Tom Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker born on July 9, 1956. He’s known for being in both funny and serious movies, and pretty much everyone knows who he is. His movies have made loads of money, almost $5 billion just in North America and nearly $10 billion worldwide. That’s a lot of cash! He’s one of the top money-making actors in North America.
Hanks got his big break with funny movies like “Splash,” “The Money Pit,” “Big,” and “A League of Their Own.” But he hit the jackpot when he starred in “Philadelphia” as a lawyer with AIDS and “Forrest Gump” as the main character. He even won two Oscars in a row for those roles!
He’s worked a bunch with famous director Steven Spielberg on movies like “Saving Private Ryan,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Terminal,” “Bridge of Spies,” and “The Post.” They’ve also teamed up on TV shows about World War II, like “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.”
Apart from those, Tom Hanks has been in loads of other movies, from romantic comedies like “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail” to dramas like “Apollo 13,” “The Green Mile,” and “Cast Away.” He’s even done some biographical dramas like “Captain Phillips” and “Sully.”
You might also recognize his voice as Woody in the “Toy Story” movies. Hanks has also tried his hand at directing, making movies like “That Thing You Do!” and “Larry Crowne.”
In 1998, he started his own production company called Playtone, which makes TV shows. Hanks has won a bunch of awards for his work on TV, including seven Emmy Awards. He even got nominated for a Tony Award for his work on Broadway in Nora Ephron’s play Lucky Guy in 2013.
| Full Name | Thomas Jeffrey Hanks |
| Date of Birth | July 9, 1956 |
| Place of Birth | Concord, California, United States |
| Occupation | Actor, Filmmaker |
| Height | 6 ft (1.83 m) |
| Spouse | Rita Wilson (m. 1988), Samantha Lewes (m. 1978–1987) |
| Children | Colin Hanks, Chet Hanks, Truman Hanks, Elizabeth Ann Hanks |
| Net Worth | $400 million |
Tom Hanks’s Early Life and Education
Tom Hanks was born in Concord, California, on July 9, 1956. His mom Janet Marylyn (née Frager) worked at a hospital, and his dad Amos “Bud” Hanks was a cook who moved around a lot. Tom’s mom’s family was Portuguese, and their original last name was “Fraga.” His dad had English roots, and he’s distantly related to President Abraham Lincoln and the famous children’s host Fred Rogers, both of whom he played in movies.
When Tom was a kid, his parents split up. He and his older siblings went with their dad, while his younger brother stayed with his mom in Red Bluff, California. Tom’s family moved a ton when he was growing up, so he lived in ten different houses by the time he was ten.
Even though Tom Hanks’s family used to be Catholic and Mormon, he became Greek Orthodox Christian after marrying Rita Wilson. As a teenager, he was really into religion and used to carry a Bible around. School wasn’t easy for him; he was shy and not very popular, but he loved cracking jokes during class. He also acted in school plays.
Tom’s first memories of movies were in a theater in Alameda, California. He studied theater at a couple of colleges in California. When asked if he’d rather win an Oscar or a Heisman Trophy, he joked that he’d prefer the Heisman and playing football for the California Golden Bears.
He spent a lot of time watching plays and decided to drop out of college to work in theater full-time. He did all sorts of jobs in theater production and even won an award for acting in a Shakespeare play. Despite dropping out, Time magazine later named him one of the “Top 10 College Dropouts.”
Career
In 1979, Tom Hanks moved to New York City and began his film career with a small horror movie called “He Knows You’re Alone” in 1980. He also starred in a TV movie called “Mazes and Monsters” in 1982. That same year he played the lead role in a play by Niccolò Machiavelli. Shortly after Hanks got a big break on TV with “Bosom Buddies” where he and Peter Scolari dressed as women to live in a female-only hotel.
Hanks then appeared on “Happy Days” where he met writers who later suggested him for the movie “Splash.” Initially considered for a different role Hanks ended up as the lead and the movie became a surprise hit. He continued with successful films like “Bachelor Party” and a memorable guest role on “Family Ties.”
Moving into the mid-80s, Tom Hanks shifted towards dramatic roles with movies like “Nothing in Common.” His performance in “Big” in 1988 solidified his reputation as a top Hollywood star. and He got nominated for an Oscar for that role. After that, he did a movie called “Punchline” with Sally Field. Despite some box-office disappointments, Hanks bounced back with “A League of Their Own” in 1992.
His career reached new heights with “Sleepless in Seattle” and “Philadelphia” in 1993, earning him his first Academy Award for Best Actor. He followed this success with “Forrest Gump” in 1994 winning him his second consecutive Oscar a rare achievement in Hollywood history.
Throughout the 90s, Hanks continued to deliver strong performances in films like “Apollo 13” and made his directing debut with “That Thing You Do!” He also produced and starred in the Emmy-winning miniseries “From the Earth to the Moon.”
Hanks’ collaboration with Steven Spielberg on “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998 further solidified his status as a respected actor. He continued with hits like “You’ve Got Mail” and “The Green Mile” along with voicing Sheriff Woody in “Toy Story 2.”
Tom Hanks reunited with director Robert Zemeckis for “Cast Away” where he played a FedEx systems analyst stranded on a deserted island. Critic Roger Ebert praised Hanks for his compelling performance highlighting his ability to convey emotion with minimal dialogue and physical acting.
In 2001, Tom Hanks co-directed and produced the Emmy-winning HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers.” He also participated in the 9/11 tribute special “America: A Tribute to Heroes” and the documentary “Rescued From the Closet.” The following year Hanks starred in “Road to Perdition” as a hitman on the run with his son and teamed up with Steven Spielberg for “Catch Me If You Can” playing an FBI agent opposite Leonardo DiCaprio’s conman. Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson produced the hit film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” They later took legal action against Gold Circle Films over profit shares from the movie. In 2002, Hanks became the youngest American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award recipient at age 45.
In 2004, Tom Hanks appeared in three films: “The Ladykillers” by the Coen brothers Spielberg’s “The Terminal” and Zemeckis’s family film “The Polar Express” where he performed multiple motion capture roles. In a USA Weekend interview, Hanks shared that he only chooses projects that deeply inspire him noting that since “A League of Their Own” each film must stir a strong desire within him to participate. In 2005 Hanks was elected vice president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Tom Hanks starred in “The Da Vinci Code” which grossed over $750 million worldwide. That year Forbes named him the most trusted celebrity. He produced the animated film “The Ant Bully” and the comedy “Starter for Ten.” Hanks also lent his voice to Ken Burns’s documentary “The War” reading World War II-era columns and appeared in “The Simpsons Movie” as himself. He played Congressman Charles Wilson in “Charlie Wilson’s War” and acted alongside his son Colin in “The Great Buck Howard.” He also produced “Mamma Mia!” and the miniseries “John Adams.”
In 2009, Hanks reprised his role as Robert Langdon in “Angels & Demons” reportedly earning a record-breaking salary for an actor. He hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the tenth time impersonating himself in the Celebrity Jeopardy sketch. Hanks produced “Where The Wild Things Are” based on Maurice Sendak’s children’s book. He returned as Woody in “Toy Story 3” which became the highest-grossing animated film at the time and executive produced the miniseries “The Pacific.”
In 2011, Tom Hanks directed and starred in the romantic comedy “Larry Crowne” with Julia Roberts which received poor reviews. He also starred in the drama “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” and created the web series “Electric City.” In 2012, Hanks played multiple roles in “Cloud Atlas” and produced the miniseries “Game Change.”
Hanks received critical acclaim in 2013 for “Captain Phillips” and “Saving Mr. Banks” earning BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for his portrayal of Captain Richard Phillips. In “Saving Mr. Banks” Hanks became the first actor to play Walt Disney in a mainstream film. He also made his Broadway debut in “Lucky Guy” earning a Tony nomination.
In 2014, Tom Hanks published a short story in The New Yorker titled “Alan Bean Plus Four” about a moon voyage reflecting his lifelong fascination with space. In 2015, Hanks appeared in Carly Rae Jepsen’s music video “I Like You” and starred in Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies” as lawyer James B. Donovan. In 2016, he played Alan Clay in “A Hologram for the King” and Captain Chesley Sullenberger in “Sully” directed by Clint Eastwood. He also reprised his role as Robert Langdon in “Inferno” and co-starred with Emma Watson in “The Circle”.
Tom Hanks returned to TV after battling COVID-19 by hosting “Saturday Night Live” from home on April 11, 2020. This was the first SNL episode during the pandemic featuring sketches filmed remotely. It was also the show’s first fully pre-recorded episode and not filmed at its usual studio.
In 2020, Tom Hanks starred in two movies. He wrote and starred in the war film “Greyhound” initially set for theaters but released on Apple TV+ due to COVID-19. He also acted in News of the World earning praise for his heartfelt performance.
The following year, Hanks starred in Finch a sci-fi drama released on Apple TV+. He later appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers and was interviewed for the podcast “Dead Eyes” marking a significant moment in podcasting.
In 2022, Tom Hanks appeared in three films. He played Elvis Presley’s manager in Elvis portrayed Geppetto in Disney’s live-action Pinocchio and starred in “A Man Called Otto” an English remake. Looking ahead he stars in “Masters of the Air” and the Garden of Beasts and will feature in the adaptation of the graphic novel Here.
Net Worth
Tom Hanks has an estimated net worth of $400 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Tom Hanks’s net worth primarily comes from his successful career as an actor and filmmaker.
Throughout his decades-long career, he has starred in numerous blockbuster movies, earning substantial salaries per film. Hanks is known for his versatility and has appeared in a wide range of roles, from comedies like “Big” and “Toy Story” to dramatic films such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Cast Away.”
In addition to acting, he has also ventured into producing and directing, further contributing to his wealth. Hanks’s consistent box office success and critical acclaim have solidified his position as one of Hollywood’s highest-paid and most respected actors, significantly boosting his overall net worth.
Personal life
Tom Hanks the famous actor has had quite a journey in his personal life. He first married Samantha Lewes back in 1978 and they had two kids Colin and Elizabeth. Sadly, they divorced in 1987 and Samantha passed away in 2002 because of bone cancer.
In 1981, Tom Hanks met Rita Wilson on the set of a TV show called “Bosom Buddies.” They got closer during another project in 1985 and eventually tied the knot in 1988. They have two sons together, Chet and Truman. Chet even released a rap song and acted in shows like “Empire and Shameless.” Truman followed in his dad’s footsteps and played a younger version of his dad’s character in a movie called “A Man Called Otto” in 2022.
Tom and his family live in both Los Angeles and Ketchum, Idaho. He’s pretty religious and likes to think about life’s big questions when he goes to church. He even ponders why good and bad things happen to people.
In 2013, Tom Hanks revealed that he has Type 2 diabetes. Despite being a big fan of the Oakland Athletics and Raiders, he decided to boycott the NFL for two years when the Raiders moved to Las Vegas.
Tom has been a huge fan of the English Premier League club Aston Villa since 1984. Interestingly, he found out in 2019 that he’s distantly related to Fred Rogers and Abraham Lincoln.
In December 2019, Tom Hanks and his family became honorary citizens of Greece for their efforts in helping after a wildfire in a village near Athens. The Greek Prime Minister even personally handed them Greek passports in July 2020.
Awards
In Tom Hanks’ career as an actor and producer, he’s been recognized for his work with loads of award nominations. Let’s break it down:
Academy Awards: He’s been nominated for an Oscar six times. He won twice in a row for Best Actor, once for Philadelphia in 1993, and again for Forrest Gump in 1994.
Tony Awards: He got a nod for his performance in Nora Ephron’s play Lucky Guy in 2013.
Primetime Emmy Awards: On the TV front, he’s got 12 nominations. He’s won 7 times as a producer for various limited series and TV films like “From the Earth to the Moon,” “Band of Brothers,” “John Adams,” “The Pacific,” “Game Change,” and “Olive Kitteridge.”
Other activities
Tom Hanks loves space! He’s a big fan of NASA and wanted to be an astronaut when he was younger. He’s involved with the National Space Society and even sits on their board. Tom has done a lot to promote space exploration, like producing shows and movies about astronauts going to the moon.
He’s also been recognized for his work in raising awareness about space. In 2006, he got an award from the Space Foundation for helping people learn more about space programs.
But it’s not just space stuff that Tom’s into. He’s also been honored by the United States Army Rangers for his role in “Saving Private Ryan.” Even though he couldn’t make it to the ceremony, he was the first actor to be made an honorary member.
Tom Hanks’s interests aren’t all about space and war movies, though. He’s really into typewriters and even made an app to recreate the typewriter experience on iPhones. It became super popular quickly.
When Tom and his wife got sick with COVID-19, they donated their blood to help with research on the virus. And did you know Tom Hanks is also ordained as a minister? He recently officiated a wedding in Pittsburgh. He’s a man of many talents!
