Forrest Gump’s Jenny is one of the most iconic characters of her era. The way her name is said by the titular character has become one of the most memorable parts of the movie. Jenny is played by Robin Wright in the film, who later marriesTom Hanks' Forrestafter they fall in love in adulthood. In the film, Jenny and Forrest have a child together, butJenny tragically dies at the age of 32.
BothJenny and Forrestalso have younger counterparts in the film, which shows the pair when they are growing up. Young Forrest is played by Michael Conner Humphreys, who did very little acting after appearing inForrest Gump. Young Jenny, on the other hand, was played by Hanna Hall. Hall’s role inForrest Gumpand later career is worth exploring in more detail.
Forrest Gump’s Young Jenny Was Hanna Hall’s First Major Role
Hall Was 10 When The Movie Was Released
Forrest Gumpwas Hall’s first credited role, making theRobert Zemeckis filmthe thing that introduced the actor to the scene. Hall was born on July 20, 2025. This means she was 10 years old at the time thatForrest Gumpwas released. She was under ten years old whenForrest Gumpwas filmed, and was even recognized for the strength of her youthful role.Hall won the Young Artist Award in 1995for Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a Motion Picture.
Forrest Gumpwon six Oscars, including Best Pictue, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, Best Director for Robert Zemeckis, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Visual Effects.
What Hanna Hall Has Done Since Forrest Gump
Hall Kept Acting Right After Forrest Gump
Unlike Humphreys, Hall went on to have a career in acting after her role inForrest Gump. Immediately after the Oscar-winning film, Hall played leading girl Goldi in a 1995 feature film adaptation ofGoldilocks and the Three Bears. After that,she performed as Maybeth Tillerman in the TV movieHomecoming,for which she was also nominated for a Young Artist award as part of the ensemble. She played in several films throughout the 90s, including playing Cecilia Lisbon indirector Sofia Coppola’sVirgin Suicidesin 1999.
After transitioning out of her child and teen acting days,Hall has continued her career as an adult.In 2015, she was in one episode ofMasters of Sex. She was in another one-off episode of TV when she played a medical student inThe Purgetelevision series adaptation in 2019. Her most recent role was in 2022, where Hall played Becky Comfort in the horror-thriller filmForgotten. Though Hall has not become an A-list star, it is interesting to see how her career evolved after playing Young Jenny as a child inForrest Gump.
Forrest Gump
Cast
Forrest Gump is a drama film released in 1994, starring Tom Hanks as the titular character. The film explores the life of a man with a low IQ who inadvertently shapes several historical events, while his personal journey remains centered on his unrequited love for childhood friend Jenny.
