Tom Hanks is an actor with the Midas touch in Hollywood. The veteran has had the unique knack of picking scripts that have gone on to become commercial blockbusters as well as critically acclaimed films that have stood the test of time. From romantic comedies, and intense dramas, to action thrillers, Hanks has covered the gamut of genres while proving his versatility by playing different characters on screen.
The star’s acting talent was abundantly evident with his consecutive Oscar wins for Best Actor in Forrest Gump and Philadelphia. While many of Hanks’ colleagues in the industry have expressed their excitement to share screen space with him, a few celebrities like comedian Dave Chappelle missed out on co-starring with the Cast Away star and regretted it later on.
Dave Chappelle Turned Down An Important Role In Forrest Gump
Comedian Dave Chappelle gradually rose to prominence by starting his career in standup shows like Chappelle’s Show on Comedy Central before stepping into mainstream Hollywood. The star was seen in small but significant roles in a number of high-profile films in the 1990s such as Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Undercover Blues, and The Nutty Professor.
Chappelle was then offered the opportunity to play Tom Hanks’ best friend Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue in the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump. The comedian though, turned down the marquee role as he was displeased with the fact that a black man was depicted as unintelligent and slow on the uptake. The role ultimately went to Mykleti Williamson who was relatively unknown before landing the part. Speaking of his reasons for letting go of the opportunity, Chappelle said in one of his comedy sets,
“They tried to get me in Forrest Gump. I must have read the wrong script. This script stunk when I read it “
Despite missing out on a film that went on to become a historic success, Dave Chappelle made up for his lost opportunity to work with Tom Hanks by co-starring with him later on in You’ve Got Mail.
Harrison Ford Once Refused To Be A Part Of Dave Chappelle’s Film
In 1998, actor Dave Chappelle wrote and starred in the stoner comedy Half Baked which also had Snoop Dog in a cameo appearance. The film which followed the story of 3 drug addicts and their chaotic run-in with the police force, received negative reviews upon its release with critics and audiences dismissing it completely. The film had an approval rate of only 28% on Rotton Tomatoes. Over the years, it gained recognition and popularity after its release on DVD and finally ended up being one of Hollywood’s cult movies.
Along with Snoop Dog’s cameo, Dave Chappelle had reportedly approached Harrison Ford to play a small role in the film. Ford though, declined the offer. While the reasons for his refusal are still not known, the general consensus today is that the film would have been elevated greatly with the veteran star’s presence. Chappelle’s instincts though, proved to be spot-on about the film.
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