Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
In March 2020, Hanks confirmed that he and Wilson were infected with the novel coronavirus while down in Australia for pre-production on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic, in which the Oscar winner stars. “Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too,” the Toy Story star wrote via Instagram. “To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive.
Hanks’ concluded, “Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no? We’ll keep the world posted and updated.”
Wilson, who posted a similar statement to Hanks’ via her Instagram Stories, kept her distance from others when she hit the red carpet at the Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s An Unforgettable Evening fundraiser the month before. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the time, she said doing so was “a cautionary measure.”
The couple’s sons, Colin and Chet, both spoke out on the day of the confirmation. The Fargo actor wrote via Instagram that his parents “are receiving excellent care in Australia and are doing well (and in good spirits) given the circumstances,” and added that he’s been “in constant contact” with them and expects that they “will make a full recovery.” Chet, meanwhile, said in a video post: “I just got off the phone with them. They both are fine. They’re not even that sick, they’re not worried about it, they’re not tripping, but they’re going through the necessary health precautions obviously. But I don’t think it’s anything to be too worried about.”
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