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Chuck Noland's (Tom Hanks) production-made distressed Wilson volleyball from Robert Zemeckis' Cast Away. During his four years stranded alone on a desert island following a plane crash, Noland created Wilson, his only companion, out of a volleyball he found in one of several FedEx packages that washed ashore. Both Noland and Wilson became more disheveled throughout the film, with Noland ultimately forced to scream an apology when he abandoned his dearest friend in an attempt to return to civilian life on a raft.
During development on the film, screenwriter William Broyles, Jr. intentionally stranded himself on a beach to simulate the experiences of his lead character. According to Broyles, a soccer ball washed ashore during this process, ultimately resulting in the creation of Wilson.
Upon release, Cast Away became the third-highest-grossing film of 2000, earning more than $429 million in worldwide box office receipts and two Academy Award® nominations, including one for Hanks. In its wake, Wilson - a piquant reminder in the film of Noland's life with Kelly Frears (Helen Hunt) and symbol of his indestructible fortitude - became a beloved pop culture icon, earning Teen Choice and MTV Movie + TV Award® nominations for its "performance" as well as the first-and-only Critics Choice Award for Best Inanimate Object.
Only 12 Wilsons are believed to have been made for the production. The Wilson Sporting Goods Company made a special run of volleyballs for the production that, unlike the standard ball, only had "Wilson" printed on one side of the ball. The team behind the Wilson props worked with survival expert Steve Watts to put together the Wilsons using only tools Chuck had on the island, including palm fronds, petiole, and driftwood gathered from local parks and beaches. The end result was a collaborative effort between Set Decoration, Paint, Props, the Art Department, and even Tom Hanks himself.
This volleyball originated from a crew member. The most notable features of this Wilson are its stitched mouth and mohawk-like stalk "hair," alterations made during filming in Fiji which differ from most of the Wilsons seen throughout the film and make this unique Wilson a rarity.
Made from off-white leather, the volleyball is intentionally heavily distressed by production to appear worn, waterlogged, and dirtied. It features a faded brown-and-red "face" representing Chuck's bloody handprint painted on front; a fabric-stitched "mouth" at center; and tobacco stalks inserted to the torn-open top to resemble hair. Dimensions: 8" x 7.25" x 10.25" (20.5 cm x 18 cm x 26.75 cm)
Additional Provenance: Letter of Authenticity from the crew member from whom this lot originated.
Estimate: $20,000 - 40,000
View all lots from CAST AWAY (2000)