If you’ve been thinking about famous actors recognized all over the world, Tom Hanks is probably one of the first names to come up. Hanks has an iconic face, voice and talent for becoming the characters he takes on. Knowing how easily he steals the show, it’s hard to imagine that Hanks wasn’t always like this and that he was actually very shy and withdrawn in his youth.
According to the guardBefore Hanks discovered his interest in theater, he struggled with loneliness. Shortly after his birth, Tom Hanks’ parents divorced and Hanks went through a series of moves under the tutelage of his father, Amos Hanks. Hanks tells The Guardian that because he “went to so many different types of schools, [he] got a broad view of the way others did things and found it interesting.”
Tom Hanks is going to act
Hanks started acting in plays in high school and went on to study theater in college. In his conversation with Guru, Hanks explains that just after graduating, he got a job to work at the Classic Repertoire Theater. The compensation for this opportunity was the professional experience in the theater, and Hanks lived on minimum wage, about $50 a week. Hanks says he had no knowledge or skills and that the job helped a lot in developing his talents.
He tells Cleveland Magazine that he wholeheartedly agreed when he heard Vincent Dowling say, “Working in the theater is more fun than fun”. After his stint in the theater, Tom Hanks made his way into television, where he eventually found a clue to his big break. While guest-starring on some episodes of Happy Dayshe became acquainted with director Ron Howard (who played Richie Cunningham), and Howard would eventually direct Hanks in the 1984 film Splashwho aptly made a big splash in Hollywood and attracted a lot of attention for Hanks.
From there, the audience couldn’t get enough of Hanks. But why? What is unique about Hanks’ technique and flexibility in playing good or bad characters? Why is he called “America’s Father”? This is what makes Tom Hanks so famous and loved.
Tom Hanks is the most normal man in Hollywood
When most people see Tom Hanks act, they get a real feeling. Hanks has a credibility that is unique in Hollywood. He has a familiarity that comforts his fans and reminds critics of the great James Stewart. He’s America’s “normal guy” and since 2006, according to Manuel Betancourt of EsquireAmerica’s father.
While Hanks has gracefully transitioned from a young, popular actor to a veteran of critically acclaimed films, he has graciously accepted his role as America’s favorite father. This was highlighted by his silly and heartwarming appearance in a music video by Carly Rey Jepson, I really like you, as well as his 2016 Saturday Night Live monologue about America’s vest-wearing father. Esquire notes that this was an easy transition, in part because “Hanks was never called upon as an actor to exude sex appeal.” Hanks’ projects are never fixated on physical attraction and instead illustrate real relationships.
This reputation as Hollywood’s nice guy and healthy parent is a result of Hanks’ more recent roles. Such was his role in 2011 in Larry Crowne as a middle-aged man returning to college, his paternal role as Walt Disney in 2013 mr. Saving Bankshis 2016 role as the veteran pilot Sully, followed by his roles as the beloved Mr. Rogers, and now as Pinnochio’s father in 2022.
Tom Hanks can take on almost any role
While Tom Hanks is known as a nice guy inside and out of the movies, he’s also famous and loved for having the ability to take on just about any character, including the dark ones. This is especially evident in his Road to destruction character and his recent role as Colonel Tom Parker in the 2022 film Elvis. Parker was Elvis’ manager, controlling Elvis’ personal life and career.
Hanks was a little confused about playing Parker. While the role has already been criticized for being “the least attractive character in Hanks’ career,” Hanks tells the… New York Post that he took on the character because Parker was “a mercurial and brilliant man who at the same time made sure to fill his pockets.” So far, reactions to the role have been mixed, but it suggests that Hanks could end up playing roles that test his reputation as America’s father and most normal man.
From 2022, Hanks will star as an unkind old man in A man named Otto as well as the film adaptation of the novel by Richard McGuire Here in 2023. There is no doubt that Hanks brings genuine commitment and understanding to his character in all of his roles and this is perhaps why he is so loved. What is illustrated by his early career is that art and theater have always come first for him, which is what makes him such a great actor. Hanks’ most recent film, Robert Zemeckis’ pinnochioarrived on Disney+ in September 2022.