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Tom Hanks Recalls Assisting Cher When He Worked as a Hotel Bellhop Before He Was Famous

Tom Hanks Recalls Working for Cher When He Was a Hotel Bellhop
Karwai Tang/WireImage; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Tom Hanks has a lot of love for Cher — and it all started when he worked for her as a bellhop.

“I have worked for Cher. I was a bellman at the Oakland Hilton Hotel,” Hanks, 67, said while appearing on the Friday, December 1, episode of The Graham Norton Show alongside Cher, Julia Roberts and Timothée Chalamet.

Hanks’ revelation came as a surprise to Roberts, 56, and Cher, 77, herself as she yelled “No!” in disbelief.

“We got news you were with one of your rock and roll husbands and we had your bag. And then word came down, ‘Hey, run this up to Cher’s room,’ so I did,” Hanks continued. “I knocked on the door and I put it down and you came out and said, ‘Yeah, that’s it. Thanks, kid.’ And that was it.”

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Cher did not have any recollection of the memory, but Hanks noted that he believed that their initial meeting took place in either 1975 or 1976. Cher was married to late rockstar Gregg Allman at the time. (The pair were married from 1975 to 1978.)

Later in the episode, Hanks continued to fangirl over Cher and her extensive resume. While reflecting on her impressive career, Cher joked that she wasn’t “a big Cher fan” like Hanks, adding that she doesn’t like to watch her movies or listen to her music.

“You’re missing out,” Hanks quipped. “Motion picture perfection — Mamma Mia! 2 … When she busts out ‘Fernando,’ the world stops. Suns clash with the stars. It’s perfection!”

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Chalamet, 26, and Roberts subsequently chimed in with their favorite Cher movies — Moonstruck and Silkwood, respectively.

“I think we should all go to the theater and watch Cher’s movies right now,” Hanks added, which Roberts lovingly dubbed as a “Cher-a-thon.”

Following the show, Roberts, Hanks, and Cher posed for backstage selfies. In a video by Roberts’ stylist Elizabeth Stewart via Instagram, Cher sneaks up and photobombs Roberts. Cher then hugs Roberts as they smile for the camera. Hanks later joins the women as they take pictures.

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“IT’S CHER!!!!! And @tomhanks and @tchalamet and @cher and @juliaroberts and @cher!,” Stewart captioned the video.

While Chalamet didn’t stop for photos with the trio, he did gush about getting to spend time with the Hollywood legends during his interview.

“My God, this whole talk show has been, like, a trip,” the Wonka star confessed. “I don’t know what’s going on. Tom’s talking about gravity, I’m out here with Cher and Julia Roberts.”

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