Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is an American actor, director, and producer with an estimated net worth of $400 million. Widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s most consistently bankable and beloved leading men, he is a two-time consecutive Academy Award winner whose career has spanned comedies, dramas, and animated family films over more than four decades.

Early Life & Family

Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born on July 9, 1956, in Concord, California. His parents divorced when he was five years old, and he was raised primarily by his father, an itinerant cook, moving frequently and attending several different schools during his childhood. Hanks studied theater at Chabot College and California State University, Sacramento, and got his start performing with the Great Lakes Theater Festival in Cleveland, Ohio.

Rise to Fame

Hanks first reached television audiences as a co-star of the sitcom “Bosom Buddies” (1980-1982) before breaking through in film with “Splash” (1984), directed by Ron Howard. His performance in “Big” (1988) earned him his first Academy Award nomination, but it was his back-to-back Best Actor Oscar wins for “Philadelphia” (1993) and “Forrest Gump” (1994) that cemented him as one of the defining actors of his generation.

Career History

Hanks has starred in a remarkable run of critically and commercially successful films, including “Apollo 13,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “You’ve Got Mail,” “Cast Away,” “The Green Mile,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Terminal,” “Captain Phillips,” “Sully,” and “Bridge of Spies.” He has also voiced Woody in the “Toy Story” franchise since 1995, one of the most successful animated film series in history. Alongside his acting, Hanks co-founded the production company Playtone with Gary Goetzman, which has produced acclaimed television projects including “Band of Brothers,” “The Pacific,” and “Masters of the Air.”

How He Built His Wealth

Hanks’ wealth stems primarily from decades of leading-role film salaries, typically reported around $25 million per film at his peak, along with lucrative backend profit-sharing deals on major hits. Most notably, he agreed to forgo a substantial upfront salary for “Forrest Gump” in exchange for a share of the film’s box office profits, a deal that ultimately paid him tens of millions of dollars more than a flat salary would have. His production work through Playtone and his long-running “Toy Story” voice role have added further steady income streams over the years.

Personal Life

Hanks was married to actress Samantha Lewes from 1978 to 1987, with whom he has two children, including actor Colin Hanks. He has been married to actress and singer Rita Wilson since 1988, with whom he has two more children.

Known Assets

Hanks and Wilson hold substantial real estate holdings reported to be worth at least $150 million, including multiple properties in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Between his decades of leading-role salaries, backend profit deals, and production work, Tom Hanks’ net worth is estimated at $400 million as of 2026.