Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is an actor and filmmaker known for starring in numerous iconic films, including Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Saving Private Ryan, Cast Away and Big. Hank’s parents divorced when he was a child and he moved frequently between California and Nevada while growing up. He attended Chabot College in Hayward, California, before transferring to California State University, Sacramento, where he studied theater but did not graduate.

Hanks began his acting career onstage before moving to New York City. After making his film debut in 1980’s He Knows You’re Alone, he landed a role on the television sitcom Bosom Buddies. He gained recognition with the 1984 comedy Splash and went on to star in Big (1988), earning his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His performances in Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994) earned him back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Actor in 1994 and 1995. He also became known for voicing Woody in Pixar’s Toy Story (1995) and its sequels.

Throughout his career, Hanks has received two Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and seven Primetime Emmy Awards. He has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

Hanks married actress Samantha Lewes in 1978 and they had two children, Colin (born in 1977) and Elizabeth (born in 1982), before divorcing in 1987. He married actress and singer Rita Wilson in 1988. They have two sons, Chet (born in 1990) and Truman (born in 1995). Hanks and Wilson have appeared together in several films and have also worked as producers.