Did You Know These Behind-The-Scenes Facts About "Cast Away"?

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.

Advertisement

Next Page →

The More You Know

  • When a piece of bread is toasted, it's called the "Maillard reaction."
  • Sharks "smell in stereo."
  • The Canary Islands are named after dogs, not birds.
  • The Nobel Committee declined to award the Nobel Peace Prize in 1948 because "there was no suitable living candidate." This was meant as tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated earlier that year without receiving the Prize.
Next Page →