Tom Hanks is a masterful actor, having given life to an array of unforgettable characters over the years. He has tackled complex roles and tackled them with skill and finesse. Here we look at some of his greatest acting challenges and how he rose to the occasion. One of Hanks’ most acclaimed roles was in the 1994 drama Forrest Gump. Hanks won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Forrest, a naïve yet kind-hearted man from Alabama. Hanks’ challenge in this role was to realistically portray a character with a developmental disability. He did this with great care and sensitivity, and his performance was widely praised. Hanks also took on a challenging role in the 1998 drama Saving Private Ryan. In this film, Hanks plays Captain Miller, a World War II soldier tasked with finding a missing private in enemy territory. Hanks’ challenge here was to realistically portray a soldier under immense stress and pressure. His performance was powerful and nuanced, and it earned him his second Academy Award nomination. In the 2000 drama Cast Away, Hanks plays Chuck Noland, a FedEx employee stranded on an island after a plane crash. His challenge was to convey the physical and emotional hardships of the character’s experience. Hanks’ performance was riveting, and he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his work. In the 2004 drama The Terminal, Hanks plays Viktor Navorski, a man from Eastern Europe who finds himself stranded in an airport terminal. His challenge in this role was to realistically portray a man who speaks a language unfamiliar to most of his fellow passengers. Hanks’ performance was praised for its subtlety and charm, and he earned a Golden Globe nomination for his work. These are just a few of the complex roles that Tom Hanks has taken on in his career. It is no wonder that he is regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation.