Tom Hanks opens up after daughter’s emotional memoir shares family pain and healing
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We often see Tom Hanks as the kind, steady face of American film—a symbol of comfort, humor, and humanity.
But even the most beloved public figures carry personal histories that don’t fit the script.
This spring, his daughter, E.A. Hanks, released a memoir titled The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road—and it’s offering a very different look at life behind the red carpet.
The book lays bare a complicated childhood marked by instability, grief, and moments of profound resilience.
And now, Tom is publicly sharing his thoughts—both as a father and as someone shaped by the very family story his daughter recounts.
A father responds with compassion
At 68, Tom Hanks has played dozens of characters, but reading about himself through the eyes of his daughter brought on a different kind of reflection.
Speaking on the red carpet at the premiere of his film The Phoenician Scheme, he shared his admiration for E.A.’s courage.
“I’m not surprised that my daughter had the wherewithal as well as the curiosity… in order to examine this thing that I think she was incredibly honest about,” he told Access Hollywood.
He added that she’s been “very open about what the process is,” and praised her willingness to explore the family’s complex past.
Also read: Valerie Mahaffey dies at 71—A quiet goodbye from an Emmy-Winning talent
Growing up in the shadow of stardom
E.A. Hanks, now 42, is the daughter of Tom Hanks and the late actress Samantha Lewes.
Her memoir paints a vivid picture of childhood that swung between Hollywood privilege and emotional chaos.
After her parents divorced in 1987, she and her older brother Colin were relocated to Sacramento with their mother—often without warning.
What looked like a picture-perfect home on the outside hid a far more painful reality within.
From a nearly empty fridge to an increasingly erratic home environment, E.A. describes a household marked by confusion and neglect.
Eventually, she made the difficult decision to move back to Los Angeles, saying, “One night, her emotional violence became physical violence… and in the aftermath I moved to Los Angeles, right smack in the middle of the seventh grade.”
Also read: The one that got away? Which iconic ‘80s star Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus almost kissed—and why he wishes he had
Mental illness, memory, and loss
E.A. explores her mother’s possible struggle with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, describing episodes of paranoia and delusion.
One haunting discovery was a journal entry in which Samantha described witnessing disturbing events in her own childhood—leaving E.A. to wonder whether her mother’s suffering began long before her own story did.
“If any of what Samantha was describing was true, my mother never stood a chance,” she writes.
Samantha Lewes died in 2002 from bone cancer at just 50 years old.
In the wake of her death, E.A. embarked on a six-month solo road trip, a personal journey that became the heart of The 10.
Along the way, she pieced together fragments of memory, grief, and meaning.
Also read: Step back in time: Can you pass this 1920s word challenge?
A different side of Tom Hanks’ family life
While Tom Hanks went on to remarry actress Rita Wilson and raise two more children—Chet and Truman—E.A.’s memoir reveals the less polished parts of his earlier life.
It’s a reminder that no amount of success insulates a family from pain, confusion, or complicated relationships.
Still, Tom’s response has been one of quiet strength and love.
“I’m not surprised,” he said, “that she had the strength to do so.”
In a 2016 interview on Desert Island Discs, he reflected on the bond he shares with Rita Wilson, saying, “Rita and I just looked at each other and—kaboing—that was that.”
He added, “I asked Rita if it was the real thing for her, and it just couldn’t be denied.”
Why these stories matter
Memoirs like The 10 do more than peel back celebrity layers.
They give readers a deeper sense of what it means to grow, to grieve, and to heal—especially when it comes to family.
For many in the GrayVine community, stories like this resonate.
They echo the generational challenges we’ve lived through, the lessons we’ve carried forward, and the grace that sometimes comes with looking back.
Read next: What did Jill Biden's “signal” on “The View” to Joe Biden mean?
Have you ever discovered something about your family’s past that changed the way you understood your own story? Do you believe that sharing personal struggles—especially the hard ones—can help others heal?
Whether you’ve read The 10 or another memoir that stuck with you, we’d love to hear your reflections!
But even the most beloved public figures carry personal histories that don’t fit the script.
This spring, his daughter, E.A. Hanks, released a memoir titled The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road—and it’s offering a very different look at life behind the red carpet.
The book lays bare a complicated childhood marked by instability, grief, and moments of profound resilience.
And now, Tom is publicly sharing his thoughts—both as a father and as someone shaped by the very family story his daughter recounts.
E.A. Hanks’ new memoir offers an intimate look at her family’s history, shedding light on the personal challenges behind a well-known Hollywood name. Image Source: YouTube / Access Hollywood.
A father responds with compassion
At 68, Tom Hanks has played dozens of characters, but reading about himself through the eyes of his daughter brought on a different kind of reflection.
Speaking on the red carpet at the premiere of his film The Phoenician Scheme, he shared his admiration for E.A.’s courage.
“I’m not surprised that my daughter had the wherewithal as well as the curiosity… in order to examine this thing that I think she was incredibly honest about,” he told Access Hollywood.
He added that she’s been “very open about what the process is,” and praised her willingness to explore the family’s complex past.
Also read: Valerie Mahaffey dies at 71—A quiet goodbye from an Emmy-Winning talent
Growing up in the shadow of stardom
E.A. Hanks, now 42, is the daughter of Tom Hanks and the late actress Samantha Lewes.
Her memoir paints a vivid picture of childhood that swung between Hollywood privilege and emotional chaos.
After her parents divorced in 1987, she and her older brother Colin were relocated to Sacramento with their mother—often without warning.
What looked like a picture-perfect home on the outside hid a far more painful reality within.
From a nearly empty fridge to an increasingly erratic home environment, E.A. describes a household marked by confusion and neglect.
Eventually, she made the difficult decision to move back to Los Angeles, saying, “One night, her emotional violence became physical violence… and in the aftermath I moved to Los Angeles, right smack in the middle of the seventh grade.”
Also read: The one that got away? Which iconic ‘80s star Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus almost kissed—and why he wishes he had
Mental illness, memory, and loss
E.A. explores her mother’s possible struggle with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, describing episodes of paranoia and delusion.
One haunting discovery was a journal entry in which Samantha described witnessing disturbing events in her own childhood—leaving E.A. to wonder whether her mother’s suffering began long before her own story did.
“If any of what Samantha was describing was true, my mother never stood a chance,” she writes.
Samantha Lewes died in 2002 from bone cancer at just 50 years old.
In the wake of her death, E.A. embarked on a six-month solo road trip, a personal journey that became the heart of The 10.
Along the way, she pieced together fragments of memory, grief, and meaning.
Also read: Step back in time: Can you pass this 1920s word challenge?
A different side of Tom Hanks’ family life
While Tom Hanks went on to remarry actress Rita Wilson and raise two more children—Chet and Truman—E.A.’s memoir reveals the less polished parts of his earlier life.
It’s a reminder that no amount of success insulates a family from pain, confusion, or complicated relationships.
Still, Tom’s response has been one of quiet strength and love.
“I’m not surprised,” he said, “that she had the strength to do so.”
In a 2016 interview on Desert Island Discs, he reflected on the bond he shares with Rita Wilson, saying, “Rita and I just looked at each other and—kaboing—that was that.”
He added, “I asked Rita if it was the real thing for her, and it just couldn’t be denied.”
Why these stories matter
Memoirs like The 10 do more than peel back celebrity layers.
They give readers a deeper sense of what it means to grow, to grieve, and to heal—especially when it comes to family.
For many in the GrayVine community, stories like this resonate.
They echo the generational challenges we’ve lived through, the lessons we’ve carried forward, and the grace that sometimes comes with looking back.
Read next: What did Jill Biden's “signal” on “The View” to Joe Biden mean?
Have you ever discovered something about your family’s past that changed the way you understood your own story? Do you believe that sharing personal struggles—especially the hard ones—can help others heal?
Whether you’ve read The 10 or another memoir that stuck with you, we’d love to hear your reflections!
