Forrest Gump famously puts its titular character at the heart of a large number of important historical events, but many people are unaware of the real-life inspirations behind the character. One of the most beloved movies of all time, 1994's Forrest Gump is considered a modern-day classic. Starring Tom Hanks in an Oscar-winning performance, the adaptation follows the events of Forrest's life, from his childhood in Alabama all the way through his military service in Vietnam and his successful career choices to meeting his son, Forrest Gump, Jr. at the movie's end.
The historical events that Forrest Gump is involved in throughout the movie vary from the relatively obscure all the way to some of the most significant events in modern American history, cementing the character as a pop culture icon. Not only does Forrest serve in the Vietnam War, but he also meets Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon, represents the U.S. in a ping-pong match against China, and inspires one of John Lennon's most famous songs, among other things. The historical accuracy of Forrest's role in these events is obviously fictional, but the movie presents him as a key figure in many significant moments.
Although the historical events in Forrest Gump are very real, Forrest is not — however, the character was directly inspired by a handful of real people. The first is Sammy Lee Davis, a real-life veteran of the Vietnam War whose story is decidedly similar to Forrest's. The others are friends of Winston Groom, author of the original Forrest Gump novel, including Jimbo Meador, who directly inspired Forrest's shrimping company, and George Radcliff, whose speech pattern is similar to Forrest's. Forrest Gump is technically a fictional character, yet he shares traits and stories with these three real-life figures.
Sammy Lee Davis's real-life service in the Vietnam War shares a striking resemblance to Forrest Gump's. Both men were involved in ambushes which resulted in them saving multiple lives and sustaining bullet wounds to their respective buttocks. In fact, the footage of Forrest receiving the Medal of Honor from Lyndon B. Johnson actually superimposed Hanks over Davis, proving the connection between the two men.
The other inspirations were friends of Forrest Gump author Winston Groom. Jimbo Meador was the main real-life inspiration for Forrest's shrimp boat idea, as he owned a river delta boat and had a job processing seafood. He would reportedly talk often with Groom about shrimp farming, which served as the inspiration for Forrest starting his own shrimping company on the advice of a friend.
Forrest Gump may be a fictional character, but his impact on pop culture is very real. As the movie sees him involved in so many real-life historical events, it's natural to assume that there may have been a real figure that directly inspired him, but he's actually a collection of interesting stories all attributed to one fictional character. While this may make aspects of Forrest Gump seem fake, it actually lends an added credibility to the true meaning of the movie: Forrest Gump is actually the embodiment of the average American, and his part in so many key historical events is a statement on how the average person is as much a part of history as any high-profile figure.