‘Toy Story 5’ Star Tom Hanks Reveals the One ‘Cast Away’ Scene He Still Can’t Watch: ‘I Leave the Room’

Tom Hanks has admitted that there is one moment in his 2000 film Cast Away that he still cannot bring himself to watch, even decades after its release. The actor spoke about it during an interview on The Rest is Entertainment podcast, where he reflected on the emotional ending of the survival drama directed by Robert Zemeckis.

Cast Away follows FedEx worker Chuck Noland, played by Hanks, who is left stranded after a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean. Everyone believes he has died, but he survives alone on a remote island for years. His only companion becomes a volleyball he names Wilson, as he fights to stay alive and eventually finds a way back to civilization.

One of the film’s most emotional moments comes after Chuck finally returns home. He goes to see his former girlfriend Kelly, played by Helen Hunt, who has since moved on with her life. Before the crash, she had given him a pocket watch with her photo inside. In the reunion scene, Chuck returns the watch to her without disrupting her new life.

Hanks explained that this is the moment he struggles with the most. He said, “There is a moment […] in Cast Away in which I am back and Chuck is back in Kelly’s house and he gives her his, her watch back. And there’s a moment where I just think I’m not there.”

He went on to describe his discomfort with a small gesture in the scene, saying it feels wrong to him when he watches it now. He added, “All it is is a turnaround on me, but I do this gesture that I just think is false and is me and is not Chuck. And if the movie is on, I will get up and leave the room before that scene comes on.”

Cast Away was a major success when it was released, earning critical praise and multiple award nominations. Hanks himself received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance, and he won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama. The film also became one of the most recognizable survival stories in modern cinema.

The movie reunited Hanks with director Robert Zemeckis, who had previously worked with him on Forrest Gump. Their collaboration on Cast Away helped cement both their reputations for emotionally driven storytelling that focuses on human endurance and personal transformation.

Hanks is currently back in the spotlight due to his return to another major franchise. He is reprising his role as Woody in Toy Story 5, continuing a character he has voiced since the original Toy Story film in 1995. The new installment introduces a modern twist on childhood, with Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie facing a new competitor in the form of a screen-based toy.

While promoting the film, Hanks also commented on its themes, noting how it reflects modern concerns about technology and childhood attention. He described one moment involving glowing screens in bedrooms as particularly striking, showing how the franchise continues to evolve with the times.

Even with decades of iconic roles behind him, Hanks’ comments show that certain performances still feel personal to him, especially when they involve emotional turning points like the ending of Cast Away.

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