Tom Hanks admitted that he nearly died while filming Cast Away

Tom Hanks once revealed that he almost died while filming one of his most iconic movies, explaining how an injury he sustained while filming the 2000 survival drama Cast Away almost killed him.

Cast Away remains to be one of Hanks' most memorable roles, with the survival movie continuing to be a cult classic over two decades on since its release.

But it turns out that Hanks almost paid quite the price during the filming process.

In 2009, Hanks told the BBC how a cut to his leg became infected and resulted in him being rushed to the hospital.

"[Cast Away] put me in the hospital," he said. "I was there for three days with something that, believe it or not, almost killed me.

"I got an infection from a cut and it was eating its way through my leg. I didn't know it, I just thought I had a sore."

He added: "I went to the doctor who took one look and said, 'I have to put you in the hospital because we have to get this infection out of you before it poisons your blood and you die'."

Thankfully, he was okay and has since gone one to become one of the most successful and best-loved actors of current times.

20th Century Fox

Hanks has taken on many iconic roles over the years, from Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story franchise to Commander Jim Lovell in Apollo 13, and won two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor for his work in Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994).

The actor was celebrated at this year's Golden Globes, where he accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award with an emotional and heartwarming speech.

He told the audience: "I have a cold the size of Merv Griffin's Jeopardy! royalties. Showing up on time is one of the greatest and most liberating acts you can give yourself in a movie."

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Hanks also paid tribute to his family: "A man is blessed with a family sitting down front like that - a wife who is fantastic in every way, who has taught me what love is... five kids who are braver and stronger and wiser than their old man.

"And a loving group of people who have put away with me being away months and months at a time.

"Of course otherwise I wouldn't be standing here if they didn't have to put up with that. I can't tell you how much your love means to me."