Director Robert Zemeckis and actor Tom Hanks tag-teamed several films together. One of the most iconic films the duo made was "Cast Away." Here we breakdown how the film was made and which behind-the-scenes tricks were used to bring the story to life...
Wilson Is Worth $18K Today
The iconic prop was the only lifeline Chuck had on the island, and he treated the old volleyball like a friend. During the scene where Wilson floats out to sea during Chuck's escape, it's one of cinema's most heartbreaking moments. Recently, the original volleyball sold for $18,400 in an online auction.
An Alternate Ending Featuring the FedEx Box
During the entirety of the film, Chuck refuses to open one particular FedEx package. Why? It's one of the most ambiguous endings in the history of cinema, and for what? In an alternate ending, Chuck decides to open the box on his 1,000th day on the island. All that's inside are two jars of salsa verde and a note from a wife to her husband:
"You said our life was a prison. Dull. Boring. Empty. I can't begin to tell you how much that hurt. I don't want to lose you. I'm enclosing some salsa, the verde you like. Use it on your sticky rice and think of home. Then come home - to me. We'll find the spice in our lives again. Together. I love you. Always. Bettina."
Hanks Underwent a Drastic Transformation
From beginning to end, Hanks looks like an entirely different person. Zemeckis actually halted filming for a year so the actor could lose 50 pounds and make himself look deteriorated in the most authentic way possible. He was 225 pounds at the start of the film and slimmed down to 170 in order to believably look like he was malnourished from living on an island.
Hanks Suffered From a Staph Infection
Hanks cut his leg while filming in Fiji and initially thought nothing of it. However, his doctor informed him that he was incredibly close to suffering from blood poisoning because his cut had turned into a staph infection. He was admitted to the hospital for three days and had to postpone filming for three weeks. He wasn't allowed back in the water for some time because he was contagious.
Isolation Took a Toll on Hanks
Hanks is a high-profile actor who can command any scene that he's in, so working completely alone eventually took a toll on him. A movie with basically one character through the entire plot was virtually unheard of before "Cast Away." On filming, Hanks said: "Initially, it was fun. But then it became exhausting, as I had no time away from the camera. Being the sole focus of the film did wear me down after a while."
Zemeckis Filmed "What Lies Beneath" During Hanks' Downtime
While Tom Hanks took a year to lose weight for the second half of the film, the studio didn't know what to do with all that downtime. So, Zemeckis signed on to film the paranormal romance "What Lies Beneath," starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford. The huge gap in filming was pretty unheard of, and the studio was almost in a huge bind because they needed the money.
The Score Doesn't Begin Until 2/3 Through The Film
Zemeckis and his longtime composer Alan Silvestri decided not to introduce the musical score until two-thirds through the film in order to highlight Chuck's isolation. By focusing more on the silence and the natural sounds of the island, the viewer feels just as alone as Chuck does. By introducing the theme of the film during Chuck's escape scene, it reinforces a feeling of understated triumph through the simplicity of the melody.
FedEx Didn't Pay for Product Placement
Despite the overwhelming amount of FedEx logos featured in this film, the company didn't pay a dollar to have their name in "Cast Away." Instead, the writers approached the shipping mogul. The point of having Chuck work as a FedEx executive was to highlight how his corporate life was constantly dictated by time, and when he's stranded on the island, he loses that concept completely.
Wilson Had Dialogue
Hanks has credited the prop/character of Wilson as one of Chuck's only means of holding onto his sanity while on the island. However, because Wilson is an inanimate object, the writers had to get creative in order to find a way for Chuck to express his inner thoughts. So, during filming, extras would speak "Wilson's" lines to Hanks and have him respond so the discourse felt natural. Wilson turned into a sort of "cranky old man" character through Chuck's inner thoughts.
Filming In Moscow Was Accommodating
The film opens in Moscow in order to portray Chuck as a "worldly" man, and while truly any foreign country would have sufficed, Zemeckis chose to film in Moscow. The Russian government was actually incredibly accommodating to the cast and crew. They shut down the Red Square for a week so the crew could use it as a home-base for equipment.
It Was Difficult To Find The Perfect Island
Though parts of the film were shot in Memphis and LA, the majority of the film was shot on an island off of Fiji. However, finding the perfect spot was difficult because the island couldn't look like a paradise. It had to look menacing and impossible to survive on. In order for Zemeckis to lock down the island of Monuriki he had to learn Fijan customs in order to earn the approval of the family who owned it.
The Film Was Shot In Chronological Order
"Cast Away" is one of the few films shot in chronological order, and part of it is due to Hanks' physical transformation. It would have been difficult for him to continuously gain and lose weight for the role, so it was smarter on Zemeckis's part to shoot from start to finish. Usually, films are shot based on production schedules.
Filming on Monuriki Was an Intense Process
The team set up a production hotel on Monuriki, but the island was so remote that the trip to and from was nearly an hour. Filming on the island was a huge production. Each production team - audio, lighting, grips, etc. - needed their own hut built on the beach to store all of their equipment. Around 75-100 boats traveled to and from the island every day in order to bring in gear and actors.
"Cast Away" Was Not The Original Title
The original title for "Cast Away" was "Chuck of the Jungle," because Hanks initially thought they'd market the film as a comedy. Eventually, he realized the story was much more serious and decided the title had to fit. Hanks believed the film could even resonate with viewers in a metaphysical way: "Take a modern man and strip him of everything - food, water, shelter, even the ability to tell time."
Wilson Was Created From the Writer's Loneliness
Screenwriter William Broyles Jr. was struggling to find inspiration for Chuck's survival scenes. He traveled to a remote island in Mexico's Sea of Cortes to get a first-hand look at what this character would be struggling with. He knew he needed some form of companionship quickly after he stepped foot on the island. Broyle described his experiment: "I had to figure out how to open a coconut because I was so thirsty, I had to figure out how to make a knife out of a rock, I had to learn how to spear stingrays... It was just a few days, but I got really lonely. And then one morning this Wilson volleyball washed up on the beach and I looked at it, and put some seashells on it, and I started talking to it... "
The Film Led to the Creation of "Lost"
ABC Entertainment chairman Lloyd Braun was seeking out a pitch based on his favorite film, "Cast Away," and eventually the studio picked up a script for "Cast Away - The Series." It focused on a group of 10 people stranded on a Pacific island. Eventually, J.J. Abrams got his hands on the script, and he threw in the supernatural element that is "Lost" as viewers know it today.
Tom Hanks Wanted The Story to be Creative
Hanks explained the unique angle he wanted to take with "Cast Away": "There is a standard way of telling this story, and that’s to have a rich, snotty guy who’s obviously not in touch with what’s important and blah, blah, blah, and then he learns a lesson and he’s not like that anymore. But Chuck learns no great lessons. I didn’t want to show a man conquering his environment, but rather the effect the environment has on him. I wanted to deal with subject matter that was largely verboten in mainstream movies, taking the concept of a guy trapped against the elements, with no external forces, no pirates, no bad guys, and tell it in a way that challenged the normal cinematic narrative structure.”
The Theme of the Movie is Simple
The last two words Chuck says in the film are "thank you," and the writer says that is the pivotal theme of the movie. "The idea of acceptance [of his fate], that there is no rationale for some of the things that happen to us. But finally, there is gratitude." The film ends purposely ambiguously, with Chuck at the literal crossroads in Canadian, Texas, deciding whether to follow the woman in the truck or to go down a different path to a new city he's never been to.
Hanks Views the Plane Crash as a Gift
Hanks feels the FedEx plane crash was the best thing that could have happened to his character. The shift in perspective about finding yourself in a crossroads is a pivotal turning point for his character. Hanks said, "People do that all the time. ‘I quit, I don’t want to do this job anymore, I’m gonna go figure out what I want to do and I’m going to be okay.’ That’s interesting. It’s almost as though Chuck can say the best thing that ever happened to him was, ‘I was in this plane crash in which five people got killed and I survived for four years and I came back and I lost the woman I love.’”
"Survivor" Came Out Before "Cast Away"
The hit reality show "Survivor" made its television debut in 2000, seven months before "Cast Away" was released in theaters. Both are incredibly close in plot - a group of people are stranded in an exotic location and must compete against each other, reality-show style. Hanks said "he was spooked by the show's like-minded theme. But he knew they didn't have a trivial film. Good or bad, we always had something that was more substantial than what is essentially a game show that is a television phenomenon."
Hanks was Reunited with Wilson in 2015
While attending a hockey game in 2015, Hanks was shown on the big screen when suddenly a fan tossed him a Wilson volleyball. He beamed while looking at his old castmate, and the crowd went crazy for the surprise photobomb. Though this is cool, it certainly isn't the Wilson that is worth $18K.
"Cast Away" vs "The Martian"
Critics have compared Matt Damon's "The Martian" to the hit Hanks film, claiming it might be "Cast Away" in space. Both films feature men marooned in unknown territory, trying to survive by any means, and both were distributed by Fox. The biggest difference is that Damon's character could communicate with people, and Hanks could not. In various interviews, Damon has disagreed with the comparisons. "It's not 'Cast Away' in the sense that it's actually a guy who is behaving with the expectation that people are watching him. He's on video all the time on these GoPros. Nobody's seeing the video feed live, but he's behaving as if someday someone might."
"Cast Away" Was Featured in a Parody
This film, "Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls," is an unauthorized parody of "Miss Congeniality," "Cast Away," and "Jurassic Park," and stars none other than Michael Jackson in his last scripted role. Beauty pageant contestants crash on an island and Fox wasn't happy about the blatant "Cast Away" rip. The filmmaker was hurled several cease and desist letters, but he claimed that no one would really pick up the film unless he changed the title anyways.
Zemeckis Paid for the "Forrest Gump" Running Scenes
The studio was one day away from ending production on "Forrest Gump" due to financial setbacks, so director Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks singlehandedly paid for all of Forrest's running scenes in order to keep the film afloat. "The studio was one day away from pulling the plug on this one movie I was going to make, and the director came to my house and said, ‘Look, this is going to fall apart because they won’t give us the budget for shooting this one sequence, and we’ve got to have this sequence." What came of it was the most iconic scene in the whole movie, in which Forrest runs across the country in response to Jenny leaving him.
Tom Hanks Didn't Get Paid Upfront
Though Hanks didn't get paid upfront for the film, he did make $30 million following the release. the film made a whopping $600 million internationally on a $55 million budget. Hanks believed in the film so much that he was okay with sacrificing his paycheck upfront in order to keep the film afloat.
Jenny Died from Hepatitis C
Towards the end of Jenny's life, she tells Forrest, "I have some virus, and the doctors don't know what it is, and there isn't anything they can do about it." Viewers know through context clues that Jenny was a drug addict, and, though the movie never states what she was sick with, Hepatitis C was her confirmed cause of death in Winston Groom's sequel "Gump & Co." Hepatitis C was unknown in the medical community in the 1970s and only gained real relevance in the 1980s.
Tupac Auditioned for the Role of Bubba
Tupac Shakur's wife, Keisha Morris, recalled that she and the rapper went to see "Forrest Gump" on their first date because he'd read for the role of Bubba. Not only was he a rap virtuoso, but he was an incredibly skilled actor. He'd appeared in projects like "Juice," "Poetic Justice," and "Above the Rim." How would the film have turned out if this icon had been cast instead of actor Mykelti Williamson?
Kurt Russel Voices Elvis
Forrest recalls the number of people who stayed at his Mama's boarding house growing up—remember that scene where a handsome young man comes over with a guitar? That's none other than Elvis Presley. However, the actor in the scene isn't actually singing. It's actually actor Kurt Russel's voice. Though Kurt wasn't credited in the film, he could have fooled viewers. The actor pictured also played Elvis in the 1970 TV movie, "Elvis."
Tom Hanks' Daughter Emily Has a Cameo
There are a couple of star-studded cameos in "Forrest Gump." It's pretty common for actors and directors to give their family members a few seconds of fame, and you can spot Tom Hanks' daughter Emily on the school bus at the start of the film. She doesn't let Forrest sit with her, and when he takes the rejection from her, he is subsequently shot down by another boy - director Robert Zemeckis' son.
The Ping Pong Balls Were CGI
Though the most obvious use of CGI in the film is Lt. Dan's missing legs, or when Forrest is seen standing next to President Kennedy and John Lennon, the classic ping pong scene was also staged. When Forrest is playing a match in China, there are no ping pong balls in the scene. During filming, Hanks and his partner swung their paddles according to clicking noises, and the ball was added in post-production.
Hanks Still Had Lines When His Microphone Shut Off
When Forrest is asked to speak about his time in the Vietnam War doing a protest in Washington DC, he approaches the microphone, but someone pulls the plug before he can start speaking. Whatever he said must have been moving, because the man standing next to him is visibly emotional, but the crowd doesn't hear a thing. However, Hanks did have scripted lines. According to Hanks, he said: "Sometimes when people go to Vietnam, they go home to their mommas without any legs. Sometimes they don't go home at all. That's a bad thing. That's all I have to say about that."
Ice Cube and Dave Chappelle Turned Down the Role of Bubba
After the movie became such a huge success, comedian Dave Chappelle admitted that he obviously regretted turning down the role of Forrest's best friend. Appearing in the blockbuster could have launched Chappelle into instant fame, but he got a second chance when his sketch series, "The Chappelle Show," took off. Ice Cube also turned down the role, allegedly because he "didn't want to play a dumb character." Pretty dumb on your part, Ice Cube.
John Travolta Turned Down the Role of Forrest
Along with Bill Murray and Chevy Chase, John Travolta turned down the once-in-a-lifetime role. Playing Forrest earned Hanks his second Oscar for Best Actor in two years, which he'd previously won for "Philadelphia." Travolta would later say the rejection was a huge mistake on his part. However, he later went on to play Vincent Vega in "Pulp Fiction," which was released the same year as "Forrest Gump."
Nicole Kidman Turned Down the Role of Jenny
Though Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, and Jodie Foster all have incredibly successful careers on their own, that doesn't mean they don't wish they'd snagged up the role of Jenny when they had the chance. All three were offered the part, and all three turned it down. Robin Wright ended up with the role of Forrest's leading lady, and nobody could have played Jenny as well as she did.
They Cut a Scene With MLK Jr.
While a recurring theme of the film is Forrest finding himself accidentally surrounded by historical giants like JFK Jr. and John Lennon, there was also a scene that featured Martin Luther King Jr. In it, Forrest meets King and his supporters during a protest right before police are about to shut it down. They unleash their police dogs and they race toward King, but Forrest starts to play fetch with them, rendering them harmless. In typical Forrest fashion, he says to King: "Sorry to interrupt your parade. They just dogs and they don't know any better." If only that scene had made the final cut.
Jenny Recreates an Andrew Wyeth Painting
In the iconic scene when Jenny and Forrest revisit their childhood homes, her small farmhouse is empty and weathered. It clearly still haunts her, and she breaks down in a fit of anger. She throws rocks at the house until she collapses. Robin Wright intentionally recreates Andrew Wyeth's 1948 painting Christina's World with the way she poses, and the original work is currently on display at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Robert Zemeckis Cites Norman Rockwell as an Inspiration
Norman Rockwell captured America best, and "Forrest Gump" begins in the fictional Alabama town of Greenbow. Forrest's childhood scenes were shot in Varnville, South Carolina, which has a small-town feel similar to the aesthetic of a Norman Rockwell painting. The scene with Forrest sitting outside the principal's office was inspired by the Rockwell painting, The Young Lady with the Shiner.
One of Forrest's Benches is Worth $500,000
The bench in "Forrest Gump" is one of the most important elements of the plot. It's where Forrest is recapping the events of the entire film. The bench scenes were shot in Savannah, Georgia, so when filming wrapped, the benches just stayed there. One was given to a security guard who patrolled the set, and even though he's had several offers to sell it - one as large as $500,000 - he's refused every time.
Mykelti Willaimson's Lip Isn't Really That Big
The actor who played Forrest's best friend Bubba wore a prosthetic bottom lip, but when he showed up for other casting calls following the success of "Forrest Gump," he was turned down. Other directors specifically wanted him for his looks because they thought Zemeckis had discovered a unique-looking actor, but he hadn't. However, Williamson has still managed a successful career despite the rejections. He's landed roles in "CSI: NY," "24," and "Justified."
"My Name is Forrest, Forrest Gump."
When Forrest and Bubba first meet, Hanks actually improvised his iconic greeting. Bubba says: "My given name is Benjamin Buford Blue, but people call me Bubba." Forrest replies: "My name is Forrest Gump. People call me Forrest Gump." The iconic line wasn't scripted at all, but Zemeckis loved the charm it held and left it in.
Hanks Loved Young Forrest's Accent
Even though the character of Forrest spoke with a pronounced Southern accent in the novel, Hanks wasn't a huge fan of the idea. However, Zemeckis persuaded him to do so, and while searching for the right voice, Hanks met actor Michael Connor Humphreys, who played young Forrest. He used his own Mississippi accent in the film, and Hanks modeled his voice after the kid.
The Lt. Dan Band
Actor Gary Sinise took his "Forrest Gump" character to a whole new level. He started his own band, The Lt. Dan Band. The 12-piece rock band - in which he plays the bass - performs covers of USO songs and donates all their proceeds to disabled veterans. The real Lt. Dan would be so proud.
Bubba and Forrest Were Placed Together Due to Low IQs
During the Vietnam War, the US Army allowed soldiers with low IQs to enlist, as long as they were all placed in the same unit together. In the original script, they kept this part of Bubba and Forrest's relationship historically accurate. However, since the film had been in production, the Army had discontinued this practice and didn't like how it was being depicted in the movie. So they cut it, and the script was changed so Forrest and Bubba were the only two soldiers with low IQs in the platoon.
Winston Groom Didn't Earn Royalties
Though the film earned $667 million in ticket sales, author Winston Groom didn't see any of the money in royalties. Paramount Studio contends that, despite the success, they didn't earn back enough money to even out the production spending. The claim is a little suspicious though because both Hanks and Zemeckis walked away with a $30 million paycheck. Groom actually took Paramount to court, and the judge pointed out that Groom had signed a bad contract. In the end, he made around $350,000 off the movie.
"Philadelphia" Was Inspired By Real People
Director John Demme told Rolling Stone that "Philadelphia" was inspired by his artist friend Juan Botas. He wanted to make a film about people who don't have AIDS and need to be informed. Botas passed away from AIDS after he and Demme worked together on a project, and he wanted to spread awareness about the disease to people who look down on HIV/AIDS patients. He also pulled from two discrimination cases that parallel Tom Hanks' character. Two men were wrongfully fired after it was revealed they had HIV, and both men won their cases.
Daniel Day-Lewis Turned Down the Role of Andrew Beckett
Though Hanks eventually landed the lead role in "Philadelphia," producers wanted someone more conventional, and their eyes were on Daniel Day-Lewis. However, he passed, and the studio was livid. They knew how important the film was going to be, and when Hanks approached director John Demme and sold himself on the part, they made a deal. Hanks actually beat out Day-Lewis at the Oscar's for his role in "Philadelphia" later that year.
Denzel Washington Wasn't The Studio's First Choice
Initially, Denzel's role was written for a comedic actor like Bill Murray or Robin Willaims. Demme wanted a comedian to add some levity to the film, but when Demme sat down with Washington, he told the director he was incredibly interested. Their conversation looked like this: "'Well, to tell you the truth, we're gonna have such a struggle to get people to see an AIDS movie, we were hoping to cast it with someone who, right out of the box, the mention of their name signals to people that there's gonna be a lot of humor in this movie.' And Denzel said, 'Well, I happen to be very, very funny.'"
Mary Steenburgen Skipped Her First Day On Set
Mary Steenburgen, who played Belinda Conine, a defense attorney, had to skip her first day of filming because she wasn't emotionally ready. One of her close friends in real life had died from AIDS. She'd told director John Demme, "You might have to recast this. I’m distraught about my friend." And then he said, "No, that makes you [an] even more perfect person, not a less perfect person, to play it. Remember, this is not a film about ‘How do you feel about AIDS?’"
The Home Movies At The End Are Really Tom Hanks
The end of the film shows a collage of home movies following Andrew Beckett's death. It's actually a young Tom Hanks in all of those clips. Director John Demme wanted everything to feel as authentic and genuine as possible, and the Hanks family gladly allowed the director to use some real footage of them.
Demme Cut an Emotional Scene Between Hanks and Banderas
An unedited version of the film features a scene with Hanks and Banderas lying in bed together, which is meant to show other people that they're "just like us," because the film was meant to strip away all prejudices against the LGBTQ community. However, the scene was cut due to length, and Demme stands by the decision because ultimately, the film is about the portrayal of justice.
The Sailor Uniforms Became Political Statements
During a party scene, hosts Banderas and Hanks are seen decked out in fancy sailor uniforms. However, the military issued the Don't Ask, Don't Tell rule under Bill Clinton in 1994, and when the film was shown at the White House, Clinton left the room. "He had to relieve himself, but I thought it was sort of interesting timing," Demme said on the matter. Instead of later having an informed conversation about AIDS with the White House guests, the President decided to give everyone a tour of the grounds instead. Demme said it was a disappointing moment.
Many Extras Had AIDS In Real Life
The nonprofit Action Wellness helped the crew find more than 50 extras with HIV and AIDS to appear in the film. Today, only one member of that group is still alive. “I am so happy to be alive, but I have survivor’s guilt,” Suellen Kehler said at the Philadelphia Film Center screening of the film and the documentary short The Last Mile. “I ask myself ‘Why me? Why just me?’”
Hanks' Oscar Acceptance Speech Inspired Another Film
In his acceptance speech, Hanks thanked his high school drama teacher, Rawley Farnsworth, and classmate John Gilkerson, and cited them as "the two finest gay Americans, two wonderful men, that I had the good fortune to be associated with." However, he inadvertently outed his teacher, which prompted the making of the comedy, "In & Out," which follows one high school teacher's struggle with a public outing and a useless refutal.
Bruce Springsteen Wrote the Theme
Springsteen's song "The Streets of Philadelphia" was inspired by the city, obviously. Demme hired Neil Young to compose a rock song for the movie's ending, and Springsteen to compose a song for the film's opening. “Demme had sent me that opening piece of film where the camera moves slowly through Philly,” Springsteen said. “Eventually, I came up with that tiny, little beat and I figured it wasn’t what he wanted, but I sent it to him anyway and asked, ‘What do you think?’” "Streets of Philadelphia" beat out Neil Young's song at the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Grammy's.
Many People Thanked Hanks For The Film
Hanks has said that "Philadelphia" is the project that has gotten him the most personal praise. He says the film pulled emotional responses from people who both had AIDS and who did not, and all have thanked him for making the film and shedding light on the subject. He says that everyone he's ever met already had some preconceived notion of what AIDS is, and he wanted to try and combat that, and many people have told him that he has.
Jim Hanks Voices Woody When Tom Is Busy
Tom Hanks revealed on The Graham Norton Show in 2011 that his brother Jim's voice is what's coming out of certain Woody toys. "No, it’s my brother Jim," Hanks said. "There are so many computer games and video things, and Jim just works on those all year long." Next time you're watching one of the older movies, be on the lookout for any differences in Woody's voice.
Thank "Nightmare Before Christmas"
Without Jack Skellington, there would be no "Toy Story." Tim Burton's stop-motion technique was unlike anything the Disney Studio had ever seen before. Because of that film's success, Pixar was ready to try their hand at other types of animation as well. The two animators were actually classmates at CalArts.
Pixar Didn't Want To Make a Love Story
Disney was in the middle of releasing several of its classic love stories: "Aladdin," "The Little Mermaid," and "Beauty and the Beast." Pixar didn't want to fall into that mold, they wanted to make something unique. They knew they didn't want a fairytale. They decided that their main characters, Buzz and Woody, had to be the most interesting ones in the film. They didn't want to base their story off a too-perfect main character, like Aladdin.
The Final Cut of "Toy Story 2" Was Deleted
A year before "Toy Story 2" was set to hit theaters, someone inside the studio who didn't belong there entered a keyboard command that wiped 90% of the film's progress. If it hadn't been recovered, the film most likely wouldn't have been remade. Luckily, technical director Galyn Susman had another copy of the film she'd been working on from home, and the situation was thankfully averted.
Disney Wanted More Human Characters
Disney wasn't quite understanding Pixar's point that the movie was meant to be focused mostly on the toys. They wanted to add more human characters, mainly kids, and they had some professional writers take a look at the script. However, when Joss Whedon eventually stepped in, Pixar's original vision was refocused.
A Different Title
The film was originally going to be called "You Are A Toy." It's a line that Woody tells Buzz over and over, but it doesn't really seem natural. "Toy Story" is a much better fit, and every succeeding film in the franchise kept with the same name. It's simple, easy, and encapsulates the entire theme of the film in two words.
Woody Wasn't Likeable
Initially, Woody wasn't meant to be a likable character. In the early storyboards, he was relentlessly mean to the other toys. "We were trying to do something different and edgy, and different than any animated film,” Pixar producer Darla K. Anderson said at D23 2015. "We were trying to find a character with an edge... We took it way too far." Eventually, after a few simple tweaks, the Woody we all know and love was on the page, and he was the most likable character out of the whole gang.
Buzz Was Originally Named Tempest
The animator was obsessed with the Atari game, Tempest, and wanted to name Buzz's character after it. However, his catchphrase, "To infinity and beyond," didn't really match the name. His signature saying was a part of the studio's original project pitch, and eventually, his name morphed into Buzz Lightyear, which just makes more sense.
Woody Was Originally a Large Ventriloquist Dummy
In the early stages, Woody was criticized as being "too creepy," because he was a large ventriloquist dummy, which isn't something modern kids really play with anymore. So he was scaled down to a small pull-string doll, and in the end, Woody stood at 15 inches tall, and Buzz at 12.
The Animators are the Soldiers
Did you ever catch this Easter egg? The animators are actually all of the toy soldiers. It's not uncommon for directors, animators, etc. to put themselves in their work, and the little squad of toy soldiers seemed like the perfect way for these guys to do it. In order to really get their movements down, animator Pete Docter actually nailed his own shoes to a wooden board so the soldiers' walk would be as realistic onscreen as possible.
Andy's Bookshelf Is Full Of Easter Eggs
The books on Andy's shelf are named after Pixar's short films: "TinToy" is what inspired "Toy Story." Most of the authors on those books are named after Pixar staff. It's more of an Easter egg for Pixar themselves rather than viewers.
Billy Crystal Was The First Choice For Buzz
Funny guy Billy Crystal was the first choice to voice Buzz, but he shot it down. He says it's the only regret he has in his career. At the time, Woody was the only character with a name, and when Crystal was shown a test run of Buzz's character, he wasn't into the idea.
Joss Whedon's Iconic Line
The "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" writer wrote the most iconic line in the whole movie, and he didn't even know it at the time. When Buzz and Woody are fighting in the parking lot, Buzz says: "You are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity." It's one of the animators' favorite lines of the whole film, and it's withstood the test of time, almost as much as "to infinity and beyond" has.
Whedon Also Created Rex
If you had to guess which character Whedon gets credit for, you'd surely choose Rex, the oxymoronic tyrannosaurus. The fearsome dinosaur who's afraid of his own shadow is done in classic Whedon fashion: funny, with the potential to be menacing, but lacking the guts to follow through to reach his potential.
Most Of Woody's Lines Were Improvised
During a panel, animators told the crowd, "In the process of making an animated film, we always record the dialogue before we do the animation so the animators can be inspired by the actor’s movements," and they found out that if Hanks had access to props, he had an easier time coming up with extra lines on the spot. Many of Woody's most memorable lines were improvised, and they rarely needed edits.