Colin Hanks Discusses Growing Up When Father Tom Hanks Was A Struggling Actor

Tom Hanks is easily one of the most recognized actors on the planet. While many know a lot about Tom's movies, very few know about his private life with his family.

Plenty of people would be shocked to discover that the movie star was married not once but twice, per Hello Magazine. Tom married Samantha Lewis in 1978, and during their marriage, they welcomed two children, Colin and Elizabeth. The couple divorced in 1987, and he later found love with fellow actor Rita Wilson. The two married and had an additional two children, Chester ("Chet") and Truman.

In the past, Colin has talked about what it has been like to grow up with a father like Tom, per Uproxx. Specifically, he shared what it was like following his father's footsteps to become an actor. He said, "I was sort of lovingly naive, thinking that [being the son of Tom Hanks] wasn't as big a deal as it is ... that I would get the benefit of the doubt that I was my own person ... and that doesn't happen." While navigating his career, Colin felt the mounting pressure of having such a successful dad. 

Colin has been able to make a name for himself after starring in several hit films, per IMDb. However, Colin's upbringing with Tom saw more difficulties than just being in his father's shadow. 

Colin Hanks was one of two children Tom Hanks had in his first marriage to Samantha Lewis, per Uproxx. When Colin's parents divorced, he spent most of his time with his mother in Sacramento, CA, while his father tried to find work in Los Angeles. Around that time, Tom had yet to become one of the world's greatest actors.

Despite not seeing Tom as often as his mother, Colin recognizes how amazing his father truly was. In January 2023, Marc Maron asked Colin on his podcast, "WTF with Marc Maron" if Tom was a good father. Colin responded, "Oh, yeah! Yes, he was. It's so funny because I just look at it very differently, obviously, than everybody else does." Colin even expressed how baffled he is that people call Tom "America's dad" because Tom is just an ordinary guy who didn't know what he was doing" when Colin was born. 

During a past father-son trip to Cleveland  — where Tom began studying theater, per CBS Sports — Colin realized how difficult it must have been to be young, with a kid, and no job. And it was true...Tom was struggling financially. Colin remembered the times he and his father would go to a bank in Times Square to collect Tom's unemployment checks. "The Offer" actor asked Tom what he thought about being back in the city. "I think he said, 'Oh, I wish I could just go back and say, 'Hey, it's going to be okay. It's going to be okay,'" Colin said. Despite not living the most luxurious life back then, Colin will always remember Tom as a fantastic father.