It’s hard to believe in the utopian vision of love when going through a heartbreak. Such was Tom Hanks’ experience, who passed on the chance to star in ‘When Harry Met’ for director Rob Reiner. ‘The Forrest Gump’ actor couldn’t relate to the script as he was okay not being married.
Tom Hank’s wife, Rita Wilson, revealed that having gone through her first divorce; the script didn’t strike a chord with them. He was satisfied not being married and couldn’t relate to the male character’s romantic longing. Ultimately, the role went to Billy Chrystal, who starred opposite Meg Ryan.
Tom Hanks’ Reason For Rejecting ‘When Harry Met Sally’
During her appearance on the podcast ‘Table For Two With Bruce Bozzi,’ Rita Wilson told the host about her husband, Tom Hanks, turning down ‘When Harry Met Sally.’ Hanks, who was divorced from his first wife Samantha Lewes, didn’t believe in the story screenwriter Nora Ephron and director Rob Reiner were trying to tell.
Tom Hanks’s current wife, actress Rita Wilson told the host, “People probably don’t know this, but Tom was offered when ‘Harry Met Sally’ and he turned it down because he was going through a divorce and he was very happy to be not married. And so he could not understand that a person going through a divorce would have anything other than just like, ‘I’m so happy.’ But I loved that script.”
In Case You Missed: Who Was Tom Hanks’ First Wife Samantha Lewes? Did They Have Kids?
Tom Cruise’s Part In ‘Jerry Maguire’ Was Meant For Tom Hanks
‘Jerry Maguire‘ is a defining moment in Tom Cruise‘s career as a dramatic actor. But the role was initially meant for Tom Hanks. According to the director Cameron Crowe, by the time the script reached Hanks, he had aged out of the part. The ‘Forrest Gump’ actor was also working on his directorial debut ‘That Thing You Do!’ Years later, the two-time Oscar-winner would talk to Access Hollywood about how his scheduling conflict led to Tom Cruise grabbing the role.
The ‘Forrest Gump’ actor believes the ‘Mission: Impossible’ star owes him a solid, saying, “I talked to Cameron Crowe about a year in advance. And during that time, my good friend Jonathan Demme and I were talking about stuff that we wanted to do. And I had this idea for That Thing You Do! So by the time that train was running…I made that movie and was not available then to work with Cameron Crowe. I would like to think, however, that Tom Cruise owes me one dollar. And I am still waiting for the check.”
You Might Also Like To Read: Tom Hanks Claims Tom Cruise Owes Him Money For A $267 Million Movie Role That Was Only Possible Because Of His Date Issues
