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Tom Hanks, the actor who defined an entire generation and influenced the pop culture of an era, had a hard time accepting work from one of the greatest directors of Hollywood. Almost 3 decades down the line, it seems unforgivable to think we nearly missedSaving Private RyanorBand of Brothersbecause of a near-superstitious belief on the actor’s part.
![Saving Private Ryan [Credit: DreamWorks Pictures/Paramount Pictures]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/11123125/Saving-Private-Ryan-1024x550.jpeg)
While Spielberg established himself with an unassailable career arc comprising such movies (and franchises) asJaws,Indiana Jones,Jurassic Park, andSchindler’s List, the privilege of being directed by the Hollywood legend is akin to no other experience within the industry.
In hindsight, it was obvious that Hanks and Spielberg would end up collaborating on projects more than once, and come out the other end all the better for it.
![Saving Private Ryan (1998) [Credit: DreamWorks Pictures/Paramount Pictures]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/11123234/Saving-Private-Ryan-1998-1024x576.jpg)
The Unsung Destiny of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg
While some relationships are doomed to fail from the start, a few others are always meant to be. The friendship betweenTom HanksandSteven Spielbergis a step beyond that — they are destiny-bound threads interlinked to create the most influential pieces of art together. Among those pieces,Saving Private Ryanis a particularly treasured one, because it marked the beginning of a long and fortuitous journey.
Soon after the 1998 war drama that was visceral in its graphic imagery and dramatic in its slow-burn tragedy, the creative relationship between Hanks and Spielberg took a turn for the better, leading to masterpieces likeBand of BrothersandThe Pacific.
“The blood drained out of my body”: Tom Hanks Was Horrified With What Steven Spielberg Did for 1 Scene in ‘Saving Private Ryan’ That He Will Never Forget
But before the director and actor started down this road together, Tom Hanks was plagued by one terrible thought that could have ruined almost everything.
Tom Hanks Overcomes a Hollywood Superstition
Not many people are blessed enough to have a great working relationship with someone who you may also call one of your closest friends. But Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg do not fall into the category of mere mortal men. Both are established (near mythical) legends in their individual art forms.
However, it was exactly this unimpeachable reputation that stopped Tom Hanks from immediately saying‘yes’to the opportunity of collaborating with the Oscar-winning filmmaker. In an interview withDeseret News, Hanks revealed:
![Steven Spielberg filming Saving Private Ryan with Tom Hanks [Credit: DreamWorks Pictures/Paramount Pictures]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/11123345/Steven-Spielberg-on-the-sets-of-Saving-Private-Ryan-with-Tom-Hanks-1024x576.jpeg)
I’ve seen friendships that ended because of a bad moviemaking experience, and I was really reluctant to do it because of that. Sometimes I’m just astounded that I know this great guy and that I’m friends with him. So it hasn’t been worth it to risk our friendship until now.
“They want me to be Captain John Miller?”: Tom Hanks’ Response to Steven Spielberg Wanting to Cast Him in Saving Private Ryan is Why He is One of Our Favorite Actors
The concern wasn’t unrequited, however. Spielberg, on his part, prayed thatSaving Private Ryanwouldn’t spell the end of their personal and professional friendship. The director revealed in an interview withToday:
The first movie was fraught with, ‘I don’t want to say anything that Tom’s not going to like. I want to keep his friendship. I like this guy and his family. God, don’t let me do anything that’s going to screw that up.’
When all was said and done, and both parties came out of the experience unscathed, Hanks and Spielberg not only held each other in esteem, but the film shoot also elevated their trust in one another. The product of that echoed generations later as the duo kept collaborating on films likeCatch Me If You Can(2002),The Terminal(2004), andBridge of Spies(2015). As producers, the duo collaborated onBand of Brothers,The Pacific, and most recently,Masters of the Air.
Saving Private Ryanis available to stream on Paramount+ and Peacock.
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2410
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
