John Travolta was offered the lead in Forrest Gump but turned it down for Pulp Fiction. Both films were nominated for Best Picture in 1994. Travolta was nominated for Best Actor. He lost the award to Tom Hanks - playing the exact role he had turned down.
John Travolta Turned Down Forrest Gump. Then He Lost the Oscar to the Guy Who Took It.
John Travolta's career was in freefall by the early 1990s. When the script for Forrest Gump came his way, he passed - choosing instead to bet on an indie film from Quentin Tarantino called Pulp Fiction.
Both movies released in 1994. Both were nominated for Best Picture at the 67th Academy Awards. Travolta earned a Best Actor nomination for Vincent Vega.
Then came Oscar night. He sat in the audience and watched as Tom Hanks took the stage to accept Best Actor for Forrest Gump - the exact role Travolta had walked away from.
The irony was surgical. He didn't just turn down a role that won the Oscar. He competed against it in the same category, the same year, and lost to the man who replaced him.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did John Travolta really turn down Forrest Gump?
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Verified Fact
Confirmed via Collider, IMDb. Both films nominated Best Picture 1994. Hanks won Best Actor.
Collider