After the broad success of Dragnet, Hanks went in a more serious direction with 1992’s A League of Their Own and Sleepless in Seattle. In the former, he and co-star Meg Ryan crafted an enduring romantic comedy.
In the latter, Hanks showcased his dramatic chops, giving a heart-wrenching performance as Sam, a grieving widower. He also made his directorial debut with the comedy That Thing You Do! and voiced Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story film series.
Philadelphia (1993)
A gut-wrenching legal drama, this is a powerful depiction of the early days of the AIDS crisis. Hanks won his first Academy Award for this role as a lawyer fired because of his HIV diagnosis. Directors Jonathan Demme and Denzel Washington (both of whom had just won Oscars for The Silence of the Lambs) tackled a tough subject with intelligence and sensitivity.
This comedy-drama about a widower who takes in a child is another winning vehicle for Hanks’ light touch. His character embodies a kind of Jimmy Stewart decency.
Forrest Gump (1994)
In a movie industry that softens virtually any contentious issue into a fable with a happy ending, Hanks elevates the lowly Forrest Gump. The character embodies an old Hollywood precept: “Stupid is as stupid does.”
As his life becomes a guided tour of straight-arrow America, Forrest’s sweetheart Jenny (Robin Wright) indulges in the try-it-all excesses of counterculture: she dabbles in psychedelics and flower power, anti war rallies and drugs. Sally Field acquits herself well without falling into cringeworthy overacting, while Mykelti Williamson avoids the temptation to overplay his equally simple-minded role.
Cast Away (2000)
After a career that began with light comedies like Splash, this sturdily sympathetic character actor became one of Hollywood’s foremost leading men. He also branched out into dramas and has been a producer on several films and television miniseries, including the World War II drama Band of Brothers.
In this Robert Zemeckis drama, Hanks stars as a FedEx employee marooned on a desert island. Despite a silly premise, it’s a satisfying ibomma film. Darryl Hannah is a delight as Hanks’ love interest. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, but lost the Best Picture award to A Beautiful Mind.
Apollo 13 (1995)
Hanks proved he was equally adept at leading romantic comedies (Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail) as dramatic dramas (Philadelphia, Apollo 13). His work here was both thoughtful and solid, as the modest crew commander Jim Lovell, on whose memoir the film is based.
In Saving Private Ryan, Hanks reunited with director Steven Spielberg for another big movie on a big subject—the search through war-torn France after D-Day to bring home a missing soldier. It earned Hanks critical and popular praise. He also directed and starred in the acclaimed drama Greyhound.
The Green Mile (1999)
After starring in the Nora Ephron romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle and winning consecutive Academy Awards for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, Hanks earned more prestigious roles in films like the historical drama Apollo 13 and the family film Cast Away. He also voiced Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story film series and portrayed Robert Langdon in the Dan Brown movies Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code.
Hanks carries this Stephen King adaptation about life on the mile as a widowed curmudgeon redeemed by his love for the woman across the street. The Green Mile is another powerful example of Hanks’ ability to convey truthful emotions through his acting.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
After Sleepless in Seattle fashioned him as a romantic-comedy dream team partner for Meg Ryan, Hanks starred with her again in this Nora Ephron adaptation of a play originally staged in 1940.
Hanks narrates this documentary about the heroic actions of airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger during his rescue of US Airways Flight 1549 from a watery Hudson River crash in 2009.
Hanks carries off this everyman hero role with modesty and seriousness, not macho bravado, as Capt. Miller leads a platoon through war-torn France after D-Day to bring home a soldier.
That Thing You Do! (1995)
Following back-to-back Oscar successes in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, Hanks made his directorial debut with this satirical look at the invention of rock ‘n’ roll. The film follows the fictional Erie, Pennsylvania, band the Wonders on their rise and fall.
Hanks is a natural as the lead, playing a boy who resents his status as an “adult” and wishes to be a kid again. Hanks manages to make the movie work without relying on a heavy dose of camp or corniness. It is a smart, period-specific ode to youth and innocence.
The Right Stuff (1999)
After Sleepless in Seattle fashioned him and Meg Ryan into a rom-com dream team, Hanks made a fine debut as real-life children’s TV host Fred Rogers in this biopic. He earned an Oscar nomination and Golden Globe nod for his work.
Hanks expanded his repertoire from yuppie ’80s slapstick after Splash, and this role is notable for being an early Hollywood “issue” movie that treats its subject with sensitivity and intelligence. His performance is a tour de force. He was deservedly nominated for an Academy Award.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
After proving his comic chops, Hanks shifted into dramatic roles. His cheerful everyman persona helped him win audiences’ love, but he was also capable of portraying lead characters in serious dramas.
He starred as Ben Bradlee in The Post (both 2017), the real-life drama about the editor’s decision to publish the Pentagon Papers. Hanks paired with Meryl Streep in this powerful sparring match that earned him a Golden Globe nomination. He capped the decade with Clint Eastwood’s Sully, the true-life story of airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s emergency landing on the Hudson River.
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
After gaining notice as half of the co-stars in Bosom Buddies and scoring in comedy movies like Splash, Hanks began tackling more dramatic roles. The broad appeal of Big and his Oscar-nominated turn as a boy in an adult body in Punchline established him as one of the most popular actors of the era.
A League of Their Own and Sleepless in Seattle fashioned him into a romantic comedy dream team with Meg Ryan, while Philadelphia and Forrest Gump earned him consecutive Best Actor Oscars. He also starred in the historical drama Apollo 13 and provided the voice of Woody in three Toy Story films.
