Tom Hanks On Why His Philadelphia Role Couldn't Be Cast The Same Today
Tom Hanks explains why his role as attorney Andrew Beckett in the 1993 film Philadelphia couldn't be cast the same today. Philadelphia stars Hanks as a successful lawyer who is diagnosed with AIDS and wrongfully terminated from a prestigious Philadelphia law firm after a colleague spots the condition's telltale lesions. In response, Beckett resolves to sue his former employer for discrimination, teaming up with the only lawyer willing to help him: the prejudiced Joe Miller, played by Denzel Washington.
Prior to being cast inthe legal drama directed by Jonathan Demme, Hanks was largely known for his roles in light-hearted comedies and romantic films like Splash, Big, Turner & Hooch, and Sleepless in Seattle. However, that all changed after audiences saw his performance in Philadelphia, one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to properly address issues like HIV/AIDS and homophobia. For his portrayal as a gay man with HIV, Hanks won his first Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, followed by his second a few years later for Forrest Gump.
Related: The Top 5 Greatest Tom Hanks Performances
Looking back on Philadelphia nearly 30 years later, Hanks doesn't think that he or any fellow straight actor would be able to play the role of Andrew Beckett today, and "rightly so." During an interview with The New York Times Magazine, Hanks talked about his openly gay character at the heart of Philadelphia,and how the mentality has changed in Hollywood over the years. The actor said that the role today should be cast with more «authenticity.» Read what he had to say below:
«Let’s address „could a straight man do what I did in Philadelphia now?“ No, and rightly so. The whole point of Philadelphia was don’t be afraid. One of
Read more on screenrant.com
