Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is a versatile American actor who has starred in wide ranging productions, from television situation comedies to dramatic film roles. Hanks was born and raised in Concord, California. After graduating from California State University Sacramento, he tried and failed to get cast in college theater. He took up community theater as an alternative and eventually moved to New York City to pursue acting more seriously.

Hanks faced rejection upon rejection and eventually had to borrow $5,000 from a producer to finance his move back to Los Angeles. Finally, after years of struggle, Hanks landed a lead role in the sitcom Bosom Buddies. Hanks' popular character garnered him a nationwide following, and he soon made the leap to the big screen, staring in the movie Big, which was about a 12-year-old boy who grows up fast.

In 1998, Hanks got married to fellow actress Rita Wilson, whom he met on the set of the movie Volunteers. In 1993, Hanks starred as a young man with AIDS in Philadelphia. The following year, he played a simple wanderer by the name of Forrest Gump. These heartwarming and sophisticated performances earned him back-to-back Best Actor Oscars. He took on a grittier role in the Spielberg WWII drama Saving Private Ryan. In 2002, the American Film Institute awarded Hanks a Lifetime Achievement Award.

According to Hanks, he is directly related to Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy Hanks. He volunteers for environmental causes, works assiduously on behalf of the National Space Society, and supports Democratic candidates, including Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, and Dianne Feinstein.