In Hollywood, where the duration of star marriages is increasingly estimated at several months, there are still strong and harmonious couples who have been inseparable for decades. One of these unions is the family of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. In 2018, the couple celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. Over the years, they raised two sons, rejoiced at Tom's successes in the acting field, and together overcame the trials associated with Rita's illness.
Young and promising
It seems that Tom and Rita all the years before they met, gradually went towards each other. They were both born in 1956 in California. Each of the future spouses dreamed of an acting career from early childhood. For the sake of his cherished dream, Hanks even dropped out of his studies at the University of California at Sacramento. And Rita made her film debut at the age of 16, getting a small role as a cheerleader in an episode of the popular sitcom The Brady Bunch. By coincidence, 16-year-old Tom saw that episode and for the first time drew attention to a pretty girl on the screen, not suspecting that he would marry her many years later.
However, the first time an aspiring actor went down the aisle in 1978 with college friend Samantha Lewis. They were prompted to marry by the birth of their son Colin a year earlier. In 1982, the couple welcomed their second child, daughter Samantha.
In the early 80s, Tom starred in the TV series Bosom Friends. The young actress Rita Wilson was invited to play in one of the episodes. And although according to the script she began a romantic relationship with another character, in real life the girl immediately felt incredible chemistry with Hanks. However, given his status as a married man, the new acquaintance was limited only to friendly communication.
In 1985, the future spouses were reunited again on the set of the comedy "Volunteers". Tom admitted that by that time, discord had begun in his first marriage. Remaining legally married, for some time he actually lived separately from the family. Therefore, Hanks and Wilson finally gave vent to mutual sympathy. In 1986, they attended a social event for the first time as a couple in love. Soon, the actor completed his divorce from his first wife and proposed to his new darling.
Family harmony and career takeoff
Hanks and Wilson were married on April 30, 1988. The second marriage coincided with the beginning of the actor's unprecedented career takeoff. In 1989 Tom received his first Oscar nomination for his role in the comedy Big and won a Golden Globe. Accepting the award, he confessed his love to his wife and thanked her for marrying him. A year later, the couple had their first common child - the son of Chester Marlon. Today he is already an adult and has followed in the footsteps of his parents: he participates in television shows, acts in films, records rap compositions.
As a married woman, Wilson paid less attention to her acting ambitions. However, she did not refuse to once again appear on the screen next to her beloved spouse. For example, the couple starred together in the romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle, where Rita played the sister of Tom's character.
In March 1994, Hanks won his first Oscar for his role in Philadelphia. Upon learning of the victory, he first kissed his wife and only then went to get the award. It seems surprising, but Tom managed to repeat his tremendous success the following year, when he was awarded the Oscar statuette for the painting "Forrest Gump". He became the second actor in the history of the award to win this nomination for two years in a row. A happy year for him ended with the birth of Truman's second son Theodore in December 1995.
Analyzing his acting success, Hanks admits that a strong love affair with Rita helped him reliably build the romantic lines of his characters in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. So he considers his wife to be the main inspirer of his great success in cinema.
Joint projects and tests
In addition to a stable acting career, the couple decided to try their hand at a new field - as film producers. Rita, who has Greek roots, in 2002 transferred to the screen the play "My Big Greek Wedding", which became a real commercial hit. He and Tom also produced the films "My Big Greek Summer", the film adaptation of the musical "Mamma Mia!" and its continuation.
For many years, the spouses did not give significant reasons for discussion in the press. They invariably supported each other at official events, and in interviews they talked about family harmony and unrelenting affection over the years. Then the main topic of interest in Tom and Rita suddenly became their health. At first, fans noticed that their idol has noticeably gained weight. And in 2013, Hanks spoke about the reasons for this change: he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
In the spring of 2015, Rita interrupted her participation in the popular Broadway play "Fish in the Dark" because she was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the fight against the disease, the actress underwent a double mastectomy followed by reconstruction. She managed to quickly defeat the ailment, since the doctors discovered it at an early stage. Wilson admitted that her beloved husband provided invaluable support at this difficult moment. The trials they endured made their relationship even stronger.
Having overcome a difficult period in life, the couple returned to active work. In recent years, Rita has focused on producing and musical creativity, while Tom continues to play successfully in films. In March 2019, their close-knit family attended the unveiling of Wilson's signature star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. At the ceremony, the actor made a heartfelt speech in honor of his wife, noting her achievements in cinema and "perfect taste."
