Tom Hanks on why the process of making movies is “horror show”
There’s no doubt that Tom Hanks has enjoyed one of the most illustrious Hollywood careers in recent history. Spanning multiple decades and genres, his work has earned him numerous prestigious awards, including two consecutive Academy Awards for ‘Best Actor’. Hanks’ iconic characters remain some of the most beloved and memorable in cinematic history.
One of the hallmarks of Hanks’ acting style is his commitment to naturalism. He avoids overt theatricality or dramatic flourishes, instead opting for subtle, grounded performances that feel organic. Whether he’s playing an astronaut, a soldier, or a ship captain, Hanks brings an understated realism to his characters, allowing them to resonate emotionally with audiences. He often portrays characters in relatable, human terms, making even extraordinary situations feel intimate and believable.
Perhaps most famously, Hanks has starred as the loveable titular idiot of the 1994 comedy romance Forrest Gump and did the vocal work for cowboy Woody in Pixar’s animated Toy Story films. Yet it is not just light-hearted comedy that Hanks excels at; during the 1990s, his dramatic talent shone through with standout performances in Ron Howard’s Apollo 13, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, and Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile.
In 2018, Hanks again joined forces with Steven Spielberg and the equally impressive Meryl Streep to tell the story of the publication of the Pentagon Papers, which detailed the United States’ political and military involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1968. The result was the critically acclaimed political thriller The Post. In a conversation with Streep for Entertainment Weekly ahead of the film’s release, Hanks reflected on his long career and his connection to the movie business.
Somewhat surprisingly, for such an experienced actor, Hanks asserted that making a film is “all a horror”. Detailing further, the actor added: “It’s a horror show until you get done with the third day, and then you say, ‘Okay, I feel like we’re all making a movie.’”
Hanks then goes on to attribute this feeling of horror to the permanence of the cinematic image, stating that “Whatever we do on any given day is going to live for the rest of our lives”.
Indeed, this is the very nature of cinema, and it is, as Hanks aptly points out, both a blessing and a curse. Such permanence has consolidated Hanks’ place alongside many others in the happy memories of children and adults across the world, yet it is also the reason why certain films can be career-ruining for both actors and directors alike.
As an actor, how do you deal with the knowledge that one wrong move could derail your entire career? Well, according to Hanks, it’s better not to think about it – because “if you start worrying about that, my God, you’ll never get anything done. You won’t even come to work in the morning.”
Although Hanks shouldn’t be too worried – despite a number of box office bombs over the course of his career, it is not this he is remembered for. Instead, Hanks stands out for his back-to-back Oscar successes, magnificent filmography, and, more recently, his work as a producer.
