“The two-time Oscar winner, 68, is the face of the 10-part nature series, covering two continents and spanning multiple ecosystems.”, — write: www.dailymail.co.uk
The two-time Oscar winner, 68, is the face of the 10-part nature series, covering two continents and spanning multiple ecosystems.
The impressive new show was an ambitious project, being filmed over the course of five years and 180 expeditions.
While Tom has lent his voice to narrate the stunningly shot scenes for the audiences and provide educational commentary.
TV producer Mike Gunton has revealed he chose the Forrest Gump star to voice the series after his name popped into his head while pitching to Hollywood.
He explained he saw Tom as the ‘equivalent’ of biologist David, 98, and perfectly placed to take over the legendary presenter’s reigns.
Mike recalled: ‘I’d just finished working on a project with David Attenborough, and I was thinking, “Who’s the equivalent? Who does everybody want to be with? Who does everybody trust? Who does everybody want to hear?’ It’s got to be Tom Hanks.’
Describing what the film star brings to the nature series, he went on: ‘It feels like Tom is sitting here with his arm around you, saying, “I’ve just seen this most incredible thing” – rather than a voice of God saying this happens here and this happens there.’
The series will see many animal behaviours captured for the very first time, with footage of bison on the Great Plains, polar bears in Hudson Bay and male blue whales racing along the coast of California.
Mike – who has worked on the likes of Planet Earth II and Dynasties – explained the attraction to exploring the Americas, saying: ‘As far as nature is concerned, this is one super landmass.
‘It’s the only place that reaches right up into the Arctic and right down into the Antarctic. It splits oceans and has the Tropics of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn, the Equator and every type of habitat.’
He also expressed the importance of showing the beauty of the Americas during a time of political division in the States.
He said: ‘It’s a good time to remind people that this is special. You’ve got something incredible here, it should be treasured. But it’s vulnerable. It’s like that Joni Mitchell song. You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.’
Mike said that this was something that resonated with Tom throughout the project, saying: ‘Tom feels that very strongly as well.
‘He was keen to make sure that we reminded the audience that these wonders are on their doorstep, but they’re fragile, they’re precious, we have to treasure them.’
It comes just days after Tom and his wife Rita Wilson pledged $1million (£792,400) to Los Angeles fire relief after their home narrowly avoided by the blaze back in January.
The couple took to Instagram on Friday to share joint statement expressing their condolences to fire victims and thanking first responders.
They added that they were donating a total of $1M to five different organisations to help the Palisades and Eaton Fire impacted residents.
The organisations are the Motion Picture and Television Fund, the Los Angeles Fire Foundation, SAG-AFTRA Foundation Disaster Relief Fund, the American Red Cross and MusiCares.
Tom and Rita wrote: ‘Hey friends. Like so many of us, we see the loss and devastation wrought by the Altadena and Palisades fires. The challenge of the future of these communities is immense.
‘We are so very grateful for the first responders and firefighters, from all over, who fought with all they had in order to save homes and people.
‘Now we must all move forward to what is next for our city, communities, and neighbors. We are donating $1 million between the following organizations to help support those in need and those who aided.’
Urging the public to donate to the cause, the couple concluded: ‘If you can, please join us in donating. Everything helps, right?’
They join various other A-list stars who pledged their own funds to lift up other fire victims, including the likes of Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd and Beyoncé.
Tom and Rita’s donation comes after a number of celebrities lost their multi-million dollar mansions to the Pacific Palisades and Hollywood Hills fires last month.
Among them were big names like Anthony Hopkins, Anna Faris, Paris Hilton, Candy Spelling, Heidi Montag, John Goodman and Miles Teller.
While like Tom, Chris Pratt, Rebel Wilson, Tom Brady, Dan Aykroyd, Steven Spielberg and Jennifer Love Hewitt also narrowly avoided losing their mansions to the flames as well.
Tom’s huge $26M mansion was pictured dangerously close to a fire, before the blaze was put out just in time leaving it with barely a mark, while the home above it was not as lucky and burned down.