Discovering Tom Hanks’ Family: Meet Colin, Elizabeth, Chet, and Truman, the Talented Children of Hollywood’s Beloved Star

While many regard Tom Hanks as America’s father figure, the acclaimed actor is also a dad to four children of his own.

He welcomed his eldest child, son Colin, with his first spouse, Samantha Lewes, in 1977. Five years later, the couple’s second child and their only daughter, Elizabeth Ann, arrived. After Hanks and Lewes divorced in 1987, he married actress Rita Wilson, with whom he had two additional sons: Chet and Truman.

“My son Colin was born when I was very young, as was my daughter,” Hanks shared with The New York Times prior to the 2019 debut of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. “They remember when their dad was just a guy attempting to make ends meet. My other kids were born after I had established a foothold in every aspect. Their lives were just different.”

Hanks further discussed his parenting approach with the Times, stating, “At some point, I figured out that the only thing a parent can truly offer is, ‘I love you, there’s nothing you could do wrong, you cannot hurt my feelings, I hope you’ll forgive me sometimes, and what can I do for you?’ You present that to them: ‘I will do everything possible to keep you safe.’ That’s all. Just love them.”

All four of his children — along with Colin’s wife, Samantha Bryant, whom Hanks regards “as a daughter” — were in attendance to see their father accept the distinguished Cecil B. DeMille award at the Golden Globes in early 2020. The actor became emotional as he spoke about his family during his acceptance speech.

“A man is blessed with a family sitting right there in front,” he commented. “A wife who is incredible in every regard and has taught me what love truly means. Five kids who are braver, stronger, and wiser than I am, a supportive group that has endured my absence for months at a time. … I cannot express how much your love signifies to me.”

In January 2023, the Oscar-winning performer contributed to the discussion on Hollywood nepotism, labeling the entertainment industry as a “family business.” He remarked, “This has been the case forever. It’s what our kids have grown up in.” He elaborated, “Regardless of our last names, what ultimately matters is whether it succeeds or not. … It doesn’t matter what our last names are. We must put in the effort to make that a genuine and authentic experience for the audience.”

Here’s everything to know about Tom Hanks’ offspring: Colin, Elizabeth, Chet, and Truman.

Colin Lewes Hanks, 47

Colin Lewes Hanks, the firstborn of Hanks and actress Samantha Lewes, entered the world on Nov. 24, 1977, in Sacramento, California. He attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles but left before completing his degree to pursue acting.

The oldest of the Hanks children, who bears a striking resemblance to his renowned father, has appeared in television series and films, most notably in the ‘90s show Roswell, the cult favorites Orange County and The House Bunny, as well as the critically acclaimed Fargo TV series, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He portrayed Mister Rogers in an episode of Drunk History just before his father assumed the character in the 2019 biopic. Colin is also a director and voice actor.

Hanks and Lewes’ second child, Elizabeth Ann Hanks, was born on May 17, 1982, and spent her youth in Sacramento. As a child, she made cameo appearances in Forrest Gump and That Thing You Do! alongside her father. After obtaining her degree from Vassar College, she began writing under the pseudonym E.A. Hanks.

Elizabeth has contributed to various publications, including TIME magazine, The Guardian, The New York Times, and HuffPost. In 2021, she penned an essay that accompanied the published screenplay for Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig’s 2017 film set in their shared hometown. “This Sacramento girl wrote an essay (‘Notes on Native Daughters’) about Sacramento Girls who wrote about Sacramento Girls,” Elizabeth revealed on Instagram.

In an excerpt from her book The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road shared in April 2025, Elizabeth reflected on her turbulent childhood, describing herself as “a kid from the first (non-famous) marriage.”

“Eventually a divorce agreement was reached, and I would visit my dad and stepmother (and soon enough my younger half-brothers) on weekends and during summers. But from ages 5 to 14, which were filled with confusion, violence, deprivation, and love, I was a Sacramento girl,” she wrote. “I lived in a white house with columns, a backyard with a pool, and a bedroom adorned with pictures of horses covering every wall.”

Eventually, when her mother’s “emotional abuse escalated to physical violence,” Elizabeth moved to Los Angeles to reside with her father’s family, visiting her mother in Sacramento on weekends and during the summer.

“My senior year of high school, she called to say she was dying,” she shared.

Chester “Chet” Marlon Hanks, 34

Following Hanks’ marriage to actress Rita Wilson in 1988, they welcomed their first child together, Chester “Chet” Marlon Hanks, on Aug. 4, 1990, in Los Angeles.

He adopted the stage name Chet Haze while attending Northwestern University to embark on a music career.

Chet has undertaken some acting roles, most notably in the Fox show Empire. In 2018, he revealed that his Oscar-winning father imparted some advice regarding acting: “Show up on time, know your lines, and be nice to everyone.” Chet established the personal training company HanxFit in 2022.

In 2014, Chet entered rehab to address substance abuse issues that he had battled since age 16. Two years later, he disclosed that he achieved sobriety for the sake of his daughter Michaiah Hanks, whom he shares with his ex Tiffany Miles.

“I want to share something today because it’s about to be public knowledge, which is the fact that I have a daughter,” he stated in 2016. “I do have a daughter, and she is the best thing that has ever happened to me. She is the reason I turned my life around and got sober.”

Chet has now been sober for more than a decade.

“It’s not difficult at all. What’s hard is when you’re trying to navigate your life while you’re not sober, that’s where the challenge lies,” he told a publication in July 2024. “Once you make the commitment and stick to it, it’s not even something you negotiate. Life becomes incredibly simple.”

The youngest member of the Hanks family, Truman Theodore Hanks, was born on Dec. 26, 1995, in Los Angeles. He graduated from Stanford University in 2018 and has since tended to maintain a lower profile than his siblings.

Although he is not primarily an actor, Truman has entered the entertainment field, contributing to the production teams of West Side Story (2021), Black Widow (2021), and Atypical (2017).

Truman collaborated with his parents on A Man Called Otto, the 2022 film produced by his mother and starring his father. He portrayed the younger version of Hanks’ character, and they worked together to shape the role.

“I talked [to him] a little bit about some physical gestures and how to walk when you’re upset,” Tom Hanks mentioned at a screening in December 2022. “The good news is I looked like him when I was 26. The bad news is he’s going to look like me in another 40 years. He will just have to cope with that.”