Gary Sinise is on a mission to encourage others to “always do a little more.”
The “Forrest Gump” actor was at the beginning of his movie career when he portrayed the character of Lt. Dan Taylor, an Army officer who lost his legs in the Vietnam War. The role, Sinise says, ultimately changed his trajectory professionally and personally.
“Thirty years ago, when I got the part in ‘Forrest Gump,’ I had done only a couple of movies,” Sinise told Military Families Magazine ahead of the three-decades long anniversary of his Oscar nominated role. “After ‘Forrest Gump’ came out, I didn’t have to audition. … It had a tremendous changing career impact on me at that time.”
But more than the rise in entertainment fame, Sinise says it was his introduction to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) that changed everything. He described it as “profound,” “lifechanging,” and “galvanizing.”
In 1994, a few weeks after the release of “Forrest Gump,” Sinise was invited to DAV’s national convention, an event he now considers himself a regular at. The organization presented him with the Commander’s Award for playing a severely wounded veteran.
“Here I am standing in front of 2,000 veterans and they’re giving me an award. It’s odd in a way because I was just acting in a movie … and here are all these wounded veterans and they want to give me an award,” he said.
In his book, “Grateful American,” Sinise said the inscription on the award stopped him cold:
“Your superb performance brought awareness of the lifelong sacrifice of disabled veterans back into public consciousness in a remarkably positive way.”
It is the use of the word “back” that stands out to him as he is reminded that honoring and taking care of veterans hasn’t always been the norm in America.
The Illinois-native was born to a Navy father who developed film and photographs of war zones. After leaving the service, his dad found a profession similar to his military occupation, the film business. One could make the connection that Sinise’s father’s time as a sailor would lead Sinise to explore an interest in acting.
Sinise comes from a long lineage of veterans, and he often credits his close relationships with the Vietnam veterans of his wife Moira’s family with helping him prepare for the role of Lt. Dan. They taught him about the hardship of returning to a nation that rejected the war — and those who served in it.
“I started actively supporting Vietnam veterans [in the Chicago area] because of the Vietnam veterans in my own family — primarily on my wife’s side, and I got to know them very well, hear their stories and the challenges they faced when they came home from war,” he said.
Role preparation also included spending time with wounded veterans and training with a military advisor who once worked on the movie “Platoon.”
In honor of the 30th anniversary of “Forrest Gump,” Sinise and The Lt. Dan Band will perform at the Grand Ole Opry on July 28. The night will also include special appearances by the movie’s producer, Academy Award®-winner Wendy Finerman, and actor Mykelti Williamson, who played Bubba in the film, according to a press release. Fans will also see special performances by Mandy Barnett, The Gatlin Brothers, Jamey Johnson, Gary LeVox, Scotty McCreery, and more.
Sinise says he feels privileged to have been part of a classic movie that is “seen every year,” but more so because Lt. Dan helped him discover what his life’s work was meant to be.
“I know where my freedom comes from, and I do not take for granted the sacrifices of those who provide it,” he writes in “Grateful American.” “Because of that, I want to do all I can to ensure America’s defenders and their families are never forgotten.”
His commitment to those words are revealed through the programs of the organization he founded in 2011, the Gary Sinise Foundation.
Programs include—
R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence, Supporting Empowerment): an initiative that builds specially adapted, smart-technology homes for severely wounded veterans and first responders.
Snowball Express: an initiative that connects families of the fallen to healing activities.
H.O.P.E. (Heal, Overcome, Persevere & Excel): an initiative that lends support, such as grocery bill assistance, to those who have experienced trauma, illness, injury, or loss.
Visit the Gary Sinise Foundation for a full list of foundation offerings and ways to get involved.
Check back for Part 2 of our interview with Gary Sinise in the August issue of Military Families Magazine.
