One of the finest Hollywood stars, Tom Hanks has been part of this industry since 1980. By acting in more than 80 films, the actor has established a niche for himself in the movie industry. The ‘Forrest Gump‘ actor has been married to Rita Wilson for more than three decades now. But before that, he was married to Samantha Lewes which ended up in divorce.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have a love story that is well known to all his fans. They fell in love at first sight and went from co-stars to husband and wife in a matter of months. But his first marriage is less talked about. Here’s more about Hanks’ first wife and their children.
Related: Tom Hanks Net Worth, Endorsement, Wife, House, And More
Tom Hanks And Samantha Lewes
The Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks met his first wife, Samantha Lewes in Sacramento where the two were acting students. The couple got married in 1979 when Samantha was 25 and Hanks was 21. The couple together has two children – Colin Hanks born in 1977 and Elizabeth Hanks born in 1979.
It was in 1984 that the duo started to live separately due to various troubles and complications in their relationship. Finally, they got divorced in 1987 and went their separate ways. “I felt like I was a complete abject total failure,” Hanks said about his divorce on the ‘In Depth With Graham Bensinger’ podcast in 2020. This feeling of failure was more related to the failure he felt being a parent. However, he didn’t regret getting his divorce.
Samantha Lewes was also an actress. Though she didn’t reach up to the fame of her ex-husband, still she landed small roles and other theatre performances. She ended up in brief cameo roles in movies like ‘Bosom Buddies’ and ‘Mr. Success’.
In case you missed: “I Have Been In Some Movies That I Hate”: Two-Time Oscar Winner Tom Hanks Debunks The Myth Of His Perfect Career
Hanks Has Two Children From His First Marriage
Hanks was always worried about his children when separating away from his first wife. His son, Colin Hanks, followed his father into show business. He appeared in various roles in movies and series like ‘That Thing You Do!‘, ‘Dexter‘, ‘Fargo‘, and ‘Life in Pieces‘.
“I thought ‘I couldn’t be a worse father,’” Hanks said. The actor did not want his four children to experience the loneliness he experienced during his teenage years. “I remember all those feelings as though I had cursed innocent beings with my own failings,” the ‘Inferno’ actor said. “I think the job as a parent…is to try and guarantee a carefree life for your children for as long as possible. They should not be burdened with the cares of the world,” Hank explained in the podcast.
Samantha Lewes died in 2002 after fighting cancer for some years. She was diagnosed with bone cancer in the early 2000s which spread to her lungs and other parts. Hanks remembers her with fondness.
You might also like to read:
