American actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks, who is all set to play the role of television show host Fred Rogers in the upcoming film 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood', opened up about the iconic children's TV host and his sincerity.
"I think that when Fred Rogers first saw children's programming, he saw something that was cynical," Hanks said at a press conference at the Toronto Film Festival, reported The Hollywood Reporter.
"And why in the world would you put a pipeline of cynicism in the minds of a two or three-year-old? That you are not cool because you don't have this toy? That it's funny to see somebody being bonked on the head?" Hanks questioned.
The film under the banner of Sony Pictures set for a November 22 release, chronicles the life of a jaded journalist (played by The Americans' Matthew Rhys) as he sets out to write a profile on Fred Rogers, but soon discovers the healing nature of the TV host's kind spirit, which shaped the upbringing of generations.
Hanks said that he appreciates the icon for his work as a television host via an e-mail he received that linked to a video of Fred Rogers addressing a child in a wheelchair. "Fred is just so wonderfully gentle and present with someone who normally would make us feel uncomfortable," he said of the revealing clip.
Based on Tom Junod's 1998 Esquire cover story, 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' had its world premiere at Roy Thompson Hall on Saturday night.