Cover Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller in ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (Photo: Paramount Pictures)
Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller in ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (Photo: Paramount Pictures)
1 / 1
A global household name, Tom Hanks never fails to make us laugh and cry with his stellar performances
A Hollywood icon, Tom Hanks has built an illustrious career with a long list of films that display his versatility, emotional range, and humour. His masterful acting has won him seven Emmy Awards, four Golden Globes, and back-to-back Academy Awards—with plenty more nominations. Whether he’s making us laugh in Toy Story and Big or cry in The Green Mile and A Man Called Otto, his ability to connect with audiences on a deeper level is a testament to his cinematic brilliance.
More from Tatler: Tom Cruise’s most iconic films over the decades: Top Gun, Mission Impossible, and more
Forrest Gump
Above Forrest Gump Trailer
Hanks’s performance of Forrest Gump—a man with below-average IQ—is considered his most iconic. By changing his speech patterns and learning to speak in a Southern accent, Hanks portrayed Forrest’s innocent and gentle nature while conveying various emotions. While Forrest is seen as a simple-minded individual who wears his heart on his sleeve, he navigates life-changing moments and significant historical events with a smile on his face. His performance in Forrest Gump earned him a second Academy Award for Best Actor.
Saving Private Ryan
Above Saving Private Ryan Trailer
Playing Captain John Miller leading a small company of men during the D-Day invasion in the Second World War, Hanks perfectly shows us what war does to a man. Critically acclaimed for its realism and emotional depth, Saving Private Ryan gave us a peek into the brutality that took place in Normandy. We see John transform from a captain trying to keep his men alive to a disillusioned soldier wanting to go home.
The Green Mile
Above The Green Mile Trailer
A cinematic adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, The Green Mile, follows Paul Edgecomb, a prison guard who encounters John Coffey, a man on death row with the ability to take away diseases. Upon discovering John’s simple nature, Edgecomb begins to question if he really did the crime he was convicted of. In a story about justice, compassion, and humanity, Hanks’s performance presented us with a relatable encounter with an ethical dilemma.
Also see: 9 intriguing facts you need to know about Ji Chang-wook
Cast Away
Above Cast Away Trailer
Following a plane crash, FedEx systems analyst Chuck Noland is stranded on a deserted island with only a volleyball named Wilson for company. Hanks spends the entire film alone on screen and nails the character's physical and emotional transformation, perfectly expressing madness, loneliness, and desperation.
Catch Me If You Can
Above Catch Me If You Can Trailer
An exhilarating cat-and-mouse chase between Hanks’s Carl Hanratty—an FBI agent—and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Frank Abagnale, Jr—a teenage con artist—Catch Me If You Can balances humour and seriousness. Far from being a stereotypical, stuck-up lawman, Hanks injects humanity into his character, almost becoming Frank’s father figure despite their opposing alignments.
‘Toy Story series
Above Toy Story Trailer
Going into the world of animated film, Hanks’s voicing of Woody in the Toy Story series defined childhoods. Children immediately felt comfortable hearing his voice, bringing a certain warmth and friendliness to the cowboy doll, while adults heard someone familiar. A movie that tugs the hearts of every audience; everyone sees Woody’s sincerity when he finally returns to Andy’s room in the first movie and when he says his farewell at the end of Toy Story 3.
A Man Called Otto
Above A Man Called Otto Trailer
After his wife's death, Otto Anderson isolates himself as he deals with grief and loneliness. When he starts to interact with his new neighbours, he begins to open up and reconnect. Hanks’s performance amplifies his journey to find a meaningful connection after a painful experience as we watch him transform from a sarcastic and bitter old man to an empathetic character on his way to healing.
NOW READ
5 BP Valenzuela songs that we love: ‘Building’, ‘Steady’, and more
The woman behind ‘Barbie’: 5 things you might not know about Margot Robbie
About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
Work
A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
