Interesting and Little Known Fact about Tom Hanks

Interesting and Little Known Fact about Tom Hanks

There are so many iconic roles that come to mind when we think about Tom Hanks. Forrest Gump, Woody from Toy Story, Captain Miller from  Saving Private Ryan, etc. An actor known for both comedic and touching performances, Tom Hanks is truly one of the most beloved artists of our generation. However, there are so many interesting details surrounding his personal life that casual fans don’t know about. So, for those who love Tom Hank and would like to know him just a bit better here are some fun facts that you probably haven’t heard. 

Happy Days appearance was actually his lucky break

Even though Tom Hanks only had a minor role or brief appearance on the show Happy Days, he manages to make the best of it. His performance was so memorable that he was cast for a lead role in the movie Splash. Another fun fact about the movie Splash is that Chevy Chase was considered a lead for this project, but as fate would have it, producers went with Tom Hanks, which led to him dominating the 90s’.  

Humble beginnings 

Tom Hanks is a huge Oakland Raiders fan, which is not that mind-blowing as it’s his hometown, however, did you know that he used to work at Oakland Coliseum. In fact, one of his first jobs was selling peanuts as a vendor during those games.

Pete Sheffield / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

There is an asteroid named after him 

Did you know there is an asteroid that was discovered in 1996 and named 12818 Tomhanks? NASA named this asteroid after our beloved actor because of his work in 1995 on Apollo 13. It is a really nice gesture, and it is kind of awesome to have an asteroid named after you.

AFI’s Highest Honor

Back in 2002, Tom Hanks received American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award thanks to the amazing list of roles he portrayed up to that point. However, did you know that he was the youngest actor to ever receive such a reward? That fact is what makes this story way more impressive, so until someone receives the same award before they are 46, Tom Hanks will remain the record holder. 

Amazing transformations

Tom Hanks gained 30 pounds in order to play the role of Jimmy Dugan in “A League of Their Own” movie. Very next year he had to lose those extra pounds to star in film Philadelphia, as he was portraying a man who is dying of AIDS. But the most impressive weight loss was definitely for the movie Castaway, where he lost  55 lbs in just four months.

Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

A very interesting hobby

Do you know of someone who collects old typewriters? Well, now you do. Tom Hanks has a collection of over 80 typewriting machines. You know those old-school ones that people used before computers. 

Not just an actor

In addition to acting, Tom has also produced lots of films and miniseries, but one of the most notable titles is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Why is this an interesting fact? Well because he converted to Greek Orthodox before he married Rita Wilson.