Coronavirus survivor Tom Hanks talks best and worst roles, kindness, love and why he calls Steven Spielberg ‘boss’

Jul 9 , 2020

Coronavirus survivor Tom Hanks looks back at a long career in Hollywood – with star roles in Greyhound and Elvis still to come. Photo: Shutterstock

Ahead of starring in Greyhound and Elvis, everyone’s favourite actor talks candidly about his most brutal roles – executioner in The Green Mile, Nazi killer in Saving Private Ryan, slaying Paul Newman in The Road to Perdition – and finding kindness in A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

After surviving a “crippling” battle with coronavirus, Tom Hanks turns 64 on July 9. With new movies Greyhound and Elvis coming up – Aaron Schneider’s world war two film and a Baz Luhrmann biopic of The King of Rock n’ Roll – the multi-Oscar-winning actor looks back at some of the most defining characters he has played in a prolific career.

On positive transformations when playing heroic figures

“I like being able to focus on people whose actions help make us less cynical about life … I’m interested in the stories of guys who do something extraordinary when faced with a difficult situation or circumstances. I’m fascinated with those life-changing moments and I enjoy putting myself in their shoes.

“Even though I’ve played some not-so-nice people, I would rather play characters who face challenges and say something more positive about the human condition. I find it interesting to learn how people find something within themselves and rise to the occasion.”

The worst character he ever played – Michael Sullivan in The Road to Perdition

“It was a night shoot. We were in the backlot of Warner Bros, where they don’t actually make a lot of movies any more. They had rain and wind machines set up because we were going to be shooting a scene in a torrential downpour. All the actors were dressed in black and carrying umbrellas and I entered the shot from the end of the street with a submachine gun and I butchered 12 guys and shot Paul Newman dead. And I thought, ‘God, I hope I get to play Mr Rogers some day’. I’d like to think that between the executioner in The Green Mile and the Nazi killer in Saving Private Ryan, it was all leading up to playing the man who created the neighbourhood of make believe. [Laughs]”

‘Kindness’ as a buzzword

“He [Fred Rogers from his recent film A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood] had the three secrets to happiness: Be kind, be kind and be kind. I think ‘kindness’ becomes a buzzword. It ends up being diminished by the fact of what it means. But honestly, if you give everybody a fair shake, if you understand that the person that is serving you or filling up your gas, might have had just as bad a day as you had, that’s just kindness.”

Actor Tom Hanks on the promotional bandwagon. Photo: Shutterstock

His evolving relationship with Steven Spielberg

“When I’m acting in a film he’s directing, ours is a boss-employee relationship. In the end, it’s my job to give him what he wants. Sometimes, of course, I think differently, but Steven is a director who asks you to collaborate and propose ideas.