It’s rare that an actor is as universally loved as Tom Hanks. From a desert island castaway to a young boy aged to adulthood overnight, his scene-stealing roles have led to him winning the hearts of generations. They’ve also seen him pick up countless awards along the way – a Golden Globe and an Oscar for his role in 1993’s Philadelphia, as well as a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a People’s Choice Award for his performance in 1994’s Forrest Gump - who could forget that infamous running scene?
A two-time Oscar winner, practically everything Hanks touches touches to gold (quite literally: worldwide, his films have grossed over $9.96 billion).
His performances are always top-notch, so if you see Hanks is in the cast-list, it's a pretty safe bet that it's going to be a good film.
Here, we take a look some the actor's best roles of all time…
The Post
Alongside fellow acting great Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks stars in this political drama about The Washington Post's real investigation into the government's secrets about the Vietnam War.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, this is a brilliant film in which Tom Hanks is at his best.
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You've Got Mail
Reuniting with Nora Ephron and Meg Ryan, in You've Got Mail Tom Hanks's character falls in love with a bookshop owner online.
The catch? They don't realise that they know each other IRL, and in fact are business rivals who despise one another...
Forrest Gump
From that famous quote: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get” to Hanks’ unforgettable accent to that running scene, it’s the film that became a cultural phenomenon – and an Oscar-winning triumph. Depicting several decades in the life of a naïve but good-hearted man from Alabama during some of the defining events of the latter half of the 20th century in the US, it’s now one of the most quotable movies of all time - and Hanks is simply brilliant in it.
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Catch Me If You Can
Tom Hanks stars as FBI agent Carl Hanratty who is pursuing the notorious con artist Frank Abagnale (Leonardo DiCaprio) in this excellent crime drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Often referred to as one of the best films ever made, this one is rated 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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The Green Mile
A Louisiana Death Row guard might not sound like your typical nice guy role, but then this isn’t your average movie. It’s 1935 and Paul Edgecomb is the head guard on the Green Mile – and he’s a decent, human one (who's fantastically played by Hanks, of course). When a new inmate accused of murdering two little girls is brought into his custody, it soon becomes clear that all is not what it seems and Edgecomb embarks on life-affirming journey. It's a Hanks film that’s well worth every tear you’ll shed.
Big
This age-changing classic gave birth to yet another of the most memorable scenes in film history – the one that made every kid, teenager, adult who watched it want a giant piano, immediately. Playing the adult embodiment of a 12-year-old boy whose wish to be ‘big’ came true, it’s brilliantly funny and over 30 years on, is still the film that many of us love Hanks for best.
Cast Away
Who could forget Hanks’ awe-inspiring performance as the FedEx employee, Chuck Noland, who finds himself stranded on a desolate island? He’s the only actor on the screen for the majority of it – bar his character’s personified friend, Wilson the volleyball - but does it get boring? Not one bit. By the end of the film, Hanks looks like a different person and it’s no wonder - to make his physical transformation more authentic, the film took a year off production, during which time he lost weight and let his hair and beard grow out. Now that’s dedication for you!
Captain Phillips
“Truly petrifying” are the words Hanks has used to describe the experience of filming this movie. Based on the true story 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking, during which merchant mariner Captain Richard Phillips was taken hostage by ruthless pirates, it’s equally terrifying to watch. But despite Hanks’ own admission of fear, his performance is superb.
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Sleepless in Seattle
A romantic comedy written by Nora Ephron, this movie is heartfelt, tender and funny. Hanks plays the recently-widowed Sam, whose eight-year-old son phones in to a radio show in an attempt to set his dad up.
Enter Annie (Meg Ryan), and you have a true romcom classic.
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Saving Private Ryan
When director Steven Spielberg cast Hanks as the lead in what is arguably one of the greatest war films ever made, he began his transition into the ultimate war hero. The film follows a group of solders, led by Captain Miller (Hanks) against the backdrop of D-Day during World War II, and is an incredibly powerful portrayal of combat. It gained international recognition, not just because of the realistic filmmaking by Spielberg, but also because of the sheer greatness of its leading man.
Toy Story
He might not strictly appear in this one, but it would be a crime not to mention one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. It’s almost 25 years since Tom first lent his signature voice to trusty cowboy Woody and earlier this year, he was forced to wave goodbye as the fourth and final film hit screens. Recalling leaving the recording booth for the last time, he said, “My lip started quivering. You ever do this, when you're so uncomfortable all you can say is, ‘Well, oh, my my. Oh my my my my my. Oh, well.’ And the only thing to do was to go and get in my car and drive away.” It’s safe to say we were as sad to say goodbye as he was.
Philadelphia
This box office hit won Hanks his first Oscar for this role as Andrew Beckett, a gay lawyer whose firm fires him when they discover he has AIDS. It was one of the first high-profile Hollywood films to tackle the AIDS crisis head-on and Hanks threw himself into the role, losing almost 40 pounds to embody Beckett and giving a wonderfully sensitive performance throughout.
Apollo 13
Hanks expertly delivers another phrase that’s gone down in history - “Houston, we have a problem” - in the big screen retelling of the ill-fated 1970 Apollo 13 mission. The incredible story of courage and faith sees Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon step into the shoes of the three Apollo 13 astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert who found themselves in an unexpected life and death struggle. The result is pure genius.
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