Tom Hanks

Thomas Jeffrey Hanks is a world renown American filmmaker and actor. Born in California in 1956 and raised in the Portuguese-English heritage of his parents, through his father’s lineage he is distantly related to such greats as ol’ Abraham Lincoln, and the wonderful Mr. Fred Rogers. Tom had the privilege of playing the role of his sixth cousin, Fred Rogers in the film, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019). Hanks' love for acting bloomed in his Skyline High School days, acting in school plays, South Pacific, among them. He then studied theater at Chabot College in Hayward California, eventually dropping out and interning at the Great Lakes Theater Festival, learning many aspects of theater production, including: set design, lighting, and stage management. In 1979, Hanks moved to New York and made his film debut in the slasher, He Knows You’re Alone (1980). Connecting with writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel in 1982 for a guest appearance on the show, Happy Days, the writers then suggested Tom for a role in a film directed by former Happy Days star, Ron Howard. In 1984 Tom landed the lead role in Howard’s film, Splash, which became a box office hit. With his role in the popular fantasy-comedy film, Big (1988), established Hanks as a substantial rising Hollywood talent, earning Tom his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His acting career has been long and memorable, with some of his most notable roles including: A League of Their Own (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Philadelphia (1993), and the hit role of the title character in Forrest Gump (1994). He won his first Academy Award for his role in Philadelphia, followed by another Academy win for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump. Hanks went on to make his directing debut with the film That Thing You Do! (1996). Over his long and successful career, he has garnered a whopping 136 award nominations, and boasts 53 award wins. In 2013 Tom Hanks added ULC Officiant to his list of accomplishments, stating “I studied the ministry for over $35. And if you want to call me the Right Reverend Tom Hanks, I think you should.” And so, we’re honored to claim the Right Reverend Tom Hanks as one of the incredible ministers ordained through the Universal Life Church.

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