The film was shot between 1998 and 2000 with a year-long break. During the preparation for the role, Tom Hanks put on 50 lbs to make his transformation more dramatic. After most of the film was shot, the production was stopped for a year so he could lose weight and grow hair and a beard to look like he had spent several years on the island.
The character “Wilson” was added to the script accidentally. During the preparation for the film, the scriptwriter William Broyles Jr. consulted survival experts and then he decided to spend a week alone on an isolated beach. He actually had to look for water, food, and shelter. Broyles Jr. caught stingrays and ate them raw, and learned to crack coconuts.
During the experiment, a volleyball washed up onshore. This was an inspiring moment for creating a friend for the main character. Besides, from a scriptwriter’s point of view, the ball made it possible for Hanks to speak, even though there was nobody else with him.

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