History of Tom Hanks in Timeline
Tom Hanks is a highly acclaimed American actor and filmmaker, celebrated for his versatility in both comedic and dramatic roles. A globally recognized film star and American cultural icon, Hanks ranks as the fourth-highest-grossing American film actor. His extensive accolades include two Academy Awards, seven Emmy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, alongside nominations for five BAFTA Awards and a Tony Award. He has received prestigious honors such as the AFI Life Achievement Award (2002), the Kennedy Center Honor (2014), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016), and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award (2020).
1940: The Shop Around the Corner
In 1998, Tom Hanks starred in You've Got Mail, a remake of Ernst Lubitsch's The Shop Around the Corner released in 1940.
1952: Birth of Samantha Lewes
In 1952, Samantha Lewes, who later married Tom Hanks, was born.
1977: Birth of Colin Hanks
In 1977, Colin Hanks, son of Tom Hanks and Samantha Lewes, was born.
1978: Marriage to Samantha Lewes
In 1978, Tom Hanks married American actress Samantha Lewes.
1980: Appearing in Bosom Buddies
In 1980, Tom Hanks appeared in the TV comedy Bosom Buddies.
1981: Meeting Rita Wilson
In 1981, Tom Hanks met actress Rita Wilson on the set of the TV comedy Bosom Buddies.
1982: Birth of Elizabeth Hanks
In 1982, Elizabeth Hanks, daughter of Tom Hanks and Samantha Lewes, was born.
1984: Fan of Aston Villa
Since 1984, Tom Hanks has been a fan of the English Premier League club Aston Villa.
1985: Reunion with Rita Wilson
In 1985, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson reunited on the set of Volunteers.
1987: Divorce from Samantha Lewes
In 1987, Tom Hanks and Samantha Lewes divorced.
1988: Marriage to Rita Wilson
In 1988, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson married.
1993: Academy Award Nomination and Win
In 1993, Tom Hanks received an Academy Award nomination and won Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia.
1994: Second Consecutive Academy Award Win
In 1994, Tom Hanks won his second consecutive Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump.
1995: Birth of Truman Hanks
In 1995, Truman Hanks, the younger son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, was born.
1998: Primetime Emmy Award Nomination and Win for From the Earth to the Moon
In 1998, Tom Hanks received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and won for his work as a producer on the limited series From the Earth to the Moon.
1998: Saving Private Ryan and You've Got Mail
In 1998, Tom Hanks starred in Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg, a film about searching for a soldier in war-torn France after D-Day. Also in 1998, he re-teamed with Ephron and Ryan for You've Got Mail.
1999: The Green Mile and Toy Story 2
In 1999, Tom Hanks starred in The Green Mile, based on the novel by Stephen King. Also in 1999, he reprised his role as Woody in Toy Story 2.
2000: Cast Away
In 2000, Tom Hanks reunited with Robert Zemeckis for Cast Away, playing a FedEx systems analyst.
2000: Included on Forbes' List
In 2000, Tom Hanks was included on Forbes' list of the top ten most powerful celebrities in the world.
2001: Band of Brothers and September 11 special
In 2001, Tom Hanks co-directed and produced the Emmy Award-winning HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. He also appeared in the September 11 television special America: A Tribute to Heroes and the documentary Rescued From the Closet.
June 12, 2002: American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award
On June 12, 2002, Tom Hanks, at the age of 45, became the youngest-ever recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award.
2002: Primetime Emmy Award Nomination and Win for Band of Brothers
In 2002, Tom Hanks received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and won for his work as a producer on the limited series Band of Brothers.
2002: Included on Forbes' List
In 2002, Tom Hanks was included on Forbes' list of the top ten most powerful celebrities in the world.
2002: Death of Samantha Lewes
In 2002, Tom Hanks's ex-wife, Samantha Lewes, died at the age of 49 from bone cancer.
2003: Ranked in Top Lists
In 2003, Tom Hanks was voted Number 3 in Channel 4's countdown of the 100 Greatest Movie Stars of All Time and included on Forbes' list of the top ten most powerful celebrities in the world.
2004: Three Film Appearances
In 2004, Tom Hanks appeared in three films: The Coen brothers' The Ladykillers, Spielberg's The Terminal, and Zemeckis' The Polar Express.
2004: Donation of Espresso Machine
In 2004, Tom Hanks donated an espresso machine to the White House press corps after learning they did not have one.
August 2005: Vice President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
In August 2005, Tom Hanks was voted in as vice president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
June 2006: Induction into U.S. Army Rangers Hall of Fame
In June 2006, Tom Hanks was inducted as an honorary member of the United States Army Rangers Hall of Fame for his accurate portrayal of a captain in Saving Private Ryan, becoming the first actor to receive this honor.
2006: The Da Vinci Code, Most Trusted Celebrity, The Ant Bully, and Starter for Ten
In 2006, Tom Hanks starred in The Da Vinci Code. In 2006, Hanks topped a list of "most trusted celebrities" by Forbes magazine. He also produced the animated children's movie The Ant Bully and Starter for Ten, a comedy about students on University Challenge.
2006: Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award
In 2006, the Space Foundation awarded Tom Hanks the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award for contributions to public awareness of space programs.
April 11, 2007: Angels & Demons Announcement
On April 11, 2007, it was announced that Tom Hanks would reprise his role as Robert Langdon in Angels & Demons and would receive the highest salary ever for an actor.
August 2007: Legal action against Gold Circle Films
In August 2007, Tom Hanks, along with co-producers Rita Wilson and Gary Goetzman and writer and star Nia Vardalos, initiated a legal action against the production company Gold Circle Films for their share of profits from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
2007: Voice Work, The Simpsons Movie, and Charlie Wilson's War
In 2007, Tom Hanks did voice work for Ken Burns's documentary The War. He also voiced himself in The Simpsons Movie and starred in Charlie Wilson's War.
March 10, 2008: Induction of The Dave Clark Five into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
On March 10, 2008, Tom Hanks was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to induct The Dave Clark Five.
2008: Endorsement of Barack Obama
During the 2008 United States presidential election, Tom Hanks uploaded a video to his MySpace account endorsing Barack Obama.
2008: The Great Buck Howard, Mamma Mia!, and John Adams
In 2008, Tom Hanks played the on-screen father in The Great Buck Howard and executive produced the musical comedy Mamma Mia! and the miniseries John Adams.
2008: Primetime Emmy Award Nomination and Win for John Adams
In 2008, Tom Hanks received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and won for his work as a producer on the limited series John Adams.
2008: Opposition to Proposition 8
In 2008, Tom Hanks was outspoken about his opposition to Proposition 8, an amendment to the California constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
January 2009: Apology for Remarks on Proposition 8
In January 2009, Tom Hanks apologized for calling supporters of Proposition 8 "un-American" after criticizing LDS Church members.
2009: Angels & Demons and Where The Wild Things Are
In 2009, Tom Hanks starred in Angels & Demons and produced Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are, based on the children's book by Maurice Sendak.
2010: Donation of Espresso Machine
In 2010, Tom Hanks donated new espresso machines to the White House press corps.
2010: Primetime Emmy Award Nomination and Win for The Pacific
In 2010, Tom Hanks received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and win for his work as a producer on The Pacific.
2010: Toy Story 3 and The Pacific
In 2010, Tom Hanks reprised his role of Woody in Toy Story 3 and executive produced the miniseries The Pacific.
2011: Chet Hanks releases rap song
In 2011, Chet Hanks, Tom Hanks's older son, released a rap song.
2011: Larry Crowne and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
In 2011, Tom Hanks directed and starred opposite Julia Roberts in Larry Crowne. He also starred in the drama Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
2011: Narration of Killing Lincoln
In 2011, Tom Hanks narrated the television program Killing Lincoln.
2011: In the Garden of Beasts Adaptation
In 2011, it was announced Tom Hanks is attached to star in an adaptation of the non-fiction book In the Garden of Beasts, about American diplomat William Dodd's time in Nazi Germany.
2012: Narration of Obama Documentary
In 2012, Tom Hanks narrated The Road We've Traveled, a documentary created by Obama for America.
2012: Primetime Emmy Award Nomination and Win for Game Change
In 2012, Tom Hanks received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and win for his work as a producer on Game Change.
2012: Electric City, Cloud Atlas and Game Change
In 2012, Tom Hanks voiced the character Cleveland Carr for his web series Electric City. He played multiple parts in Cloud Atlas, based on the novel by David Mitchell, and was executive producer of the miniseries Game Change.
2012: A Hologram for the King
In April 2016, Tom Hanks starred as Alan Clay in the comedy-drama A Hologram for the King, an adaptation of the 2012 novel of the same name.
October 2013: Hanks Reveals Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis
In October 2013, Tom Hanks disclosed on Late Show with David Letterman that he has type 2 diabetes.
2013: Tony Award Nomination
In 2013, Tom Hanks received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in Nora Ephron's play Lucky Guy.
2013: Captain Phillips, Saving Mr. Banks, and Broadway Debut
In 2013, Tom Hanks starred in Captain Phillips and Saving Mr. Banks, and made his Broadway debut in Lucky Guy.
2013: Starring in Lucky Guy on Broadway
In 2013, while starring in Nora Ephron's Lucky Guy on Broadway, Tom Hanks attracted crowds of 300 fans after each performance, marking the highest number for any Broadway show.
August 2014: Release of Hanx Writer App
In August 2014, Tom Hanks released Hanx Writer, an iOS app emulating a typewriter, which quickly reached number one on the App Store.
2014: Alan Bean Plus Four
In 2014, Tom Hanks' short story "Alan Bean Plus Four" was published in The New Yorker. The story revolves around four friends who voyage to the moon and is titled after astronaut Alan Bean.
March 2015: I Really Like You music video
In March 2015, Tom Hanks appeared in Carly Rae Jepsen's music video for "I Really Like You", lip-syncing the lyrics.
2015: Primetime Emmy Award Nomination and Win for Olive Kitteridge
In 2015, Tom Hanks received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and win for his work as a producer on Olive Kitteridge.
April 2016: A Hologram for the King
In April 2016, Tom Hanks starred as Alan Clay in the comedy-drama A Hologram for the King, based on the 2012 novel of the same name.
May 8, 2016: Guest on Desert Island Discs
On May 8, 2016, Tom Hanks was the guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, choosing Richard Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra by the Vienna Philharmonic, A World Lit Only by Fire by William Manchester, and a Hermes 3000 typewriter and paper as his favorite items.
2016: Endorsement of Hillary Clinton
In 2016, Tom Hanks endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.
2016: Sully and Inferno
In 2016, Tom Hanks starred as Chesley Sullenberger in Sully and reprised his role as Robert Langdon in Inferno.
March 2017: Masters of the Air Production
In March 2017, it was reported that production was progressing on Masters of the Air, a miniseries executive produced by Tom Hanks, under the working title The Mighty Eighth.
April 2017: Boycott of the NFL
In April 2017, Tom Hanks stated he would boycott the NFL for two years after the Raiders filed for relocation to Las Vegas.
October 28, 2017: The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special
On October 28, 2017, Tom Hanks voiced David S. Pumpkins in The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special on NBC, a character he had portrayed in episodes of Saturday Night Live.
2017: Donation of Espresso Machine with Note
In 2017, Tom Hanks donated another espresso machine to the White House press corps, accompanied by a note supporting truth and justice.
2017: Publication of Uncommon Type
In 2017, Tom Hanks's collection of short stories, Uncommon Type, inspired by his typewriter collection, was published.
July 2018: Devastating Wildfire in Mati
In July 2018, a devastating wildfire ripped through the seaside village of Mati, near Athens, killing more than 100 people, prompting Tom Hanks and his family to appeal for aid.
2018: Interview on Diabetes Condition
In a 2018 interview, Tom Hanks further discussed his type 2 diabetes, attributing it to genetics and lifestyle choices.
October 11, 2019: Masters of the Air Title Announcement
On October 11, 2019, it was announced that the World War II miniseries produced by Tom Hanks would keep the original title Masters of the Air and stream on Apple TV+.
November 2019: Discovery of Relation to Fred Rogers
In November 2019, shortly before the release of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Tom Hanks learned through Ancestry.com that he and Fred Rogers were sixth cousins.
December 27, 2019: Honorary Greek Citizenship
On December 27, 2019, Tom Hanks and his family were granted honorary Greek citizenship by the President of Greece for their exceptional services to Greece.
2019: Toy Story 4 and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
In 2019, Tom Hanks reprised his role as Sheriff Woody in Toy Story 4 and portrayed Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
April 11, 2020: Hosting Saturday Night Live After COVID-19 Diagnosis
On April 11, 2020, Tom Hanks hosted Saturday Night Live, marking his first television appearance since his COVID-19 diagnosis. This was the first episode of SNL after a hiatus due to the pandemic and featured remote sketches from the cast members' homes.
June 2020: Greyhound's Initial Theatrical Release
In June 2020, Greyhound, a war film starring and written by Tom Hanks, was initially set to be theatrically released by Sony Pictures.
July 2020: Photographed with Greek Passports
In July 2020, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were photographed with their Greek passports alongside the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and his wife.
July 2020: Greyhound Released on Apple TV+
In July 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, distribution rights for Greyhound, starring and written by Tom Hanks, were bought by Apple TV+ and released on the platform.
December 2020: Pinocchio Involvement Confirmed
In December 2020, Tom Hanks' involvement in Walt Disney Studios' live-action adaptation of Pinocchio was officially confirmed.
2020: Endorsement of Joe Biden
In 2020, Tom Hanks endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in the presidential election.
2021: Finch Released
In 2021, Tom Hanks starred in the science fiction drama Finch, directed by Miguel Sapochnik, and released by Apple TV+.
March 2, 2022: Dead Eyes Podcast Interview
On March 2, 2022, Connor Ratliff revealed that Tom Hanks would be interviewed for the season three finale of Ratliff's podcast Dead Eyes, 22 years after Ratliff was fired from Band of Brothers.
March 24, 2022: Officiated a Wedding
On March 24, 2022, it was reported by CBS News that Tom Hanks, an ordained minister, had recently officiated a wedding in Pittsburgh.
June 2022: Elvis Release
In June 2022, Tom Hanks starred as Tom Parker, the manager of Elvis Presley, in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.
September 8, 2022: Pinocchio Release on Disney+
On September 8, 2022, Tom Hanks starred as Geppetto in Walt Disney Studios' live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, released on Disney+.
2022: Truman Hanks portrays younger version of his father
In 2022, Truman Hanks portrayed the younger version of his father's character in A Man Called Otto.
May 2023: Publication of The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece
In May 2023, Tom Hanks's debut novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, was published.
June 2023: Asteroid City Release
In June 2023, Tom Hanks appeared in Wes Anderson's Asteroid City, which premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and was released in June 2023.
2023: Founded Hanx for the Troops
In 2023, Tom Hanks founded Hanx for the Troops, a coffee company supporting veterans and military families.
January 26, 2024: Masters of the Air Premiere
On January 26, 2024, Masters of the Air, executive produced by Tom Hanks, premiered on Apple TV+.
April 2025: The Americas Documentary Series Narration
From February to April 2025, Tom Hanks narrated NBC documentary series The Americas.
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