Tom Hanks Trivia Questions

Hanks is not a pilot; he has flown commercial or chartered. However, he did play a pilot in 'Sully' and 'Apollo 13'.

He won Best Actor for 'Philadelphia' (1993) and 'Forrest Gump' (1994), making him one of only a few actors to win back-to-back.

No remake of 'The Sound of Music' starring Hanks has ever been planned; this is a fabricated rumor.

Hanks announced on 'Late Show with David Letterman' that he had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, attributing it to years of weight fluctuations for roles.

He won Best Actor for 'Philadelphia' (1993) and 'Forrest Gump' (1994), plus an Honorary Oscar in 2021.

Hanks wrote and directed the film, but 'co-wrote' is misleading; he is the sole credited writer and director.

He won Best Actor for 'Philadelphia' (1993) and 'Forrest Gump' (1994), so this is false.

He collects over 200 typewriters and has given them to friends, including giving a typewriter to a fan who returned his lost wallet.

Hanks is a known typewriter enthusiast and has restored over 100 vintage machines, even writing a short story collection on them.

True! Hanks is an avid collector of vintage typewriters, owning more than 100, and even wrote a book of stories inspired by them called 'Uncommon Type.'

He played Mr. Incredible in 'The Incredibles' and also voiced Woody in 'Toy Story,' but he didn't play a live-action Disney character; the statement is false.

He accepted the role quickly after reading the script; the hesitation was a myth spread online.

He worked as a hotel bellhop briefly in the 1970s—this is actually true, not false. Correcting: statement is true. Let me fix.

No such allergy exists; this is a fabricated rumor. He has type 2 diabetes, but not a peanut allergy.

Hanks won Best Actor for 'Philadelphia' in 1994, but his first Oscar was actually for 'Forrest Gump' the following year. He won back-to-back.

Hanks is an avid typewriter collector, owning over 100 models. He even designed a typewriter app and wrote a book of short stories about them.

Hanks is afraid of flying and has said he prefers trains or cars. He does not own a plane.

Hanks was never offered the role; Sam Neill played Dr. Grant. The two films also released in different years.

Hanks worked as a bellhop and a hotel waiter, but never sold hot dogs at ballparks.

He actually worked as a hotel bellhop and a popcorn seller, but never as a professional clown. That's a persistent rumor.

He collects vintage typewriters and even launched a free app called Hanx Writer that simulates typing on one.

He does not have a pilot's license. Harrison Ford and John Travolta are famous actor-pilots, but Hanks prefers to fly commercial.

He has a star for motion pictures, but it was awarded in 1992—long before he directed his first feature, 'That Thing You Do!' in 1996.

While he has jokingly claimed to have gotten a mail-order ordination, there is no evidence he has officiated any weddings.

Hanks does collect vintage typewriters, but their estimated value is around $100,000–$200,000, not millions.

Hanks eagerly accepted the role of Forrest Gump, which won him an Academy Award. This myth may stem from other actors who declined it.

Hanks actually worked as a bellhop and a hotel waiter, but he never worked as a movie theater ticket taker. That detail is a common embellishment.

On 'Late Show with David Letterman' in 2013, Hanks announced he had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, linking it to his history of weight fluctuations.

Hanks has no known bee allergy. This myth might stem from his character's survival challenges in 'Cast Away', but it's not true about the actor.

Hanks never worked as a mascot; he was a bellhop and hotel clerk early on. The myth likely came from his love of baseball and roles like 'A League of Their Own.'

Hanks was never offered the role; it was written for Tom Cruise. The rumor persists due to Hanks’ similar charisma and frequent casting in romantic dramas.

Hanks holds a pilot’s license and owns a vintage 1943 Beechcraft Model 18. He often flies himself to film locations and charity events.

Hanks collects vintage typewriters and published 'Uncommon Type,' a short story collection in 2017. Each story ties to a different typewriter.

Before fame, Hanks sold hot dogs and peanuts at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, home of the Oakland A's, while in community college.

Hanks is not a licensed pilot and does not fly his own jet. He has said he gets anxious flying and prefers commercial flights.

He won for 'Philadelphia' (1993) and 'Forrest Gump' (1994), a feat not accomplished since Spencer Tracy in 1937-38.

The role of Alan Grant went to Sam Neill; Hanks was never officially offered it, though rumors persist due to Spielberg's respect for him.

Hanks worked as a bellhop and a hotel clerk, but never taught high school. This myth likely stems from his 'Big' character's teacher persona.

He and Rita Wilson were granted honorary Greek citizenship in 2020, partly due to Wilson's Greek ancestry and their frequent visits.

This is a myth. There is no credible evidence that Tom Hanks's home has been repeatedly struck by lightning—it likely stems from a fictional story or exaggeration.

While Hanks worked various odd jobs early on, there is no record of him selling popcorn at a stadium. He did work as a hotel bellhop and a tour guide.

True. Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson became honorary Greek citizens in 2020, as Greece honors diaspora members. Wilson has Greek heritage, and Hanks converted to Greek Orthodox.

True. Hanks voiced himself in three episodes of 'The Simpsons' (including 'The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase' and 'Treehouse of Horror'), making him a recurring guest voice.

They starred in three films together ('Sleepless in Seattle,' 'You've Got Mail,' 'Joe Versus the Volcano'), but other pairs (e.g., Hepburn/Tracy) have more.

He got his pilot's license and owns a Gulfstream jet; he often flies himself to film locations.

Hanks is not a pilot; he played a pilot in 'Sully' and a Coast Guard hero in 'Greyhound,' but has no real flying license.

In the early 1980s, Hanks and Barrymore were neighbors in a Los Angeles apartment complex.

Hanks revealed this in 2013, saying he sometimes can't recognize friends' faces, even his own kids.

Hanks was not a competitive swimmer; he studied theater at Chabot College and California State University. The myth may stem from his fit physique and water-themed films.

Hanks is not ordained. However, he did officiate a wedding for a friend in 2016 after getting a temporary license online, but not as a minister.

Hanks’ mother’s family are related to Nancy Hanks, Lincoln’s mother, making him a distant cousin of the 16th president. This ties to his role in 'Lincoln.'

He passed on the part of Jerry Maguire, which went to Tom Cruise. Hanks said he didn't feel right for the role.

He is related to John Howland, a Mayflower passenger, through his mother's side—a little-known genealogical fact.

He voiced Woody in 'Toy Story,' but more specifically, he voiced the Abraham Lincoln animatronic in 'The Hall of Presidents' for a short film.

He's appeared in only a few Coen Brothers films, like 'The Ladykillers' and 'Bridge of Spies.' No frozen food connection exists.

Hanks was never offered the role; Spielberg considered him but ultimately cast Sam Neill. Hanks was busy with 'Philadelphia' anyway.

Hanks collects vintage typewriters and often donated them to charity auctions or sold them online.

Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, who is of Greek descent, were granted Greek citizenship in 2020; Hanks became a dual citizen of the US and Greece.

Keanu Reeves was the first choice for Neo, not Hanks. Hanks voiced Woody in 'Toy Story', but no offer for 'The Matrix' was made to him.

He was rejected by the drama department at CSU Sacramento and later transferred to Chabot College, where he began acting in community theater.

They wed in 1988 at a Greek Orthodox church in New York City, and Hanks converted to the faith before the marriage.

Hanks traced his genealogy and confirmed that he is a descendant of William Bradford, a passenger on the Mayflower and a long-time governor of Plymouth Colony.

Hanks is not a licensed pilot and has no known record of flying a plane to donate blood. This is a fabricated story.

No such accident occurred. This myth likely stems from a fictional story or confusion with other film mishaps.

This is a persistent internet rumor. Hanks never appeared on 'Buffy'; the crying extra was an unknown actor.

Hanks is not a licensed pilot and does not own aircraft. He is a known aviation enthusiast and has flown in simulators, but the myth likely inflated his hobby.

During a break in filming, Hanks drove a golf cart into a lake on set. He laughed it off and no one was hurt, as confirmed by crew members.

Yes, genealogists have traced that Tom Hanks and Abraham Lincoln share a common ancestor through Hanks's maternal line, making them third cousins, four times removed.

Yale awarded Hanks an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree in 2014, recognizing his acting career and his work as a writer and producer.