Some roles change an actor’s life forever.
Think Sigourney Weaver playing Ripley in “Alien” or Christopher Reeve’s iconic work in the “Superman” franchise.
Gary Sinise’s turn as Lt. Dan Taylor in 1994’s “Forrest Gump” had a similar effect. Yes, the versatile Sinise had co-founded Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1974 and already had a few screen credits to his name. “Forrest Gump” put him on the proverbial map and he never left.
He spent the next three decades working on screens large and small. In addition to earning a Best Supporting Actor nomination for “Forrest Gump” he snagged honors for the 1995 film “Truman” (Golden Globe, Best Actor in a Miniseries) and TV’s “George Wallace” (a Best Actor Emmy in 1997).
“Forrest Gump,” 1994. Robert Zemeckis. Gary Sinise. Paramount Pictures / Collection Christophel
He couldn’t let the character…
