If you sit down and think of famous actors recognized around the world, tom hank is probably one of the first names to come back. Hanks has an iconic face, voice, and talent to become the characters he portrays. Knowing how easily he steals the show, it’s hard to imagine that Hanks wasn’t always like this and was in fact very shy and withdrawn in his youth.
According to The Guardian, before Hanks discovered his interest in acting, he struggled with loneliness. Shortly after his birth, Tom Hanks’ parents divorced and Hanks went through a series of moves under the care of his father, Amos Hanks. Hanks tells the Guardian that because he “went to so many different schools, [he] I got an overview of how other people were doing things and found it interesting.
Tom Hanks becomes an actor
Hanks began acting in plays in high school and later studied acting in college. In his conversation with Guru, Hanks explains that he got a job right after graduating from college to work with the Classic Repertoire Theater. The compensation for this opportunity was work experience in theater, and Hanks lived on minimum wage, around $50 a week. Hanks says he had no knowledge or skills and the job helped him tremendously to develop his talents.
He tells Cleveland Magazine that he was all for it when he heard Vincent Dowling say “theater work is more fun than fun.” After his time in theater, Tom Hanks made his way to television, where he finally found a lead for his big breakthrough. As a guest star on some episodes of Happy Dayshe became familiar with director Ron Howard (who played Richie Cunningham), and Howard would eventually direct Hanks in the 1984 film Splashwhich caused a stir in Hollywood and brought attention to Hanks.
From there, audiences couldn’t get enough of Hanks. But why? What’s unique about Hanks’ technique and flexibility in playing good or bad characters? Why was he called “America’s father?” Here’s what makes Tom Hanks so famous and beloved.
Tom Hanks is the most normal guy in Hollywood
When most people watch Tom Hanks perform, they feel something authentic. Hanks has a unique credibility in Hollywood. He has a familiarity that comforts his fans and reminds critics of the great James Stewart. He is America’s “normal guy” and since 2006, according to Esquire’s Manuel Betancourt, America’s father.
As Hanks gracefully transitioned from popular young actor to veteran star in critically acclaimed films, he graciously accepted his role as America’s favorite dad. This was underscored by her silly and heartwarming appearance in a Carly Rey Jepson music video, I really like you, as well as his 2016 monologue on Saturday Night Live as a cardigan-wearing American dad. Esquire notes that it was an easy transition in part because “Hanks was never called upon as an actor to exude sex appeal”. Hanks’ projects never focus on physical attraction and instead illustrate genuine relationships.
This reputation as a good boy and wholesome Hollywood parent is the result of Hanks’ more recent roles. For example, his role in 2011 in Larry Crown as a middle-aged man returning to college, his 2013 father role as Walt Disney in Save Mr. Bankshis role in 2016 as 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
Although Tom Hanks is known as a nice guy inside and outside of the movies, he’s also famous and loved because he has the ability to take on virtually any character, including dark ones. This is particularly clear in his road to perdition character and his recent role as Colonel Tom Parker in the 2022 film Elvis. Parker was Elvis’ manager and controlled Elvis’ personal life and career.
Hanks was a bit conflicted about playing Parker. Although the role has previously been criticized for being “the least appealing character of Hanks’ career,” Hanks tells the New York Post that he took on the character because Parker “was a mercurial, brilliant man who made sure at the same time he doubled his pockets.So far, responses to the role have been mixed, but it suggests that Hanks could start taking on roles that challenge his reputation as an American dad and most normal guy.
From 2022, Hanks will play the role of a hostile old man in A man called Otto as well as the film adaptation of Richard McGuire’s novel here in 2023. There’s no doubt that Hanks brings genuine effort and understanding of his character to all of his roles and maybe that’s why he’s so beloved. What is exemplified by his early career is that art and acting have always been a priority for him which is what makes him such a great actor. Hanks’ Last Movie, Robert Zemeckis Pinnochioarrived on Disney+ in September 2022.