How Tom Hanks Turned a Bizarre SNL Role Into a Cult Hit
Tom Hanks wasn’t keen on playing David S Pumpkins on SNL, but the oddball character became a Halloween favourite. Despite his doubts, Hanks’ performance sparked a pop culture sensation and several returns to the show.
It’s not every day you see a Hollywood legend second-guessing a sketch, but that’s exactly what happened when Tom Hanks was handed the part of David S Pumpkins on Saturday Night Live. Most actors can simply knock back a role if it doesn’t sit right, but Hanks had already dived in headfirst. With a bit of nudging, he ended up front and centre of one of SNL’s most memorable oddball moments.
Usually, scripts land on an actor’s desk, and they get to decide if they’re up for it. If you’re a big name, you might even suggest a few tweaks. Hanks, with his two Oscars and reputation as everyone’s favourite bloke, would normally have that kind of sway. But this wasn’t a film gig—it was SNL, a place he’s called home more than a few times over the years.
From Reluctance to Reluctant Icon
Since first hosting the show back in December 1984, Hanks has become a familiar face on SNL. He joined the ‘Five-Timers Club’ in 1990, hosted another handful of times, and popped up in more than a dozen cameos. Ask any SNL fan to name his most iconic character, and you’ll likely hear just one answer.
David S Pumpkins made his debut in October 2016. Within weeks, punters were scrambling for pumpkin-print suits and curly wigs, keen to copy the look for Halloween. The whole thing started as a bit of a joke. Bobby Moynihan, one of the show’s writers and cast members, realised Halloween didn’t have its own version of Santa.
“We started joking around, saying, ‘What if it was just a guy named David Pumpkins?’”
he recalled.
Hanks’ Hesitation and the Writers’ Push
With a Halloween episode on the horizon and a major film star lined up to host, Moynihan took a punt.
“Tom Hanks hated it and asked us to give it to somebody else,”
he admitted.
“And we said no. And then in between dress rehearsal and air, Tom Hanks went like, ‘I’m just going to be weird’. And we were like, ‘Yeah, great.'”
Hanks wasn’t just unsure—he tried to handball the part to another host.
“He thought it was very bizarre, and was like, ‘Hey, I think Chris Hemsworth would make a great David Pumpkins,”
Moynihan added. But the team stuck to their guns, and Hanks decided to just roll with it.
From Bizarre to Beloved
Against all odds, the character took off. The sketch became a Halloween staple, and Hanks has since returned to SNL as David S Pumpkins three more times. With his ongoing connection to the show, there’s every chance he’ll don the pumpkin suit again in the future.