Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is one of the most influential and beloved actors in global cinema, known for his versatility across comedy, drama, and voice work. With a career spanning over four decades, he has defined generations of film and television, earning acclaim for both his performances and his contributions as a producer and director.

Early life

Tom Hanks was born on July 9, 1956, in Concord, California. His mother, Janet Marylyn, worked at a hospital, and his father, Amos "Bud" Hanks, was an itinerant cook. Hanks is a distant cousin of President Abraham Lincoln through his father's lineage and has a connection to children's host Fred Rogers, whom he portrayed in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. His parents divorced in 1960, and the three oldest children—Sandra, Larry, and Tom—moved with their father. The youngest, Jim, stayed with their mother in Red Bluff. Hanks' family moved frequently, and by age ten, he had lived in ten different houses. Raised in a Catholic and Mormon household, Hanks was described in adolescence as a "Bible-toting evangelical." At Skyline High School in Oakland, he was shy and often overlooked, but he participated in school plays, including South Pacific. He studied theater at Chabot College and transferred to California State University, Sacramento, before dropping out to pursue theater work.

Career

Hanks began his career in New York City, making his film debut in He Knows You're Alone (1980) and landing a role in the television movie Mazes and Monsters (1982). He gained early recognition with the sitcom Bosom Buddies (1980–1982). His breakthrough came with comedic roles in Splash (1984), The Money Pit (1986), Big (1988), and A League of Their Own (1992). He also starred in romantic comedies like Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and You've Got Mail (1998). Hanks transitioned into dramatic roles with films such as Apollo 13 (1995), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000), and News of the World (2020). He has appeared in biographical dramas including Captain Phillips (2013), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), Sully (2016), and Elvis (2022). He has also voiced Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story franchise since 1995 and played Robert Langdon in the Angel & Demons (2009) and other films in the series. Hanks directed and acted in That Thing You Do! (1996) and Larry Crowne (2011). He launched the production company Playtone, which produced series like Band of Brothers (2001), The Pacific (2010), and Masters of the Air (2024), as well as films such as From the Earth to the Moon (1998) and John Adams (2008). He made his Broadway debut in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy (2013), earning a Tony Award nomination.