Movies That Won Tom Hanks Consecutive Oscars

Thomas Jeffrey Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker, who is known for his comic and dramatic roles. He is one of the most popular film stars who is recognized worldwide and is considered an American cultural Icon. Being the fourth-highest-grossing American actor, he has numerous awards like the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and more. After his breakthrough leading roles in Splash and Big, he won two consecutive Oscars for Best Actor for his roles in the movies Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. Born in California, Tom had a confused childhood, then he went downtown and auditioned for a community theater play and was invited by the director to go to Cleveland, which paved the way for his acting career.

He made his breakthrough with leading roles in the comedies Splash (1984) and Big (1988). Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his role as a gay lawyer suffering from AIDS in Philadelphia (1993), directed by Jonathan Demme. The film was one of the first to break the AIDS taboo. In the movie, Hanks plays Andrew Beckett, a lawyer who is fired for being gay and HIV positive. 

He also won an Oscar for Forrest Gump (1994), directed by Robert Zemeckis. Hanks portrays the titular character, a neurodivergent young man who unexpectedly finds himself at the center of many historical moments

His Journey to the Oscars

His road to winning the Oscar for Best Actor was not easy. For his role in Philadelphia, Tom Hanks had to undergo a drastic physical transformation to accurately portray the effects of AIDS. He and the director were committed to showing the disease’s physical toll with authenticity from the start.

To achieve this, Hanks followed a strict diet and exercise regimen. He had to consume a specific amount of calories throughout the day while burning 1,000 calories in total—335 calories twice and another 330 calories—to gradually lose 2–3 pounds of fat per week. He ate just 800 calories a day, which drastically altered his appearance to resemble that of an AIDS patient.

Hanks also consulted with Dr. Julian Falutz, an AIDS specialist, and spoke with AIDS patients to understand their experiences firsthand. The courtroom scenes were filmed at City Hall, the University of Pennsylvania Library, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the Spectrum Arena.

A powerful film about love, loss, and injustice, Philadelphia received critical acclaim and multiple awards. The 1993 film was nominated for 23 awards, winning 20 of them, including two Academy Awards, ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards, and GLAAD Media Awards.

After collaborating with Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis, they created another award-winning film. To prepare for the role of Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks recorded hours of casual conversations with young actor Michael Conner Humphreys, basing his speech on Humphreys’ speaking patterns. This was done to ensure that Forrest’s manner of speaking felt authentic. Hanks described developing Forrest Gump’s character as a ‘piece-by-piece’ approach.

Initially, the team was concerned that audiences might not connect with the character. However, Forrest Gump defied expectations, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of 1994. Hanks’ performance earned him his second Academy Award for Best Actor. The film received 13 nominations and won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Forrest Gump became a massive success in its own right.

After winning two consecutive Academy Awards, Tom Hanks collaborated with director Steven Spielberg on five films. He later established himself as a director, producer, and screenwriter, working on projects such as Band of Brothers (2001) and The Post (2017). With six Oscar nominations for acting and two consecutive wins, he shares this record with Spencer Tracy.

Beyond his work in film, Hanks actively supports organizations like UNICEF, the Gary Sinise Foundation, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and the Children’s Health Fund. He is also an advocate for environmental conservation and sustainability.

In recognition of his contributions to the arts and humanitarian efforts, Hanks received the Kennedy Center Honor and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2016.