All casting doubts had to be resolved through auditions. Sally Field wore reading glasses, a hat in the style of a southern female planter, and a very cute little flower bag, even without makeup.
Wrinkles and gray hair are two big options, and the image of a southern mother has been very powerfully created.
"Oh, Ronald, you always ask me to play the mother. How could I play the couple with Tom a few years ago?"
Sally Field's walking, standing, sitting and talking are all well designed, and a southern lady style is revealed. Undoubtedly, this is the foundation she laid during her previous performance in "Steel Magnolias".
The two mothers have similar traits, such as stubbornness, attention to etiquette, infinite love for their children, etc. So after getting a few scenes from the audition this time, Sally Field only spent half a day to remember what she felt at that time.
Some sentiments and little touches were picked up that would make both Ronald and Julia Taylor applaud.
"Oh, Ronald, we play a couple very well." Tom Hanks showed off his style of stand-up comedian when he co-starred with Sally Field. The two are old friends, and they are in Ronaldo.
He joked a little in front of Nader.
"No, now I need him to go back and let Forrest Gump come out..." Ronald gestured to Hanks to step into the role of Forrest Gump and play with Sally Field.
"Forrest, I'm very proud of you, let me hold this for you..."
"Oh, mom..."
"Ronald?" Tom Hanks and Sally Field played two or three scenes, and in the end it was Forrest Gump who graduated from college playing football, and his mother helped him move his ear to another place after the graduation ceremony.
One side situation.
At this point in the performance, everyone present could see that the two powerful actors were really suitable for the roles. The love between mother and child radiated from Sally Field's eyes, and the assistants in the audience felt it.
But Ronald seemed to be in a daze and never expressed any opinion. The two actors also looked at him, waiting for him to say something.
"Sorry, I remembered some other things. Sally, I have already told you that I look forward to cooperating with you..."
"Oh, yes, yes..."
Everyone noticed that the director was abnormal, but no one said anything. Ronald also understood that for the next generation of children, parents seeing their academic success is undoubtedly one of the most important moments in life, so he agreed to Kai.
Aunt Lun's matter, now that I have a family and a career, I have very little time, and I don't know when it will be completed...
…
Compared with the relatively fixed role of mother, the casting of Forrest Gump's best friend Babu is full of uncertainty.
Ronald talked to Spike Lee for a long time, and he was always unsure about what a typical black man looked like during that time. Spike Lee told him that as long as the black man didn't look like the one on TV, in the movies, or on the cover of a magazine,
, that’s right.
In fact, the black community itself is not very interested in black people who are "beautiful" or have an aesthetic that is close to that of white people. The best example is Michael Jackson. Since he had plastic surgery a few years ago, many black fans have gradually become more interested in them.
The idea that this person doesn't want to be with us.
MJ now has a double chin, a full forehead, big eyes, and a straight nose with small wings. If you compare his album cover photo when he debuted with his current photo, it would be difficult for you to compare it.
Accept that this is the same person's nose.
Moreover, since his popularity has taken the world by storm, in some East Asian countries, a large proportion of fans who started listening to his relatively new records and started listening to his relatively new MVs do not know that he is a black man, or even that he is a black man.
The singing style has also gradually become de-black.
Ronald met several candidate actors. The result of Ice Cube's audition was that he was too murderous. No matter how he relaxed, this guy looked like a butcher when he smiled. The role of Babu
, should be a relaxed, carefree black guy, so that he can resonate with Forrest Gump and become friends. Ice Cube looks more like Professor Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs
Soul resonance.
Tupac is a person in another direction. He looks relatively peaceful and gentle in appearance. But when he speaks, he is in a different state. There is a violent feeling deep in his heart that will leak out through those gentle lines.
Moreover, this person is too smart. When he listens to Ronald's guidance, he is very savvy. But this intelligence cannot be hidden at all, it is very exposed. It seems that he says all the time, I am actually very smart.
Of course, this is related to his family background. Although he has acted in movies with Janet Jackson, he is not a professional actor, and Ronald has no complaints.
Another candidate, Dave Chappelle, simply declined the audition. He said that he had the idea of focusing on black characters who set an example for the black community.
Ronald didn't understand this statement very well. Of course, Spike Lee understood it very well. He told Ronald that this meant that in Forrest Gump, the black characters did not have any actions or actions to fight for black power.
idea.
Alabama is a state with very serious racial discrimination, and Barb has not made any objection or protest against Forrest Gump, a typical representative of southern white people. In their eyes, only black people who resist white racial discrimination can be successful.
It's a role worth playing.
Ronald didn't quite understand this idea, and he was honest with Spike Lee. It wasn't that he didn't want to show the racial equality movement, but the story was seen from the eyes of a slightly mentally retarded adult. Forrest Gump couldn't do it at all.
Understanding complex social movements.
Therefore, the perspective of this movie is that of an innocent person who views various social movements purely from an instinctive perspective. He became best friends with the black Barb and gave the Barb family the shares they deserved.
When the university lifted restrictions on black admissions, and when Dr. Martin Luther King encountered opposition from white racists, he stood on the side of blacks.
This kind of fighting position is not the result of wisdom, the teachings of thoughtful intellectuals, nor is it the result of a turbulent movement for young people.
Most of Forrest Gump's decisions are based on a pure heart. He does not rely on the teachings of smart people, nor does he have the ability to analyze right and wrong. He relies on a complete and innocent heart like a child.
.
This is the consensus of many people in American society. Children and people who remain innocent can automatically make correct decisions under the guidance of God. However, adults who are well educated may be obsessed with money, power, and other desires.
Captured and lost his original intention.
This is a complex in the entire American society. Countless novels, plays, and movies have explored this theme of lost innocence. Whether it is "The Great Gatsby", which enjoys a high status in American literature, or is known as
America's first famous novel, "American Tragedy," and the various versions of movies adapted from these two novels, were both critical and box-office wins.
Even Spielberg's recent success is inseparable from the shadow of this complex. Whether it is "ET Alien" or "Captain Hook", the core is these words - "Lost Innocence"
"
Spike Lee completely disagrees with this narrative. In his view, the black community is a forgotten group of people who are deliberately left in backward communities, insulted and harmed. Ronald's tender narrative will actually weaken black civil rights.
The impact of the movement over the decades.
As if a good white person who treats black people well and makes a few black friends can offset the systemic discrimination against black people in the entire society?
The two people have different views and cannot agree, but they can still understand and respect each other. Spike Lee also brought good news to Ronald. Under his message, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The widow, Coretta Scott King, gave Ronald permission to use some of her husband's images.
In addition, Dr. King's youngest son, Derek King, who is famous for his resemblance to his father, also volunteered to play his father's role.
Of course Ronald welcomes them over. Anyway, the parts that require actors to play are actually very few scenes. The main thing is the authorized use of Dr. King's images from that year.
Although technically speaking, Ronald did not need the approval of Dr. King's family when he used the footage of the public interview on the television station. This is a fair use of television footage. However, because it will insert Forrest Gump's footage into it and history
The characters interact, so there's some room for legal debate.
Others are fine, such as all the previous generals, and their descendants don't mind this kind of use. But Dr. King's family is protected by the golden light of the leader of the civil rights movement, coupled with the sensitive nerves of black people, if something goes wrong
, it would be more than worth the loss if someone sues you when the movie is released.
Barb's casting decision was finally made by Julia Taylor. From a large number of audition photos, she selected a very distinctive actor named Mykelti Williamson.
He looks very typical of a black person, especially his very flat and broad nose, which is exactly the opposite extreme of the white nose that evolved in high latitudes. The whole person has a look that you see in small towns in the south.
Black people's sense of averageness.
Mykelti Williamson looks quite talented, and his whole person seems to give people a sense of trust, without having too much of the typical temperament of black people in big cities on the east and west coasts. To a certain extent, he is also a person who has not lost his innocence.
What a person should look like.
Ronald was very satisfied after watching his audition. The only shortcoming was that he looked too average and lacked some black stereotypes.
"Mr. Williamson..." Ronald and Julia Taylor chatted quietly for a while, looked up at him and said.
"Yes, sir..." Mykelti Williamson spoke in a Babu tone, trying to leave some good impression on the director.
"Hahaha, can I call you McKelty?" Ronald smiled, this guy's acting skills are pretty good.
"Of course..." Mykelti Williamson smiled. Is this a good impression?
"I have a request. If you feel offended, you can tell me..."
"Of course, what is it?" Mykelti Williamson became nervous again. What was he being asked to do?
"Can you show your lower lip a little more and move it forward..."
"Huh?" McKelty Williamson didn't expect this request. Many black people in the South do have the appearance of abnormally thick lower lips.
"Please don't get me wrong, the role of Babu is a major turning point for Forrest Gump, but unfortunately, because the movie has too many plots, he doesn't have much time to introduce himself to the audience, so I need a particularly typical southern black man.
Of course, if you think it’s not good to do this, I won’t force it..."
"It's okay, I understand what you mean, thank you, director." Mykelti Williamson was not angry, but he thought this was a good opportunity to leave his own impression on the audience. He tried hard to stick out his lower lip, and then
He kept like this and said a few words.
Not to mention, although it was a bit difficult, Mykelti Williamson performed very well.
"Is this the best you can do?" Ronald took a few photos and asked him.
"To be honest, I can only do this now, unless I practice deliberately when I go back..."
"No need..." Ronald waved his hand...
"Ah, this... I can try harder..." Mykelti Williamson panicked.
"Haha, don't worry. What I mean is that you just practice more like this. I will ask the makeup artist to make some improvements during the shooting. The important thing is to keep the natural feeling of speaking like this. You can practice more.
We will notify your agent when we make a decision..."
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Thank you, thank you..." Mykelti Williamson left happily.
…
As with the role of black Barb, many white actors gave up auditioning for the role of Lieutenant Dan.
Their reasons are different from those of the actor who plays Babu. For white people, such a character who has sacrificed his life for the country for generations and whose legs were injured and amputated in the Vietnam War is a bit outdated.
Ten years ago, a role like this would have landed an actor an Oscar nomination. Five years ago, a role like this would have garnered box office acclaim like Tom Cruise's Born on the Fourth of July.
But today, with the end of the Cold War, the trend of national reflection on the Vietnam War has passed. Now the main movie audiences, those teenagers, are already the generation born after the end of the Vietnam War.
If you were to play such a role today, the most likely outcome would be that you would not make any splash and be forgotten by others.
Ronald had no choice, but fortunately Julia Taylor found Gary Sinise for him through her very extensive casting network. This actor acted in a few movies when he first debuted, but he didn't make any breakthrough after that.
He is well-known and has acted in many TV dramas over the years.
As soon as Ronald saw his bitter face, he felt that Julia Taylor was extraordinary. With such a look and temperament, no need to act, she was just a person whose lofty dreams were shattered by God, and then she was looking for herself.
After some auditions, Ronald also asked Gary Sinise to curl up his calf, say a few lines, and do some actions. The scenes after Lieutenant Dan broke his leg required the assistance of the special effects team.
After special effects supervisor Van Fleet also nodded, Ronald informed him of the good news.
"Robin Wright..." The last important role is the choice of Jenny. Robin Wright is about to give birth, and he was very excited when he heard about this role. And if Tom Hanks doesn't play,
Her boyfriend Sean Penn may also take over. Isn't this something that everyone will be happy with?
For this reason, she has to audition for this rare role regardless of the fact that she still has a few weeks left to reach full term. The sugar-coated trap she gave up because of her pregnancy was already very heartbreaking, and now she has the opportunity to regain the role of Ronald.
, which means that nothing can be let go.
"It's me, is the audition time the same?" After receiving a call from Julia Taylor, Robin Wright's heart was moved. Is there a change in the afternoon audition?
"There are changes, we are sorry..."
"ah?"
"I'm sorry, Director Ronald has to leave Los Angeles temporarily for something very important. Can we make an appointment, um, the morning of the day after tomorrow?"
"Oh, of course, no problem. I can do it." Robin Wright put down the phone and felt calm for a while. I wonder where Ronald is going? Has he found a more suitable candidate than himself? He needs to go first.
Audition her? No, I have to make another call with director Robert Reiner...