The co-star Tom Hanks called “the greatest actor to perform on celluloid”
The world of Hollywood is a rugged mountain to get a footing on, let alone reach the summit. But Tom Hanks is an actor who has not only climbed the behemoth but planted his flag at the top and started his own new peak in its place. With a career that spans decades, he has delivered countless awards and sold millions of cinema tickets. Hanks’ journey is one that few ever get to witness.
Perhaps the most distinguished aspect of Hanks’ career is his ability to portray the “everyman” of America in almost every role. Whether it be as a toy cowboy or the manager of Elvis, Hanks finds a unique nugget of humanity in all of them. This makes him not only one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood but one of the most relatable for audiences.
There are countless high points in Hanks’ career. His portrayal of Captain John H. Miller in Saving Private Ryan remains a benchmark in war cinema, showcasing his ability to convey vulnerability amidst chaos. Similar attention to detail is given to his touching vision of Forrest Gump in the blockbuster movie that shares its name or his devotion to Wilson in Cast Away. Perhaps the finest point of Hanks’ career is his long-running friendship and working relationship with Steven Spielberg.
Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can and The Post are just some of the movies while they have also shared credits on TV hits Band of Brothers and Masters of the Air to name a few. However, though the duo have been formidable in their collaborations, one co-star shone above the rest for Hanks.
While working with Spielberg on The Post, Hanks was able to work eye to eye with another of America’s finest performers: Meryl Streep. The actor is regarded as one of the finest in her generation and has the Oscars to prove it. She is routinely thought of as one of the best to ever tread the boards or go under the lights, and Hanks was equally enamoured with partnering up with the thespian, though it may have been relatively short-lived.
“I think I had only five scenes with Meryl, and only four made it to the screen,” Hanks confessed to Open. However, those few scenes were enough to confirm Streep’s captivating talent: “But those were the most exciting, magical days that I have ever had in my long career. You get to do a lot of cool stuff in movies. But in this movie, I got on set and was one of two people in a room saying very adult things to each other for four, five pages. And to be able to do that with an artist who I think is the greatest actor who has ever been asked to perform on celluloid — Streep!”
Of course, coming face to face with such a legend was enough to rattle Hanks, who admittedly felt a little uncomfortable about the situation: “I can’t say that it was a dream come true because I was terrified at the prospect of doing it, but when it was done, I felt as though I had been elevated by somebody who is incredibly gracious and sharing in their process. She was like a member of the ensemble, meaning that she was just like every other actor who has ever been in a movie, but we all know that she is unlike anybody who has been in a movie.”
Another rarely dwarfs a career that spans four decades and is littered with accolades, but when Hanks was up close and personal with Meryl Streep, he was certainly left in her shadow.
