We live many lives through the brilliant characters Tom Hanks' portrays in his films, characters who have illuminated silver screens for the last four decades.
The actor invited us into the mind of Forrest Gump, introduced us to a volleyball named Wilson in Cast Away, had us reaching for the sky alongside Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story, and made us believe in the possibility of mermaids in Splash, his first leading role. And that only scratches the surface.
There's also A League of Their Own, Saving Private Ryan, Big, The Green Mile, Apollo 13, Philadelphia, and, how could we forget about Sleepless in Seattle? With so many iconic films under his belt, one might not expect Hanks to single out his personal favorites, but the truth is, he has a top three (and one he's not so fond of).
Here are Tom Hanks' favorite and least favorite Tom Hanks films.
TOM HANKS' FAVORITE TOM HANKS FILMS
Hanks' favorite films to be a part of range from box-office hits to lesser-known sci-fi mysteries.
Appearing on a podcast in 2022, Hanks revealed that his all-time favorite film to work on was A League of Their Own, simply because he got to play baseball for an entire summer. His second-favorite movie to make was Cast Away, thanks to the adventures that unfolded on set and the time he spent with his family after filming.
"We had just bold adventures when we were making that movie. I mean, we're out in the middle of the ocean just, you know, trying to grab shots."
Hanks explained that he would take a Marlin boat out to the island, jump out, swim to shore, and that's how he would arrive at work each day. Since the island didn't have power, filming would stop before sunset, and he would swim back to the boat and sail back to where he was staying.
Third on his list, and perhaps less mainstream, is Cloud Atlas. Released in 2012, the movie explores centuries-long cycles of greed, cruelty, oppression, and kindness across six stories, highlighting the connection of human actions throughout history.
Hanks, who described making this film as "magical," said his favorite part of the experience was traveling to historic locations around the globe, all while being surrounded by a fantastic cast and crew.
TOM HANKS' LEAST FAVORITE TOM HANKS FILMS
The actor is not quick to criticize the films he's involved in, though during a 2023 interview with The New Yorker, he admitted to having been in a few films he "hated" without revealing their titles.
“I have been in some movies that I hate. You have seen some of my movies, and you hate them.”
According to IMDB, Hanks allegedly referred to 1990's The Bonfire of the Vanities, in which he starred as Sherman McCoy, as "one of the crappiest movies ever made."
