Achieving a long-lasting career in showbiz without many controversies is akin to a miracle, but some people have managed such a feat. One name that readily comes to mind is Tom Hanks. A multiple Oscar winner, the actor has enjoyed a distinguished acting career that has spanned five decades. During this period, he has featured in several classic movies and has also extended his hands to filmmaking to become one of the most decorated motion picture actors of our time.
Such exploits would normally come at the expense of a full personal life but that is not the case with Hanks. The Hollywood icon is one half of an exemplary union that has lasted for more than 30 years, with the other being Rita Wilson. Similarly accomplished, Wilson is an all-around entertainer whose works have spanned movies, music, and journalism. She is also a heralded producer and is behind some of our all-time favorites. With such an enviable repertoire, one would expect Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson to be enormously wealthy and this is very much true. There is, however, a noticeable difference between their individual fortunes.
Tom Hanks is Three Times Richer Than His Wife
Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have a combined net worth of approximately half a billion dollars. The person that accounts for the lion’s share of this amount is none other than the actor who has a personal net worth of $400 million. While most movie stars look to endorsement deals, different enterprises, and investments among other things to boost their bottom line, Hank’s source of income is firmly rooted in his acting career which has been quite fulfilling.
Since getting his breakthrough in the 80s, Hanks has risen to become one of the most recognizable movie stars of all time. He is also one of the highest-grossing movie stars in the world and such a status does not come empty-handed. As far back as the 90s, Hanks was commanding salaries that most movie stars won’t see today. He received $70 million for the critically-acclaimed 1998 film, Forrest Gump. He then pocketed $40 million for the 1994 war film, Saving Private Ryan. Other notable salaries that Hanks has received includes You’ve Got Mail (1998) – $20 Million, The Green Mile (1999) – $20 Million, Cast Away (2000) – $20 Million, The Da Vinci Code (2006) – $18 Million, Angels & Demons (2009) – $50 Million, Toy Story 3 (2010) – $15 Million, Captain Phillips (2013) – $15 Million, and Toy Story 4 (2018) – $15 Million.
Away from the screens, Hanks has also proved his mettle as a filmmaker with his credits including productions such as Larry Crowne, Band of Brothers, From the Earth to the Moon, A League of Their Own, and Tales from the Crypt.
Tom Hanks is not the only one in the family who has proven himself both in front of and behind the cameras. Wife Rita Wilson also has a similar career trajectory and this has helped her achieve a net worth of $100 million. The Greek-American lady made her first foray into showbiz by appearing on the TV sitcom, The Brady Bunch, in 1972. From there, she went on to appear in several other TV series such as Frasier, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Body of Proof, The Good Wife, and Girls.
Wilson has also featured in a handful of movies over the years, including Sleepless in Seattle, Now and Then, That Thing You Do!, Jingle All the Way, Runaway Bride, Invisible Child, The Story of Us, Raise Your Voice, It’s Complicated, and Larry Crowne. She has also tried her hands at movie production with much success. She is the executive producer of acclaimed movies such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, Mamma Mia!, and Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again.
Asides from acting, Rita Wilson is also a budding singer and has a total of four albums to her name. She has performed her songs on popular TV shows and also serenaded then-president Barack Obama at the White House.
The Forrest Gump Star is Only Two Months Older Than His Wife
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were born in the same year, 1956, but share different birthdays. While Wilson was born on the 26th day of October, Hanks was born on the 9th day of July, making him about two months older than his wife. The two movie stars share the same birthplace, California, but come from different backgrounds.
Wilson is the daughter of Greek parents and was brought up in the Greek Orthodox faith. Hanks meanwhile has English and Portuguese ancestry and was brought up as an evangelical. As a result of this, he grew up to be geeky, painfully shy, and a bible-toting evangelical. He, however, cherished films and went on to study theatre in college for some time. He later gained an internship at a theatre festival and spent about three years understudying every aspect of the business. From there, Hanks began featuring in theatrical productions and before long, headed out to Hollywood.
While Hanks was busy coping with his geeky and shy teen persona, Wilson was more outgoing and by the age of 14, commenced a modeling career after being discovered by a photographer. From thereon, it was only a matter of time before she made her way to Hollywood as well.
The Couple Began Dating in 1986 after Meeting on Set
Hollywood is replete with stories of movie stars who fall in love on set. Only a few of these romances last though and one of them is that between Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. Hanks first saw Wilson when she guest-starred as a cheerleader on the sitcom, The Brady Bunch, in 1972. He remembered thinking that she was cute but nothing more happened. Fast forward to the 80s, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson worked together on two projects; Bosom Buddies in 1982 and the 1985 movie, Volunteers.
In the course of the latter, the duo discovered that they had an undeniable attraction towards each other. They, however, didn’t start up anything until Hanks filed for divorce from his then-wife, Samantha Lewes. The two subsequently commenced a romance in 1986 and tied the knot in 1988. They remain together to date and have helped each other with the highs and lows of life in the public. Wilson has been by her husband’s side for his big movie premieres and numerous award honors.
The actor has also similarly supported his wife’s projects and they even worked together to make the 2002 blockbuster comedy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a reality. Hanks was also by his wife’s side following a devastating breast cancer diagnosis in 2015. Luckily for them, it was caught early and she was able to fully recover after a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. Wilson would later reveal that her hubby was caring and supportive through it all. Such an enduring union naturally has members of the public curious as to the secret behind its success.
The couple maintains that there is no secret and that they only really just like each other; a bond that has since grown. Hanks has also revealed that it was helpful that they married at a mature age. He and Wilson were 32 at the time of their marriage and he believes that this maturity helped a lot. The actor is adamant that no one should marry before 30. According to him, his first marriage crashed because he got married at an early age.
A Glance at the Two Hollywood IconsÂ
| Tom Hanks | Rita Wilson | |
| Age | 40 | 67 |
| Height | 6 feet (1.83m) | 5 ft 7 in (1.72 m) |
| Net Worth | $400 million | $100 million |
| No. of Movie Appearances | 70 | 37 |
| Total Movie Gross | $9 billion | $763,156,247 |
| Music Albums | None | Four |
| Oscars | Two | None |
