Tom Hanks’ improv skills are second to none and his 1988 rom-com remains one of the biggest testament to that. Not only did Big kickstart Hanks’ ascend to the top, eventually becoming the most celebrated actor of all time, but the movie also earned the actor his first Oscar nomination.
Sitting on a 98% at the Tomatometer, the movie never fails to make fans chuckle, thanks to Hank’s impeccable performance in the role. And reflecting on his improv skills in the movie, his costar Elizabeth Perkins recalled a hilarious joke made by Hank, which fans might’ve missed out on.
Tom Hanks Improvised a Hilarious Joke That Fans Might’ve Missed Out On
Playing the role of a teenager trapped in an adult’s body, Tom Hanks absolutely kills it with his performance, thanks to his improvisation skills. After Penny Marshall gave him the freedom to bring his own thing into the mix, Hanks delivered several memorable moments that made it into the final cut, but fans might’ve missed out on the funniest one. Reflecting on the experience, actress Elizabeth Perkins recounted the trampoline sequence, where Hank delivers subtle a sexual innuendo, explaining how fun Hank was having with the role.
“Most of that was improvised. We jumped on that trampoline until our bottoms were sore. There’s a tiny line you can’t hear very well. When I’m getting up on the trampoline, Tom says, ‘let me move my big balls.’ You have to really listen for it, but it is there. That’s the kind of thing he would just throw out.”
But despite being one of the most cherished comedies of the 80s, the film hasn’t aged entirely well. Some of the controversial moments in the film, which flew under the radar at the time, might not sit well in this day and age, which the lead of Big admitted.
Big Won’t Fly Under the Radar at Present-Time Says Elizabeth Perkins
Considering Tom Hanks’ character is a 13-year-old boy trapped in an adult body, the intimate scene between his character and Perkins’s Susan, who is an adult, hasn’t aged well. Reflecting on the subject, Elizabeth Perkins explained that it was a different time, and the scene was used for laughs, admitting that it wouldn’t have made into the final cut in recent times.
“The only thing I can say is, it was a different time. It was the Eighties; it was not viewed through that lens and I get that it is being viewed through that lens now.” She continued, “If you look at it in the movie, it was sort of used as a joke. Here he is the next morning, the elevator door opens and he bounces out like: ‘Wow, I just had my first sexual experience.’”
While certain scenes in the film might not click well with today’s audience, the movie as a whole still holds up as Tom Hanks’ absolute brilliance in the role ensures an entertaining time for the fans.
Big is available to stream on Disney Plus.
Source: New York Post
