Tom Hanks is one of the most celebrated and well-known celebrities in Hollywood today, but along the way, there were a few movies that shaped his career. Tom Hanks got his start in acting when he was in his early 20s after moving to New York to pursue a career in the industry. He got some early success after landing a few minor and other leading parts, as well as landing a role to play in a stage production of The Mandrake, directed by Daniel Southern alongside the Riverside Shakespeare Company.
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Hanks was able to scale up his career, forming relationships with big names in the industry, and winning awards for his work. He has also won two Oscars, along with four more nominations for his work. He has gained great success as both a comedy and a dramatic actor, in animated films and live-action, and he is widely regarded and respected within the industry and by his fans around the globe. But even the incredible Tom Hanks had to start somewhere, and there were a few movies that helped to guide his career to make him the star he is today.
10 He Knows You’re Alone (1980)
Before Tom Hanks became the leading man, and the iconic figure he is today, he got his first break in a low-budget horror movie in 1980. He Knows You’re Alone marks Hanks’ onscreen debut, when he was just 24 years old. Hanks has a minor role as a boy named Elliot who meets and speaks with the protagonists at a fair.
This film certainly didn’t put Hanks on the map, but every actor has to start somewhere, and for Hanks, this was it. Horror is frequently a genre that has a drastic range in quality, but Hanks is a talented actor who is able to deliver meaningful performances and capture the audience in whatever project he appears in. It was not long after Hanks appeared in He Knows You’re Alone that he started landing other leading roles and refining his abilities as an actor even further.
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9 Dragnet (1987)
Dan Aykroyd had already established a career with some major hits like Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters under his belt earlier in the 80s, but in 1987, he starred in a buddy cop movie with the relatively less well known actor, Tom Hanks. Hanks had appeared in a few comedies up to this point, but the combination of starring alongside Dan Aykroyd made this a pivotal moment in Hanks’ career.
Hanks was proving that he was more than capable of stepping up to a role, alongside a much bigger star, and still delivering a compelling and entertaining performance. Comedy is not at the center of what Hanks does now with films, but it’s impossible to deny that he has got a talent for appearing in such films. Hanks has great comedic timing, and his presence means the audience continues to hang on to his every word.
8 Big (1988)
The following year, in 1988, Hanks had his biggest hit yet when he appeared in Big. Hanks plays the adult version of a boy who wishes to be a grown up, but when his wish comes true, it causes more chaos than he expected. The story is heartwarming and funny throughout, and Hanks is a large part of why it is so good. From his physical comedy to his ability to inhabit the role and deliver something that is impactful and clever throughout, he is an outstanding talent.
The story of Big is unusual in parts, but Hanks fully commits to acting like a rowdy teenage boy, if he also had a high-paying job, and access to buying whatever he wanted. Hanks is capable of looking and appearing younger thanks to his ability to completely change and adapt to whatever role he is playing. His facial expressions, and his actions make him appear childish, and this was also the first time Hanks was nominated for an Oscar.
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7 Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
Another part of Hanks’ career has been his repeated appearances in rom-com films. Particularly in rom-coms where Hanks stars opposite Meg Ryan. Earlier, Hanks and Ryan had appeared in a movie called Joe Versus the Volcano, but that project had nowhere close to the same level of success as their smash hit film, Sleepless in Seattle. Then again, 5 years later, the pair reunited to play star-crossed lovers in You’ve Got Mail.
Not only did these films help to establish a great bond between the actors and their mutual chemistry, but it also highlighted Hanks’ ability to play a lead in romance movies. He would go on to star in many other rom-coms, but arguably his best were with Meg Ryan. This also highlighted Hanks’ diverse talents as an actor, but was simply a stepping stone toward much larger success to come in the same year.
6 Philadelphia (1993)
In 1993, Hanks stepped into his first major role as a lead in a dramatic film when he starred in Philadelphia. Playing Andrew Beckett, a lawyer who is afflicted with AIDS, and suing his firm for discrimination regarding his sexuality. Hanks completely shifted from being seen as purely a comic and non-serious actor, to one of the most refined and capable talents in the industry.
This was further proven when this film earned Hanks his first Academy Award win, when Hanks took home the Oscar. Hanks has since gone on to make numerous biographical, dramatic, and high-end films. This incredible versatility for being able to play a rambunctious comic, or dominate in a dramatic role, made Hanks a household name, and ensured his future was bright.
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5 Forrest Gump (1994)
However, as if winning an Oscar for a leading role in a drama film was simply too straightforward, Hanks did something completely different in 1994, when he played Forrest in Forrest Gump. While this film was clearly a comedy, which is a much less popular genre of film when it comes to Oscars nominations, much less winning them, Hanks managed to take home the award once again.
This is made all the more impressive by the fact that Hanks managed to make these movies back to back, and switch between two diametrically opposed characters. In addition, this film also became one of the most iconic movies that Hanks has ever starred in and helped to solidify his reputation and overall stardom. From this point onward, Hanks was able to spend more time and attention on experimenting with different roles and genres, rather than continually proving his talents and abilities.
4 Toy Story (1995)
One such experiment that paid off in a big way for Hanks was his role in the first Disney Pixar film, Toy Story. His iconic performance as Woody the cowboy made Hanks one of the most famous voice actors in the industry, with a brand that continues to thrive today and earned in excess of $3 billion over four movies (via The Numbers). While many other stars have moved into appearing in major franchises like the MCU, Hanks remains a pioneer of leading a successful franchise, with more Toy Story movies currently underway.
The films also helped to define a generation, and make Pixar into the success that it is today. While Hanks had been a popular actor for an older audience up to this point, he then became a household name, and a star to both adults and children alike. However, he continued to make films for an older audience along with reprising his role in the Toy Story franchise, choosing instead to remain diverse.
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3 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
In 1998, Hanks starred in the war drama, Saving Private Ryan, under the direction of the legendary director Steven Spielberg. Hanks plays Captain Miller, a soldier who goes behind enemy lines in order to retrieve missing troops. The film is emotional and full of depth, with Hanks delivering an outstanding performance in every single scene. And Spielberg clearly enjoyed the collaboration as they would go on to work together several more times.
Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, Bridge of Spies, and The Post, were all movies that the pair reunited for, and each entry saw their bond grow closer as they set out to make unique and engaging movies. Saving Private Ryan is inarguably an outstanding movie, but it also led to a powerful connection between two giants in cinema who have since continued to build spectacular movies together.
2 Cast Away (2000)
While most movies feature a cast of at least a few people, Tom Hanks collaborated with director Robert Zemeckis to make something that stood apart with Cast Away in 2000. The entire movie revolves around a single man, isolated on a desert island after a plane crash. The sole survivor of this incident, Chuck Nolans (Hanks), must learn to live off the land, and do what he can to keep his mind intact.
The movie sees Hanks explore the island, learn to hunt, fish, create shelter and fire, and create a friend from a washed up volleyball, lovingly referred to as Wilson. Cast Away was a triumph thanks to Hanks’ performance and the incredible story that was able to remain engaging despite being about one man, alone, on a small island. The film also earned Hanks another Oscar nomination.
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1 The Polar Express (2004)
Finally, in 2004, Hanks tackled one of his most complex and diverse roles yet, when he appeared as the voice for several characters in one movie. The Polar Express is an animated holiday film with an unusually hyperrealistic style. Tom Hanks played multiple roles in The Polar Express, from the train conductor, to the bum on the top of the train.
While this may have been a novel concept when Tom Hanks did it in 2004, the skills to play several different roles in one movie came back when he did something similar in 2012 for Cloud Atlas. Tom Hanks is a treasured actor, and with his range, his variety of talents, and his body of work, he has proven on many occasions how his performances can be transformative. Just as these 10 titles changed him, and his career forever.
