpet of the film’s global premiere at AFI Fest in Los Angeles on Friday, Oct. 25, on what it was like to reunite with his Forrest Gump co-star and director Robert Zemeckis 30 years after the film’s 1994 debut.
“Everybody was [saying], ‘Oh, what was it like, the reunion?'” Hanks recalls seeing Wright, 58, on set after so many years. “Do you know what it was?” “Do you know what it was?”
Hanks said, “We continued where we left off.” We’re so comfortable together that I’d say we love each other. It was a privilege to be able to engage in the same conversations we’d been having for the past 30 years, following a moment of, “Hey, this kooky look, do you believe this?” “Take a look at this.”
Hanks has spoken candidly about how he and Wright instantly bonded when they reunited for Here, years after filming Forrest Gump, in which the two portrayed boyhood friends who married after the film.
In an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Here, Wright claimed that working with Hanks and Zemeckis, 72, came naturally, adding, “There’s nothing like working with people you know and get along with.”
“We all know each other so well,” Hanks added. “We could collaborate and pinpoint exactly what we wanted to try differently,” Hanks continued.
According to the synopsis, the story revolves around “multiple families and a special place they inhabit.” The narrative spans decades, conveying the most relevant of human experiences.”
The film, which also stars Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly, and Michelle Dockery, is a “tale of love, loss, laughter, and life, all of which happen right here,” according to the description.
Hanks found the film’s themes, such as the passage of time and how families interact across generations, to be relatable.
Hanks stated at Friday’s premiere, “There was so much.” Forrest Gump’s premise, in my opinion, was a reflection of our experiences and struggles. We had arrived after Vietnam, the ’60s, and the ’70s. “Look what we’ve been through,” Hanks said.
This is an account of our current situation. It virtually eliminates the past tense. What have we endured to reach this point? He continued. “We are discussing this because there are Native Americans involved. People lived here hundreds of years ago, unaware that they were living in the past. They did not share our perspective on their identity or the experiences they had.
“They were just dealing with the absolute most modern times and most modern technology—the most current version of what was going on,” according to the actor. As neither of us knows, they were unaware that they will be obsolete by 2024.”