Tom Hanks claims he's been a jerk on movie sets. He sounds like the nicest jerk ever


By AGENCY

Tom Hanks is currently promoting his novel 'The Making Of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece'. Photo:TNS

Noted Hollywood nice guy Tom Hanks just made a stunning admission about his movie-set demeanour: He hasn't always been nice.

In recent interviews to promote his debut novel, The Making Of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, the Cast Away and Toy Story actor claimed he has sometimes behaved like his book's main character, the nasty and inconsiderate star of a big-budget superhero movie.

"I have pulled every single one of those moments of behaviour myself on a set," Hanks told the BBC.

"Not everybody is at their best every single day on a motion picture set," he added. "I've had tough days trying to be a professional when my life has been falling apart in more ways than one and the requirement for me that day is to be funny, charming and loving – and it's the last way I feel."

Appearing Tuesday (May 9) on CBS Mornings, Hanks insisted to a sceptical Gayle King that he has occasionally been a jerk during production.

He even offered an example – though it's unclear how much of the anecdote was real and how much was exaggerated to make a point.

"I've been the guy who says, 'Why can't I wear sunglasses? I think the guy should wear sunglasses in this scene! ... Let me wear sunglasses!'" Hanks said on CBS.

"And the (director of photography) comes up and says, 'Well, we're just gonna lose your eyes.' Or the producer says, 'Tom, we'll have to take the glare out, and that's $250,000 in (post-production).'"

The Oscar winner also shared his thoughts on CBS Mornings about the ongoing Hollywood writers strike over compensation in the streaming era.

The Writers Guild of America is demanding better pay, higher residuals for streaming content, higher contributions to the union's health and pension plan and more protections for its members.

"The entire industry is at a crossroads, and everybody knows it," said Hanks, who has several screenwriting credits.

"The financial motor has to be completely redefined, and there is some degree of pie here that is going to have to be equitably distributed by the people who are responsible for the content. Not the folks who make the deals for the content – the folks who actually make it. And first up is the writers."

"We do not have scripts without writers," he continued. "We do not have films, stories without directors. And the actors are coming up as well. ... Like minds are going to have to come down and be equitable and come up with – believe it or not – some type of win-win situation."

Hanks' The Making Of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece" hit shelves on Tuesday. – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service

Subscribe now to our Premium Plan for an ad-free and unlimited reading experience!
   

Next In Entertainment

TVB actor Mat Yeung and Malaysian-born girlfriend Lisa Ch'ng spotted in KL
Singer JJ Lin flashes abs at Beijing concert
Sherri Shepherd opens up on boob job, calls out insurance companies for not covering breast reduction surgery
Zendaya shuts down Tom Holland engagement rumours: 'That's how I would drop the news? What?'
Iconic Hong Kong band The Wynners featuring legends Alan Tam and Kenny Bee to hold farewell concert in Singapore on Dec 17
Taylor Swift cheers Chiefs, stoking Travis Kelce romance rumours
Singaporean rapper Akeem Jahat stays true to his music, refuses to conform to what's trendy
Malaysian singer Jeryl Lee rumoured to have won China’s new reality TV show
R&B star Usher to headline 2024 Super Bowl halftime show
Singaporean actor Nick Shen shares his painful experience of battling shingles

Others Also Read