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Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Hanks' films have grossed more than $4.9 billion in North America and more than $9.96 billion worldwide, making him the fourth-highest-grossing actor in North America. Hanks made his breakthrough with leading roles in a series of comedy films which received positive media attention, such as '' Splash'' (1984), '' The Money Pit'' (1986), '' Big'' (1988) and '' A League of Their Own'' (1992). He won two consecutive
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...
for starring as a gay lawyer suffering from AIDS in ''
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
'' (1993) and the
title character The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
in '' Forrest Gump'' (1994). Hanks collaborated with film director
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Sp ...
on five films: '' Saving Private Ryan'' (1998), '' Catch Me If You Can'' (2002), '' The Terminal'' (2004), '' Bridge of Spies'' (2015), and '' The Post'' (2017), as well as the HBO miniseries '' Band of Brothers'' (2001), and '' The Pacific'' (2010) which launched him as a director, producer, and screenwriter. Hanks' other films include the romantic comedies '' Sleepless in Seattle'' (1993) and ''
You've Got Mail ''You've Got Mail'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Nora Ephron and starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Inspired by the 1937 Hungarian play '' Parfumerie'' by Miklós László (which had earlier been adapted in 1940 as ''The S ...
'' (1998); the dramas ''
Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted aft ...
'' (1995), '' The Green Mile'' (1999), '' Cast Away'' (2000), '' Road to Perdition'' (2002), and '' Cloud Atlas'' (2012); and the biographical dramas '' Charlie Wilson's War'' (2007), '' Captain Phillips'' (2013), '' Saving Mr. Banks'' (2013), '' Sully'' (2016), ''
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ''A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood'' is a 2019 American biographical drama film directed by Marielle Heller and written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, inspired by the 1998 article "Can You Say... Hero?" by Tom Junod, published in ...
'' (2019), ''
News of the World The ''News of the World'' was a weekly national red top tabloid newspaper published every Sunday in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the world's highest-selling English-language newspaper, and at closure still had one ...
'' (2020), and '' Elvis'' (2022). Hanks has also appeared as the title character in the Robert Langdon film series, and voiced Sheriff Woody in the '' Toy Story'' film series (1995–present). Hanks' accolades include two
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
out of six nominations. Hanks has also won seven Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as a producer of various limited series and television movies, including '' From the Earth to the Moon'', ''Band of Brothers'', ''
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...
'', and ''The Pacific''. In 2013, he received a
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
nomination for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in Nora Ephron's '' Lucky Guy''. He has received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2002. He received the
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the
British Academy of Film and Television Arts British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
in 2004. In 2014, he received a Kennedy Center Honor, and in 2016, he received a
Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...
from
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
, as well as the French
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
. In 2020, he received the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award.


Early life and family

Hanks was born in Concord, California, on July 9, 1956, to hospital worker Janet Marylyn () and itinerant cook Amos "Bud"Stated on '' Inside the Actors Studio'', 1999 Hanks. His mother was from a Portuguese family; their surname was originally "Fraga". His father had
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
ancestry, and through his line, Hanks is a distant cousin of President
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
and children's host Fred Rogers, whom he played. His parents divorced in 1960. Their three oldest children, Sandra (later Sandra Hanks Benoiton, a writer),
Larry Larry is a masculine given name in English, derived from Lawrence or Laurence. It can be a shortened form of those names. Larry may refer to the following: People Arts and entertainment * Larry D. Alexander, American artist/writer *Larry Boon ...
(who became an
entomology Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as ara ...
professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), and Tom, went with their father, while the youngest, Jim (who also became an actor and filmmaker), remained with their mother in Red Bluff, California. In his childhood, Hanks' family moved often; by the age of 10, he had lived in 10 different houses. While Hanks' family religious history was
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
and
Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into se ...
, one journalist characterized Hanks' teenage self as being a "Bible-toting
evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual expe ...
" for several years. In school, he was unpopular with students and teachers alike, later telling ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' magazine, "I was a geek, a spaz. I was horribly, painfully, terribly shy. At the same time, I was the guy who'd yell out funny captions during filmstrips. But I didn't get into trouble. I was always a real good kid and pretty responsible." In 1965, his father married Frances Wong, a
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
native of Chinese descent. Frances had three children, two of whom lived with Hanks during his high school years. Hanks acted in school plays, including ''
South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
'', while attending Skyline High School in
Oakland, California Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the ...
. Hanks studied theater at Chabot College in Hayward, California, and transferred to California State University, Sacramento after two years. * a "Famous alumni*: Actor Tom Hanks... *Includes former students who attended—but didn't graduate from—the university"—¶ 67. During a 2001 interview with sportscaster Bob Costas, Hanks was asked whether he would rather have an Oscar or a Heisman Trophy. He replied he would rather win a Heisman by playing halfback for the
California Golden Bears The California Golden Bears are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Berkeley. Referred to in athletic competition as ''California'' or ''Cal'', the university fields 30 varsity athletic programs and various club tea ...
. He told '' New York'' magazine in 1986, "Acting classes looked like the best place for a guy who liked to make a lot of noise and be rather flamboyant. I spent a lot of time going to plays. I wouldn't take dates with me. I'd just drive to a theater, buy myself a ticket, sit in the seat and read the program, and then get into the play completely. I spent a lot of time like that, seeing Brecht, Tennessee Williams, Ibsen, and all that." During his years studying theater, Hanks met
Vincent Dowling Vincent Gerard Dowling (7 September 1929 – 9 May 2013) was an Irish actor and director. Ireland Dowling was born in Dublin and educated at St Mary's College and Rathmines College of Commerce. He came to prominence in the 1950s for his role ...
, head of the Great Lakes Theater Festival in
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...
,
Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
. At Dowling's suggestion, Hanks became an intern at the festival. His internship stretched into a three-year experience that covered most aspects of theater production, including lighting, set design, and stage management, prompting Hanks to drop out of college. During the same time, Hanks won the Cleveland Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his 1978 performance as
Proteus In Greek mythology, Proteus (; Ancient Greek: Πρωτεύς, ''Prōteus'') is an early prophetic sea-god or god of rivers and oceanic bodies of water, one of several deities whom Homer calls the "Old Man of the Sea" ''(hálios gérôn)''. ...
in Shakespeare's ''
The Two Gentlemen of Verona ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1589 and 1593. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as showing his first tentative steps in laying ...
'', one of the few times he played a villain. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named Hanks one of the "Top 10 College Dropouts."


Career


1980s: Early work

In 1979, Hanks moved to New York City, where he made his film debut in the low-budget
slasher film A slasher film is a genre of horror films involving a killer stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed or sharp tools like knife, chainsaw, scalpel, etc. Although the term "slasher" may occasionally be used informally as ...
'' He Knows You're Alone'' (1980) and landed a starring role in the television movie ''
Mazes and Monsters ''Mazes and Monsters'' (also known as ''Rona Jaffe's Mazes and Monsters'') is a 1982 American made-for-television film directed by Steven Hilliard Stern about a group of college students and their interest in a fictitious role-playing game (RP ...
''. Early that year, he was cast in the lead, Callimaco, in the Riverside Shakespeare Company's production of
Niccolò Machiavelli Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli ( , , ; 3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527), occasionally rendered in English as Nicholas Machiavel ( , ; see below), was an Italian diplomat, author, philosopher and historian who lived during the Renaissance. ...
's ''
The Mandrake ''The Mandrake'' (Italian: ''La Mandragola'' ) is a satirical play by Italian Renaissance philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli. Although the five-act comedy was published in 1524 and first performed in the carnival season of 1526, Machiavelli likel ...
'', directed by Daniel Southern. The following year, Hanks landed one of the lead roles, that of character Kip Wilson, on the ABC television pilot of '' Bosom Buddies''. He and
Peter Scolari Peter Thomas Scolari (September 12, 1955 – October 22, 2021) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Michael Harris on '' Newhart'' (1984–1990), Henry Desmond on ''Bosom Buddies'' (1980–1982) and Wayne Szalinski on ''Hon ...
played a pair of young advertising men forced to dress as women so they could live in an inexpensive all-female hotel. Hanks had previously partnered with Scolari on the 1970s game show '' Make Me Laugh''. After landing the role, Hanks moved to Los Angeles. ''Bosom Buddies'' ran for two seasons, and, although the ratings were never strong, television critics gave the program high marks. "The first day I saw him on the set," co-producer Ian Praiser told ''Rolling Stone'', "I thought, 'Too bad he won't be in television for long.' I knew he'd be a movie star in two years." However, although Praiser knew it, he was not able to convince Hanks. "The television show had come out of nowhere," Hanks' best friend Tom Lizzio told ''Rolling Stone''. Hanks made a guest appearance on a 1982 episode of '' Happy Days'' ("A Case of Revenge," in which he played a disgruntled former classmate of Fonzie) where he met writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel who were also writing the film '' Splash'' (1984), a romantic comedy fantasy about a
mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes asso ...
who falls in love with a human, to be directed by former ''Happy Days'' star
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of '' The Twilight Zone''. ...
. Ganz and Mandel suggested Howard consider Hanks for the film. At first, Howard considered Hanks for the role of the main character's wisecracking brother, a role that eventually went to John Candy. Instead, Hanks landed the lead role in ''Splash'', which went on to become a surprise box office hit, grossing more than US$69 million. He also had a sizable hit with the sex comedy '' Bachelor Party'', also in 1984. In 1983–84, Hanks made three guest appearances on '' Family Ties'' as Elyse Keaton's alcoholic brother Ned Donnelly. With '' Nothing in Common'' (1986)—a story of a young man alienated from his father (played by
Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...
)— Hanks began to extend himself from comedic roles to dramatic roles. In an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, Hanks commented on his experience: "It changed my desires about working in movies. Part of it was the nature of the material, what we were trying to say. But besides that, it focused on people's relationships. The story was about a guy and his father, unlike, say, '' The Money Pit'', where the story is really about a guy and his house." In 1987, he had signed an agreement with The Walt Disney Studios where he had starred to a talent pool in an acting/producing pact. After a few more flops and a moderate success with the comedy '' Dragnet'', Hanks' stature in the film industry rose. The broad success of the fantasy comedy '' Big'' (1988) established Hanks as a major Hollywood talent, both as a box office draw and within the industry as an actor. For his performance in the film, Hanks earned his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. ''Big'' was followed later that year by '' Punchline'', in which he and Sally Field co-starred as struggling comedians. Hanks then suffered a run of box-office underperformers: ''
The 'Burbs ''The 'Burbs'' is a 1989 American black comedy film directed by Joe Dante, and starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, and Gale Gordon. The film was written by Dana Olsen, who ...
'' (1989), '' Joe Versus the Volcano'' (1990), and ''
The Bonfire of the Vanities ''The Bonfire of the Vanities'' is a 1987 novel by Tom Wolfe. The story is a drama about ambition, racism, social class, politics, and greed in 1980s New York City, and centers on three main characters: WASP bond trader Sherman McCoy, Jewish ass ...
'' (1990). In the last, he portrayed a greedy Wall Street figure who gets enmeshed in a hit-and-run accident. 1989's '' Turner & Hooch'' was Hanks' only financially successful film of the period.


1990s: Established star

Hanks climbed back to the top again with his portrayal of a washed-up baseball legend turned manager in '' A League of Their Own'' (1992). Hanks has said his acting in earlier roles was not great, but that he subsequently improved. In an interview with ''
Vanity Fair Vanity Fair may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Literature * Vanity Fair, a location in '' The Pilgrim's Progress'' (1678), by John Bunyan * ''Vanity Fair'' (novel), 1848, by William Makepeace Thackeray * ''Vanity Fair'' (magazines), the ...
'', Hanks noted his ''"modern era of moviemaking ... because enough self-discovery has gone on ... My work has become less pretentiously fake and over the top"''. This "modern era" began in 1993 for Hanks, first with '' Sleepless in Seattle'' and then with ''
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
''. The former was a blockbuster success about a widower who finds true love over the radio airwaves. Richard Schickel of ''TIME'' called his performance "charming," and most critics agreed that Hanks' portrayal ensured him a place among the premier romantic-comedy stars of his generation. In ''Philadelphia'', he played a gay lawyer with AIDS who sues his firm for discrimination. Hanks lost and thinned his hair in order to appear sickly for the role. In a review for ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'', Leah Rozen stated, "Above all, credit for ''Philadelphia''s success belongs to Hanks, who makes sure that he plays a character, not a saint. He is flat-out terrific, giving a deeply felt, carefully nuanced performance that deserves an Oscar." Hanks won the 1993
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for Best Actor for his role in ''Philadelphia''. During his acceptance speech, he revealed that his high school drama teacher Rawley Farnsworth and former classmate John Gilkerson, two people with whom he was close, were gay. Hanks followed ''Philadelphia'' with the 1994 hit '' Forrest Gump'' which grossed a worldwide total of over $600 million at the box office. Hanks remarked: "When I read the script for ''Gump'', I saw it as one of those kind of grand, hopeful movies that the audience can go to and feel ... some hope for their lot and their position in life ... I got that from the movies a hundred million times when I was a kid. I still do." Hanks won his second Best Actor Academy Award for his role in ''Forrest Gump'', becoming only the second actor to have accomplished the feat of winning consecutive Best Actor Oscars. (
Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...
was the first, winning in 1937–38. Hanks and Tracy were the same age at the time they received their Academy Awards: 37 for the first and 38 for the second.) Hanks' next role as
astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...
and commander Jim Lovell in the 1995 film ''
Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted aft ...
'' reunited him with
Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of '' The Twilight Zone''. ...
. Critics generally applauded the film and the performances of the entire cast, which included actors Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, and
Kathleen Quinlan Kathleen Denise Quinlan Abbott (born November 19, 1954) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in the 1977 film of the novel '' I Never Promised You a Rose Garden,'' and her Golde ...
. The movie also earned nine Academy Award nominations, winning two. Later that year, Hanks starred in
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
/ Pixar's CGI-animated hit film '' Toy Story'', as the voice of Sheriff Woody. Hanks made his directing debut with his 1996 film ''
That Thing You Do! ''That Thing You Do!'' is a 1996 American comedy film co-starring, written, and directed by Tom Hanks, in his feature writing and directorial debut. It tells the story of the rise and fall of a fictional 1960s one-hit wonder pop band, and st ...
'' about a 1960s pop group, also playing the role of a music producer. Hanks and producer Gary Goetzman went on to create Playtone, a record and film production company named after the record company in the film. Hanks then executive produced, co-wrote, and co-directed the HBO docudrama '' From the Earth to the Moon''. The 12-part series chronicled the space program from its inception, through the familiar flights of Neil Armstrong and Jim Lovell, to the personal feelings surrounding the reality of moon landings. The
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
-winning project was, at US$68 million, one of the most expensive ventures undertaken for television. In 1998, Hanks' next project was no less expensive. For '' Saving Private Ryan'', he teamed up with
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg (; born December 18, 1946) is an American director, writer, and producer. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. Sp ...
to make a film about a search through war-torn France after
D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
to bring back a soldier. It earned the praise and respect of the film community, critics, and the general public. It was labeled one of the finest war films ever made and earned Spielberg his second Academy Award for direction, and Hanks another Best Actor nomination. Later that year, Hanks re-teamed with his ''Sleepless in Seattle'' co-star Meg Ryan for ''
You've Got Mail ''You've Got Mail'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Nora Ephron and starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Inspired by the 1937 Hungarian play '' Parfumerie'' by Miklós László (which had earlier been adapted in 1940 as ''The S ...
'', a remake of 1940's ''
The Shop Around the Corner ''The Shop Around the Corner'' is a 1940 American romantic comedy-drama film produced and directed by Ernst Lubitsch and starring Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart and Frank Morgan. The supporting cast included Joseph Schildkraut, Sara Haden, ...
''. In 1999, Hanks starred in an adaptation of the Stephen King novel '' The Green Mile''. He also returned as the voice of Woody in '' Toy Story 2'', the sequel to ''Toy Story''.


2000s

In 2000, Hanks starred in
Robert Zemeckis Robert Lee Zemeckis (born May 14, 1952) is an American filmmaker. He first came to public attention as the director of the action-adventure romantic comedy '' Romancing the Stone'' (1984), the science-fiction comedy '' Back to the Future'' film ...
's '' Cast Away'', for which he received a
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...
win for Best Actor and an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of a marooned
FedEx FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
systems analyst. Famed critic
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
of '' The Chicago Sun-Times'' wrote of Hanks' performance "Hanks proves here again what an effective actor he is, never straining for an effect, always persuasive even in this unlikely situation, winning our sympathy with his eyes and his body language when there's no one else on the screen." In 2001, Hanks helped direct and produce the Emmy Award-winning HBO miniseries '' Band of Brothers''. He also appeared in the September 11 television special '' America: A Tribute to Heroes'' and the documentary ''Rescued From the Closet''. He then teamed up with '' American Beauty'' director Sam Mendes for the adaptation of Max Allan Collins's and Richard Piers Rayner's
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
graphic novel '' Road to Perdition'', in which he played an
anti-hero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero) or antiheroine is a main character in a story who may lack conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. Although antiheroes may sometimes perform actio ...
role as a
hitman Contract killing is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or persons. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of payment, monetary or otherwise. Either party may b ...
on the run with his son. That same year, Hanks collaborated once again with director Spielberg, starring opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in the hit biographical crime drama '' Catch Me If You Can'', based on the true story of
Frank Abagnale, Jr. Frank William Abagnale Jr. (; born April 27, 1948) is an American author and convicted felon. Abagnale targeted individuals and small businesses yet gained notoriety in the late 1970s by claiming a diverse range of victimless workplace frauds, ...
The same year, Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson produced the hit movie ''
My Big Fat Greek Wedding ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Joel Zwick and written by Nia Vardalos, who also stars in the film as Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos, a middle class Greek American woman who falls in love with White Anglo-Saxo ...
''. In August 2007, he along with co-producers Rita Wilson and Gary Goetzman, and writer and star Nia Vardalos, initiated a legal action against the production company Gold Circle Films for their share of profits from the movie. At the age of 45, Hanks became the youngest-ever recipient of the
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...
's Life Achievement Award on June 12, 2002. In 2004, he appeared in three films: The Coen brothers' '' The Ladykillers'', another Spielberg film, '' The Terminal'', and '' The Polar Express'', a family film from Zemeckis for which Hanks played multiple motion capture roles. In a '' USA Weekend'' interview, Hanks discussed how he chooses projects: " ince''A League of Their Own'', it can't be just another movie for me. It has to get me going somehow ... There has to be some all-encompassing desire or feeling about wanting to do that particular movie. I'd like to assume that I'm willing to go down any avenue in order to do it right". In August 2005, Hanks was voted in as vice president of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motion ...
."Actor Hanks voted in by Academy"
BBC, August 25, 2005.
Hanks next starred in the highly anticipated film '' The Da Vinci Code'', based on the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. The film was released May 19, 2006 in the U.S., and grossed over US$750 million worldwide. He followed the film with Ken Burns's 2007 documentary '' The War''. For the documentary, Hanks did voice work, reading excerpts from
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
-era columns by
Al McIntosh Alan Cunningham McIntosh (October 7, 1905 – July 23, 1979) was editor of thCounty Star-Herald''of Luverne, Minnesota. He was president of thMinnesota Newspaper Associationin 1949. The association now recognizes individuals who have provided ex ...
. In 2006, Hanks topped a 1,500-strong list of "most trusted celebrities" compiled by ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine."Hanks tops 'most trusted' index"
BBC, September 27, 2006.
Hanks also produced the animated children's movie ''
The Ant Bully ''The Ant Bully'' () is a 1999 children's book drawn and written by John Nickle. It is about a young boy named Lucas Nickle (also known as Peanut the Destroyer), who is the title character in the book and who likes to torment ants. It was late ...
'' in 2006. Hanks next appeared in a cameo role as himself in '' The Simpsons Movie'', in which he appeared in an advertisement claiming that the U.S. government has lost its credibility and is hence buying some of his. He also made an appearance in the credits, expressing a desire to be left alone when he is out in public. Later in 2006, Hanks produced the British film '' Starter for Ten'', a comedy based on working-class students attempting to win on '' University Challenge''."A real Movie challenge".
BBC. November 9, 2006.
In 2007, Hanks starred in
Mike Nichols Mike Nichols (born Michael Igor Peschkowsky; November 6, 1931 – November 19, 2014) was an American film and theater director, producer, actor, and comedian. He was noted for his ability to work across a range of genres and for his aptitude fo ...
's film '' Charlie Wilson's War'' (written by screenwriter
Aaron Sorkin Aaron Benjamin Sorkin (born June 9, 1961) is an American playwright, screenwriter and film director. Born in New York City, he developed a passion for writing at an early age. Sorkin has earned an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, five Primetime ...
) in which he played Democratic Texas Congressman Charles Wilson. The film opened on December 21, 2007, and Hanks received a Golden Globe nomination. In the comedy-drama film '' The Great Buck Howard'' (2008), Hanks played the on-screen father of a young man (played by Hanks' real-life son Colin) who chooses to work as road manager for a fading mentalist ( John Malkovich). His character was less than thrilled about his son's career decision. In the same year, he executive produced the musical comedy '' Mamma Mia'' and the miniseries ''
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...
''. Hanks' next endeavor, released on May 15, 2009, was a film adaptation of ''
Angels & Demons ''Angels & Demons'' is a 2000 bestselling mystery-thriller novel written by American author Dan Brown and published by Pocket Books and then by Corgi Books. The novel introduces the character Robert Langdon, who recurs as the protagonist of ...
'', based on the novel of the same name by Dan Brown. Its April 11, 2007 announcement revealed that Hanks would reprise his role as Robert Langdon, and that he would reportedly receive the highest salary ever for an actor. The following day he made his 10th appearance on NBC's ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'', impersonating himself for the '' Celebrity Jeopardy'' sketch. Hanks produced the
Spike Jonze Adam H. Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze, is an American filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes commercials, film, music videos, skateboard videos and television. Jonze began his ca ...
film '' Where The Wild Things Are'', based on the children's book by Maurice Sendak in 2009.


2010s

In 2010, Hanks reprised his voice role of Woody in '' Toy Story 3'' after he, Tim Allen, and
John Ratzenberger John Dezso Ratzenberger (born April 6, 1947)About John
from Ratzenberger's official website
is an Americ ...
were invited to a movie theater to see a complete story reel of the movie. The film went on to become the first animated film to gross a worldwide total of over $1 billion as well as the highest-grossing animated film at the time. He was also executive producer of the miniseries '' The Pacific''. In 2011, he directed and starred opposite Julia Roberts in the title role in the romantic comedy '' Larry Crowne''. The movie received poor reviews, with only 35% of the 175
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
reviews giving it high ratings. Also in 2011, he starred in the drama film ''
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close ''Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close'' is a 2005 novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. The book's narrator is a nine-year-old boy named Oskar Schell. In the story, Oskar discovers a key in a vase that belonged to his father, a year after he is killed i ...
''. In 2012, he voiced the character Cleveland Carr for a web series he created titled '' Electric City''. He also starred in
the Wachowskis Lana Wachowski (born June 21, 1965, formerly known as Larry Wachowski) and Lilly Wachowski (born December 29, 1967, formerly known as Andy Wachowski) are American film and television directors, writers and producers. The sisters are both trans ...
-directed film adaptation of the novel of the same name, '' Cloud Atlas'', and was executive producer of the miniseries '' Game Change''. In 2013, Hanks starred in two critically acclaimed films—'' Captain Phillips ''and'' Saving Mr. Banks—''which each earned him praise, including nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for the former role. In ''Captain Phillips'', he starred as Captain Richard Phillips with
Barkhad Abdi Barkhad Abdi ( so, Barkhad Cabdi; born April 10, 1985) is a Somali-American actor. He made his acting debut as Somali pirate Abduwali Muse in the biographical drama film '' Captain Phillips'' (2013), which earned him a British Academy Film Awar ...
, which was based on the
Maersk Alabama hijacking The ''Maersk Alabama'' hijacking began on 9 April 2009, when four pirates in the Indian Ocean seized the U.S. cargo ship at a distance of southeast of Eyl, Somalia. The siege ended after a rescue effort by the United States Navy on 12 April ...
. In ''Saving Mr. Banks'', co-starring
Emma Thompson Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress. Regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation, she has received numerous accolades throughout her four-decade-long career, including two Academy Awards, two British A ...
and directed by John Lee Hancock, he played
Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
, being the first actor to portray Disney in a mainstream film. That same year, Hanks made his Broadway debut, starring in Nora Ephron's '' Lucky Guy'', for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. In 2014, Hanks' short story "Alan Bean Plus Four" was published in the October 27 issue of ''
The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
''. Revolving around four friends who make a voyage to the moon, the short story is titled after the Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean. '' Slate'' magazine's Katy Waldman found his first published short story "mediocre", writing that "Hanks' shopworn ideas about technology might have yet sung if they hadn't been wrapped in too-clever lit mag-ese". In an interview with ''The New Yorker'', Hanks said he has always been fascinated by space. He told the magazine that he built plastic models of rockets when he was a child and watched live broadcasts of space missions back in the 1960s. In March 2015, Hanks appeared in the
Carly Rae Jepsen Carly Rae Jepsen (born November 21, 1985) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After studying musical theatre for most of her school life and while in university, Jepsen garnered mainstream attention after placing third on the fifth season of ...
music video for " I Really Like You", lip-syncing most of the song's lyrics as he goes through his daily routine. His next film was the Steven Spielberg-directed historical drama '' Bridge of Spies'', in which he played lawyer James B. Donovan who negotiated for the release of pilot
Francis Gary Powers Francis Gary Powers (August 17, 1929 – August 1, 1977) was an American pilot whose Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Lockheed U-2 spy plane was shot down while flying a reconnaissance mission in Soviet Union airspace, causing the 1960 U-2 in ...
by the Soviet Union in exchange for KGB spy Rudolf Abel. It was released in October 2015 to a positive reception. In April 2016, Hanks starred as Alan Clay in the comedy-drama ''
A Hologram for the King ''A Hologram for the King'' is a 2012 American novel written by Dave Eggers. In October 2012, the novel was announced as a finalist for the National Book Award. It was adapted as a film of the same name, released in 2016 and starring Tom Hanks ...
'', an adaptation of the 2012 novel of the same name. It is the second time he was directed by Tom Tykwer after Cloud Atlas in 2012. Hanks starred as airline captain Chesley Sullenberger in Clint Eastwood's '' Sully'', which was released in September 2016. He next reprised his role as Robert Langdon in '' Inferno'' (2016), and co-starred alongside Emma Watson in the 2017 science fiction drama '' The Circle''. He voiced
David S. Pumpkins David Simon Pumpkins is a fictional character played by American actor Tom Hanks, first appearing on the October 22, 2016, episode of '' Saturday Night Live'' in a sketch written by Mikey Day, Bobby Moynihan, and Streeter Seidell. Pumpkins develo ...
in '' The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special'', which aired October 28, 2017 on NBC, a character he had portrayed in episodes of ''Saturday Night Live''. Hanks reprised his voice role as Sheriff Woody in Pixar's '' Toy Story 4'', which was released on June 21, 2019. Later that year, Hanks portrayed Fred Rogers in Marielle Heller's biographical film ''
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ''A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood'' is a 2019 American biographical drama film directed by Marielle Heller and written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, inspired by the 1998 article "Can You Say... Hero?" by Tom Junod, published in ...
'' for which he was nominated for his first
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role while worki ...
. The film was released on November 22, 2019, by Sony Pictures.


2020s

On April 11, 2020, Hanks made his first television appearance since his
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
diagnosis by hosting ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
''. Hanks delivered an opening monologue via his house but did not appear in any of the sketches. This is the first episode of ''SNL'' to debut after the show's hiatus due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
; it features different sketches filmed remotely from the cast members' homes. This is also a first in ''SNL'' history, for the show to be made up entirely of prerecorded content before airing, and the second to not be filmed at Studio 8H. Hanks had two films released in 2020. In July 2020, Hanks starred in '' Greyhound'', a war film which he also wrote the screenplay for. Initially set to be theatrically released in June 2020 by
Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acq ...
, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, distribution rights to the film were bought by
Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is an American subscription streaming service owned and operated by Apple Inc. Launched on November 1, 2019, it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service was announced ...
, where it was released in July 2020. Later that year, Hanks starred in the western drama film ''
News of the World The ''News of the World'' was a weekly national red top tabloid newspaper published every Sunday in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the world's highest-selling English-language newspaper, and at closure still had one ...
'', re-teaming with director Paul Greengrass, which was released on December 23, 2020. Film critic David Rooney of ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...
'' praised Hanks' performance in his review writing, "Hanks has built a career out of playing thoroughly decent men, so his casting here is entirely to type. But the soulfulness and sorrow, the innate compassion that ripple through his characterization make this an enormously pleasurable performance to watch, with new depths of both kindness and regret that keep revealing themselves." In 2021, Hanks starred in the science fiction drama '' Finch'', directed by Miguel Sapochnik, and released by
Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is an American subscription streaming service owned and operated by Apple Inc. Launched on November 1, 2019, it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service was announced ...
. On March 2, 2022, Connor Ratliff appeared as a guest on '' Late Night With Seth Meyers,'' where he revealed that Hanks would at last be interviewed for the season three finale of Ratliff's podcast '' Dead Eyes''. The conversation between Hanks and Ratliff took place 22 years after Ratliff was about to begin filming an episode of ''Band of Brothers'', when he was subsequently fired, allegedly because Hanks believed Ratliff had "dead eyes". The 90 minute interview was hailed as a momentous achievement in podcasting, a "rare show that gives you a perfect conclusion", "surprisingly funny and empathetic", and an event
Paul Scheer Paul Christian Scheer (born January 31, 1976) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, director, and podcaster. Scheer is a SAG award-winning actor known for his roles in Showtime's comedy series '' Black Monday'' and FX/ FXX's ''The ...
called "thrilling". In 2022, Hanks starred as Tom Parker, the sole manager of
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...
, in '' Elvis'', directed by Baz Luhrmann. Shooting commenced in the beginning of 2020 in Queensland, Australia. The film was released in June 2022. In November 2018, it was reported that Hanks was in talks to portray Geppetto in Walt Disney Studios' live-action adaptation of '' Pinocchio''. His involvement in the film, which was directed by his longtime collaborator Zemeckis, was officially confirmed in December 2020.


Upcoming

HBO confirmed in January 2013 that it was developing a third World War II
miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format ...
based on the book ''Masters of the Air'' by
Donald L. Miller Donald L. Miller (born 1944) is a biographer and historian. He is the John Henry MacCracken Professor of History at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. He is also a ''New York Times'' bestselling author of seven books, and one of the most respect ...
with Hanks and Spielberg to follow ''Band of Brothers'' and ''The Pacific''. Few details have emerged about the project since, but '' NME'' reported in March 2017 that production was progressing under the working title '' The Mighty Eighth''. On October 11, 2019, it was announced that the series would keep the title from the book and that the miniseries will stream on
Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is an American subscription streaming service owned and operated by Apple Inc. Launched on November 1, 2019, it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service was announced ...
due to budget constraints at HBO. ''Masters of the Air'' is expected to cost $200 million with a duration of at least eight hours. In July 2021, it was announced Hanks would set to appear in Wes Anderson's '' Asteroid City'' starring Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, and Adrien Brody. Hanks is attached to star in an American remake of '' A Man Called Ove'', named '' A Man Called Otto'' which will be directed by
Marc Forster Marc Forster (born 30 November 1969) is a Swiss filmmaker. He is best known for directing the feature films ''Monster's Ball'', '' Finding Neverland'', '' Stranger than Fiction'', ''The Kite Runner'', ''Quantum of Solace'', ''World War Z'', and ' ...
and also features his youngest son Truman in his acting debut as the young 'Otto'. Hanks is also appearing in ''In the Garden of Beasts'', an adaptation of the 2011 non fiction book from director Joe Wright about American diplomat William Dodd. In February 2022, it was announced that Hanks will star in the feature adaptation of ''Here'', a graphic novel by Richard McGuire, directed by Robert Zemeckis.


Awards and honors

In Hanks' career as an actor and producer, he has received many award nominations. Hanks has received six
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
nominations including two consecutive wins for
Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...
for ''
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
'', and '' Forrest Gump'' in 1993, and 1994 respectively. Hanks also received a
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
nomination for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in Nora Ephron's play '' Lucky Guy'' in 2013. Hanks has also received 12 Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his work on television which includes 7 wins for his work as a producer on various limited series and television films including '' From the Earth to the Moon'' (1998), '' Band of Brothers'' (2002), ''
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...
'' (2008), '' The Pacific'' (2010), '' Game Change'' (2012), and '' Olive Kitteridge'' (2015). Honors * 2002: AFI Life Achievement Award * 2006: Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award * 2014: Kennedy Center Honors Medallion * 2016:
Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...
* 2016: French
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
, at the rank of ''Chevalier'' (Knight), for his presentation of World War II and support of World War II veterans, along with Tom Brokaw, retired NBC anchor, and Gordon H. Mueller, president and co-founder of the National WWII Museum, New Orleans. * 2019: Honorary citizen of Greece. * 2020: Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award


Personal life

Hanks married American actress Samantha Lewes (1952–2002) in 1978. They had one son, actor Colin (born 1977), and one daughter, Elizabeth (born 1982). Hanks and Lewes divorced in 1987. Lewes died in 2002 at the age of 49 from bone cancer. In 1981, Hanks met actress Rita Wilson on the set of TV comedy '' Bosom Buddies'' (1980–1982). They were reunited in 1985 on the set of ''
Volunteers Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...
''. Wilson is of Greek and Bulgarian descent, and a member of the
Greek Orthodox Church The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...
. Before marrying her, Hanks converted to her faith. Hanks and Wilson married in 1988 and have two sons. The older, Chester Marlon "Chet", released a rap song in 2011 and had recurring roles in ''
Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' and '' Shameless''. Their younger, Truman Theodore, was born in 1995. Hanks lives with his family in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and Ketchum, Idaho. Hanks actively attends church. He said, "I must say that when I go to church—and I do go to church—I ponder the mystery. I meditate on the 'why?' of 'why people are as they are' and 'why bad things happen to good people,' and 'why good things happen to bad people' ..The mystery is what I think is, almost, the grand unifying theory of all mankind." In October 2013, Hanks said he has
Type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is a form of diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urinatio ...
. Despite being a fan of the Oakland Athletics and the
Raiders Raider(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Paul Revere & the Raiders, an American rock band * "Raider", a track from the 1969 album ''Farewell Aldebaran'', by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester * "Raiders", a track from the 1987 album ''Young and ...
when they were based in Oakland, Hanks stated in April 2017 he would boycott the NFL for two years after the Raiders filed for relocation to Las Vegas. Since 1984, Hanks has been an avid fan of the English
Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...
club Aston Villa. In November 2019, shortly before the release of ''
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ''A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood'' is a 2019 American biographical drama film directed by Marielle Heller and written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, inspired by the 1998 article "Can You Say... Hero?" by Tom Junod, published in ...
'', a drama film in which Hanks portrays Fred Rogers, he learned through Ancestry.com that he and Rogers were sixth cousins, both descendants of Johannes Meffert (1732–1795), who was born in Schöneck, Hesse and emigrated to the United States in the 18th century, settling in
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
and changing his last name to Mefford. Hanks is also a distant relative of the 16th US president,
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
. Hanks narrated the 2011 television program ''Killing Lincoln''. On December 27, 2019, the
President of Greece The president of Greece, officially the President of the Hellenic Republic ( el, Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας, Próedros tis Ellinikís Dimokratías), commonly referred to in Greek as the President of the Rep ...
,
Prokopis Pavlopoulos Prokopios Pavlopoulos ( el, Προκόπιος Παυλόπουλος, ; born 10 July 1950), commonly shortened to Prokopis (Προκόπης), is a Greek lawyer, university professor and politician who served as the president of Greece from 2015 ...
, signed an honorary naturalisation order for Hanks and his family, citing their "exceptional services to Greece", thus making him and his immediate family Greek citizens. Hanks, along with Wilson and their children, were conferred honorary citizenship for their role in bringing global attention and appealing for aid after a devastating wildfire that ripped through the seaside village of Mati, near Athens, in July 2018, which killed more than 100 people. Greece's Interior Minister Takis Theodorikakos said Hanks "showed real interest in the people who suffered from the fire in Mati and promoted this issue in the global media". On July 26, 2020, the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, accompanied with his wife, handed over Greek passports to both Hanks and Wilson.


Politics and activism

Hanks has donated to many Democratic politicians, and during the
2008 United States presidential election The 2008 United States presidential election was the 56th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. The Democratic ticket of Barack Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, and Joe Biden, the senior senator fr ...
uploaded a video to his MySpace account endorsing
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
. He also narrated a 2012 documentary, ''
The Road We've Traveled ''The Road We've Traveled'' is a 2012 documentary film about the events of Barack Obama's presidency. Directed by Davis Guggenheim, the documentary was produced by Obama's re-election campaign and was narrated by Tom Hanks. The film Events det ...
,'' created by Obama for America. In 2016, Hanks endorsed former Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
in the 2016 presidential election. Hanks was outspoken about his opposition to the 2008 Proposition8, an amendment to the
California constitution The Constitution of California ( es, Constitución de California) is the primary organizing law for the U.S. state of California, describing the duties, powers, structures and functions of the government of California. California's original c ...
that defined marriage as a union only between a man and a woman. Hanks and others raised over US$44 million to campaign against the proposition, in contrast to the supporters' $39 million, but Proposition8 passed with 52% of the vote. It was overruled in June 2013, when the
Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District ...
lifted its stay of the district court's ruling, enabling Governor
Jerry Brown Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 34th and 39th governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected Secretary of S ...
to order same-sex marriage officiations to resume. While premiering a TV series in January 2009, Hanks called supporters of Proposition8 "un-American" and criticized LDS Church members, who were major proponents of the bill, for their views on marriage and role in supporting the bill. About a week later, he apologized for the remark, saying that nothing is more American than voting one's conscience. A proponent of
environmentalism Environmentalism or environmental rights is a broad Philosophy of life, philosophy, ideology, and social movement regarding concerns for environmental protection and improvement of the health of the environment (biophysical), environment, par ...
, Hanks is an investor in
electric vehicle An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. It can be powered by a collector system, with electricity from extravehicular sources, or it can be powered autonomously by a battery (sometimes ch ...
s and owns a Toyota RAV4 EV and the first production AC Propulsion eBox. He was a lessee of an
EV1 The General Motors EV1 was an electric car produced and leased by General Motors from 1996 to 1999. It was the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle of the modern era from a major automaker and the first GM car designed to be ...
before it was recalled, as chronicled in the documentary '' Who Killed the Electric Car?'' He was on the waiting list for an Aptera2 Series. Hanks serves as campaign chair of the Hidden Heroes Campaign of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. The stated mission of the campaign is to inspire a national movement to more effectively support the military and veteran caregivers. In 2004, while touring the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
, Hanks learned that the
press corps The news media or news industry are forms of mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public. These include news agencies, print media (newspapers, news magazines), broadcast news (radio and television), and th ...
did not have a coffee pot, and shortly thereafter he donated an espresso machine. He again donated new machines in 2010 and 2017. His 2017 donation was accompanied by a note that read "To the White House Press Corps, Keep up the good fight for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Especially for the truth part." He endorsed former
Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...
Joe Biden in the 2020 Presidential election.


Other activities

A supporter of
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...
's crewed space program, Hanks said he originally wanted to be an astronaut. Hanks is a member of the National Space Society, serving on the Board of governors of the nonprofit educational space advocacy organization founded by Wernher von Braun. He also produced the HBO miniseries '' From the Earth to the Moon'' about the Apollo program to send astronauts to the moon. In addition, Hanks co-wrote and co-produced '' Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D'', an
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. Graeme ...
film about the moon landings. Hanks provided the
voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non- diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentation ...
for the premiere of the show ''Passport to the Universe'' at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in the
Hayden Planetarium The Rose Center for Earth and Space is a part of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The Center's complete name is The Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space. The main entrance is located on the no ...
at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. In 2006, the Space Foundation awarded Hanks the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award, given annually to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to public awareness of space programs. In June 2006, Hanks was inducted as an honorary member of the United States Army Rangers Hall of Fame for his accurate portrayal of a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in the movie ''Saving Private Ryan''; Hanks, who was unable to attend the induction ceremony, was the first actor to receive such an honor. In addition to his role in ''Saving Private Ryan'', Hanks was cited for serving as the national spokesperson for the World War II Memorial Campaign, for being the honorary chairperson of the D-Day Museum Capital Campaign, and for his role in writing and helping to produce the Emmy Award-winning miniseries, ''Band of Brothers''. On March 10, 2008, Hanks was on hand at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to induct The Dave Clark Five. Hanks is a collector of manual typewriters and uses them almost daily. In August 2014, Hanks released Hanx Writer, an iOS app meant to emulate the experience of using a typewriter; within days the free app reached number one on the App Store. After contracting and recovering from a
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
infection early in the pandemic, Hanks and his wife donated their blood antibodies for virus research. Hanks is an ordained minister and on March 24, 2022 CBS News reported that he had recently officiated a wedding in
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
.


Filmography


Bibliography

Hanks wrote a collection of short stories inspired by his typewriter collection, ''Uncommon Type'', which was published in 2017.


Legacy

Hanks is often compared to
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality ...
, and has also frequently been referred to as "America's Dad". In 2013, when he was starring in Nora Ephron's '' Lucky Guy'' on Broadway, he had crowds of 300 fans waiting for a glimpse of him after every performance. This is the highest number of expectant fans post-show of any Broadway performance. Hanks is ranked as the fifth-highest all-time box office star in North America, with a total gross of over $4.9 billion at the North American box office, an average of $100.8 million per film. Worldwide, his films have grossed over $9.96 billion. Asteroid 12818 Tomhanks is named after him. In 2003, Hanks was voted Number 3 in
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
's countdown of the 100 Greatest Movie Stars of All Time, and he is number 22 on VH1's list of the "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons of All Time". He was included on ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' list of the top ten most powerful celebrities in the world, in 2000, 2002 and 2003. As of January 2019, Hanks is currently voted #1 on
Ranker Ranker is a digital media company located in Los Angeles. The site features polls on entertainment, brands, sports, food and culture. Ranker claims to be one of the largest databases of opinions with more than 1 billion votes gathered on over mil ...
's "The Best Actors in Film History". Hanks was the guest on
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...
's '' Desert Island Discs'' (in the footsteps of John Huston, Arthur Rubinstein, Luciano Pavarotti, and more than 2,500 other celebrities who were "castaways" (guests on the show) since 1942) on May 8, 2016, giving a 45-minute interview with insights into his personal life and career. Hanks was interviewed five times on
WHYY-FM WHYY-FM (90.9 MHz, "91 FM") is a public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its broadcast tower is located in the city's Roxborough neighborhood at () while its studios and offices are located on Independence Mall in C ...
by Terry Gross on the radio show Fresh Air in Philadelphia. Topics included two segments on his lead role in '' Captain Phillips'', a movie about the real life story of a ship's captain hijacked by Somali pirates. Two interviews are about the 12 part miniseries '' From Earth to the Moon'', for which Hanks was executive producer and which was nominated for 17 Emmy Awards. The last interview segment comprises anecdotes shared by Hanks about his acting career.


Further reading

* Gardner, David (1999), ''Tom Hanks: The Unauthorized Biography'', London, * Gardner, David (2007), ''Tom Hanks: Enigma'', * Pfeiffer, Lee (1996), ''The Films of Tom Hanks'', Secaucus, New Jersey, * Salamon, Julie (1991), ''The Devil's Candy: The Bonfire of the Vanities Goes to Hollywood'', Boston, * Trakin, Roy (1995), ''Tom Hanks: Journey to Stardom'', * Wallner, Rosemary (1994), ''Tom Hanks: Academy Award-Winning Actor'', Edina, Minnesota


References


External links

* * * *
Archive of five Interviews of Hanks by Terry Gross on Fresh Air
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hanks, Tom 1956 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors AFI Life Achievement Award recipients American film producers American humanitarians American male film actors American male screenwriters American male television actors American male voice actors American people of English descent American people of Greek descent American people of Portuguese descent American philanthropists Best Actor Academy Award winners Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners California State University, Sacramento alumni Cecil B. DeMille Award Golden Globe winners Chabot College alumni Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy Film directors from Los Angeles Film producers from California Greek Orthodox Christians from the United States Kennedy Center honorees Male actors from California Male motion capture actors Naturalized citizens of Greece Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners People from Concord, California People with acquired Greek citizenship People with type 2 diabetes Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Primetime Emmy Award winners Recipients of the Legion of Honour Screenwriters from California Silver Bear for Best Actor winners Skyline High School (Oakland, California) alumni Space advocates Television producers from California Theatre World Award winners Writers from Los Angeles People with multiple nationality