10 Greatest Ever Tom Hanks Movie Performances
4. Chuck Noland - Cast Away
Tom Hanks has given some fantastic performances but he is no Christian Bale. The latter is known for his physical transformations famously eating only an apple a day to reach 54kg in The Machinist before doubling that weight when he bulked up on pies for Dick Cheney. Hanks, however, tends to keep his short hair cut, iconic voice (apart from one particular Southern drawl) and roughly the same weight in all his films, that was until Cast Away.
Cast Away sees a slightly pudgier Hanks as an arrogant loudmouthed FedEx systems analyst who after being stuck on an island loses nearly 25kg and grows an impressive beard and some lovely blond curly hair to match. Hanks took a year to lose the weight and grow the hair and deservedly was nominated for an Oscar for this dedication.
The physical transformation itself was impressive but his character progression even more so as he goes from a man who treats his employees like sheep to a desperate survivor longing for human contact. Very few actors could carry off essentially a one man show for the majority of a two hour film, with a little help from a certain volleyball. And only Hanks could make us form an emotional attachment as Wilson drifts away into the unknown with a heartbroken man left yelling "Wilson!" into oblivion.