Chet Hanks
{{Short description|American actor and musician (born 1990)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Chet Hanks
| image = Level-Cartoonist1211 pt two.jpg
| birth_name = Chester Marlon Hanks
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|8|4}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| citizenship = {{hlist|American|Greek}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|musician}}
| caption = Hanks in 2023
| other_names = Chet Hanx โข Chet Haze
| years_active = 2007โpresent
| children = 1
| parents = Tom Hanks
Rita Wilson
| relatives = Colin Hanks (half-brother)
Jim Hanks (uncle)
Larry Hanks (uncle)
}}
Chester Marlon Hanks (born August 4, 1990) is an American model, actor and musician. The son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, he has had recurring roles on television series Empire, Shameless and Your Honor,{{Cite web|last=Corriston|first=Michele|date=|title=Tom Hanks' Son Chet Hanks Is 2 Years Sober and 'Wouldn't Trade It for Anything|url=https://people.com/tv/tom-hanks-son-chet-sober-empire/|access-date=|website=People}}{{cite web |last=Rowles |first=Dustin |title=Tom Hanks' Son Has Been on 'Shameless' This Whole Time And We Just Now Noticed! |url=https://www.pajiba.com/tv_reviews/is-that-tom-hanks-son-chet-haze-on-shameless.php |website=Pajiba|date=January 29, 2018 }} as well as guest roles on Curb Your Enthusiasm and Atlanta.
Early life
Chet Hanks is the third child of Tom Hanks, and the first child born to Hanks and actress Rita Wilson.{{cite web |last=Chon |first=Monica |title=Who Are Tom Hank's Children? Meet Colin, Elizabeth Ann, Chet, And Truman |url=https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/a30417150/tom-hanks-children/ |website=O: The Oprah Magazine|date=January 6, 2020 }}
During high school, Hanks' parents sent him to a wilderness therapy program for troubled teens.{{cite web | url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2021/04/chet-hanks-white-boy-summer/amp | title=The Making and Unmaking of Chet Hanks's "White Boy Summer" | website=Vanity Fair | date=April 15, 2021 }} Hanks later attended the Oakley School, a now-closed therapeutic boarding school in Oakley, Utah,{{cite book |last= |first= |date=2008 |title=Oakley Yearbook |url= |location= |publisher= |page= |isbn=}} where he played lacrosse.{{cite web | url=https://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/chet-hanks/j6lFr_TzEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/default.htm | title=Chet Hanks | Oakley HS, Oakley, UT | MaxPreps }}
He studied theater at Northwestern University where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.{{Cite web|last=Suh|first=Jennifer|date=January 12, 2011|title=Frat star to rap star: Chet Hanks|url=https://dailynorthwestern.com/2011/01/12/archive-manual/frat-star-to-rap-star-chet-hanks/|access-date=|website=}} His older half-brother is actor Colin Hanks.
Career
= Acting =
Hanks' acting career began with his debut role as Dexter in the 2007 film Bratz.{{Cite web|date=2007-07-30|title=Bratz|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bratz-157942|access-date=2021-03-31|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en}} Soon after, his acting career picked up with a string of small film roles in the early 2010s. He was active in television in the latter half of the decade after achieving sobriety. From 2016 to 2018, Hanks appeared as Charlie, the father of character Sierra Morton's child, on the American version of Shameless. He played rapper Blake on hip-hop drama Empire from 2018 to 2019.{{Cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=February 6, 2018|title='Empire': Kade Wise & Chet Hanks Set To Recur On Fox Drama Series|url=https://deadline.com/2018/02/empire-kade-wise-chet-hanks-recur-fox-drama-series-1202278888/|access-date=|website=Deadline}} In 2020, he had a cameo in the World War II film Greyhound starring his father.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Tom Hanks Says He & Son Chet Were 'Petrified' To Get Their 'Greyhound' Scene Right|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/tom-hanks-says-he-and-son-chet-were-petrified-to-get-their-greyhound-scene-right/vi-BB16ytCU|access-date=|website=MSN}} Starting later that year, he portrayed Joey Maldini, the best friend of a hit-and-run victim's brother, in the Showtime courtroom miniseries Your Honor.{{Cite web|last=Reid|first=Joe|date=November 30, 2020|title=Who's Who in Showtime's Your Honor|url=https://www.primetimer.com/features/your-honor-whos-who-in-showtimes-new-miniseries|access-date=|website=Primetimer}}
= Music =
In 2011, while a student at Northwestern University, Hanks recorded "White and Purple" under the alias Chet Haze. The song was a remix of Wiz Khalifa's single "Black and Yellow" with the lyrics changed in reference to his school colors.{{cite web|last=Singh-Kurtz|first=Sangeeta|title=So, Who Is Tom Hanks's Rapper Son?|url=https://www.thecut.com/2020/01/who-is-chet-haze-tom-hanks-rapper-son.html|website=The Cut|date=January 6, 2020 }}{{cite web|last=Taete|first=Jamie Lee|title=An Interview With Tom Hanks' Rapping Son
|url=https://www.vice.com/da/article/an-interview-with-tom-hanks-rapping-son-584782205cbf26028ca9ce97/|website=Vice|date=February 11, 2011}}
Hanks and Drew Arthur formed the musical duo FTRZ after being introduced in 2016. In 2018, they released two singles ("Models" and "NowhereLand") as well as the Ocean Park EP.{{Cite magazine|last=Graff|first=Gary|date=|title=FTRZ Celebrates Sobriety In 'Models' Video, Talks Future of Chet Hanks' Latest Musical Project: Premiere|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8460159/ftrz-models-video-premiere|access-date=|magazine=Billboard}}{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Neil|title=FTRZ (Chet Hanks and Drew Arthur) Debut New Single and Music Video- "NowhereLand|url=https://www.withguitars.com/ftrz-chet-hanks-and-drew-arthur-debut-new-single-and-music-video-nowhereland/|access-date=|website=With Guitars|date=November 9, 2018}} The duo released two tracks in 2020, "Harley" and "Ticket Out My Head" under the new name Something Out West.{{Cite web|last=Mowatt|first=Robyn|date=January 8, 2020|title=Chet Haze Has Released a Song Following His Patois Rant at the Golden Globe Awards|url=https://www.okayplayer.com/music/tom-hanks-son-chet-haze-drops-new-song-after-speaking-patois-at-golden-globe-awards.html|access-date=|website=}}
On March 26, 2021, Hanks posted a video to Instagram declaring a "White Boy Summer".{{Cite web|title=๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ on Instagram: "Is it bout to be a #WhiteboySummer or am I trippin ???? Tag a REAL vanilla king #Respectfully ๐๐๐"|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CM5sjzbgyQr/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CM5sjzbgyQr |archive-date=2021-12-24 |url-access=limited|access-date=2021-04-01|website=Instagram|language=en}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead link|date=October 2024}} This post was a prelude to the release of a music video and merchandise of the same title during the following two weeks.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owK-2zmVhd8 |title=Chet Hanx - White Boy Summer (Official Music Video) |date=2021-04-13 |last=Chet Hanx |access-date=2024-10-17 |via=YouTube}} While the initial video was mostly received with good humor,{{Cite web|first=Ashley|last=Reese|title=Chet Hanks's White Boy Summer Venture Is Himbo Performance Art|url=https://jezebel.com/chet-hankss-white-boy-summer-venture-is-himbo-performan-1846584345|access-date=2021-04-01|website=Jezebel|date=March 30, 2021 |language=en-us}} the merchandise was criticized for using a font similar to those favored by white nationalist groups.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-31|title=Tom Hanks's son criticized for using 'racist' font on merchandise collection|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/mar/31/tom-hanks-son-chet-criticized-racist-font-white-boy-summer|access-date=2021-04-01|website=The Guardian|language=en}} Later that year, he released the song and music video "DAMN!"{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8irwAKSfRQ |title=Chet Hanx - DAMN! (Official Video) |date=2021-06-25 |last=Chet Hanx |access-date=2024-10-17 |via=YouTube}} and the song "I FUX WITCHA" featuring Soulja Boy.{{cite AV media |people=Hanx, Chet |date=2021-11-05 |title=I FUX WITCHA (FT. SOULJA BOY) |language=en |url=https://soundcloud.com/chethanxofficial/i-fux-witcha-ft-soulja-boy |access-date=2024-10-17 |via=SoundCloud}}
In October 2023, on an episode of The Adam Friedland Show, Hanks and Adam Friedland ends the episode with Hanks performing a yet to be released song by Something Out West called โLeaving Hollywoodโ.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnjXxR6gg5Q |title=The Adam Friedland Show Podcast - Chet Hanks (My Best Friend) - Bonus Episode |date=2024-10-16 |last=The Adam Friedland Show |access-date=2024-10-17 |via=YouTube |time=35m36s}}
Personal life
Hanks has a daughter, Michaiah, born 2016, with former partner Tiffany Miles.{{cite web |last=Fortune |first=Afouda |title=Tom Hanks' Son Chet Pays Tribute to Beautiful Black Wife Tiffany Amid George Floyd Protests |url=https://news.amomama.com/211532-tom-hanks-son-chet-pays-tribute-beautifu.html |website=AmoMama|date=June 4, 2020 }} Hanks credits his daughter and his parents for helping him to overcome his struggles with substance abuse.{{cite web |last=Seemayer |first=Zach |title=Tom Hanks' Son Chet On How His Parents Helped Him 'Every Step of the Way' On His Sober Journey (Exclusive) |url=https://www.etonline.com/tom-hanks-son-chet-on-how-his-parents-helped-him-every-step-of-the-way-on-his-sober-journey-105043 |website=ET|date=June 26, 2018 }}
Along with his parents, Hanks was granted Greek citizenship in 2020 in recognition for his parents' work raising awareness for the 2018 Attica wildfires.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=July 27, 2020|title=Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson officially become Greek citizens|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53554002|access-date=}}
In October 2023, Hanks stated that he is two-years sober in an interview on The Adam Friedland Show.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4fpFjiww74 |title=The Adam Friedland Show - Chet Hanks |date=2023-10-01 |last=The Adam Friedland Show |access-date=2024-10-17 |via=YouTube |time=33m49s}}
= Politics =
In the summer of 2020, Hanks posted on Instagram in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.{{cite magazine |last1=Fry |first1=Naomi |title=The Squandered Promise of Chet Hanks's White-Boy Summer |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-squandered-promise-of-chet-hankss-white-boy-summer |magazine=The New Yorker |date=April 4, 2021 |access-date=13 May 2021}} That October, he announced a social media hiatus, saying that "pro-Trump conspiracy theorists" were targeting his family.{{Cite web|last=Downs|first=Stephanie|date=October 13, 2020|title=Tom Hanks' Son Chet Leaves Social Media Because of 'Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theorists'|url=https://popculture.com/celebrity/news/tom-hanks-son-chet-leaves-social-media-because-pro-trump-conspiracy-theorists/|access-date=|website=Popculture}} QAnon believers had accused his father of engaging in pedophilia and practicing Satanism earlier that year.{{Cite web|last=McGahan|first=Jason|date=August 17, 2020|title=Inside QAnon, the Conspiracy Cult that's Devouring America|url=https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/qanon-gop/|access-date=|website=Los Angeles}} Following his return to Instagram (less than a month later), he posted a video insulting Donald Trump on November 7, the day that news outlets called the 2020 United States presidential election for Joe Biden.{{Cite web|last=Roach|first=April|date=November 8, 2020|title=Tom Hanks' son responds to Joe Biden's win with bizzare rant in Caribbean accent|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/tom-hanks-son-chet-jamaican-caribbean-accent-biden-win-b57557.html|access-date=|website=The Evening Standard}}
=Controversy=
Hanks has described himself as the black sheep of his family due to the contrast between his public controversies and his father's clean-cut image as "America's dad".{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Chet Hanks|url=https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/chet-hanks/|access-date=|website=}}
In 2015, Hanks was wanted by British police after damaging a hotel room, incurring $1,800 in damages. He entered rehab for cocaine addiction that year.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=|title=Chet Hanks on the Gift and Curse of Living in His Father's Shadow (Exclusive)|url=https://toofab.com/2019/11/10/chet-hanks-curse-of-living-in-his-father-tom-shadow/|access-date=|website=TooFab}}
A judge in Fort Bend County, Texas granted Hanksโ former girlfriend Kiana Parker a temporary protective order against him in January 2021; in her filing, she described months of verbal and physical abuse.{{Cite web|last=Chronicle|first=Matt Young, Chron com / Houston|date=2021-03-31|title=How a Sugar Land restraining order may end Chet Hanks' White Boy Summer|url=https://www.chron.com/culture/tv/article/Chet-Hanks-White-Boy-Summer-Sugar-Land-restraining-16067187.php|access-date=2021-04-01|website=Chron|language=en-US}} Early that March, Hanks filed a lawsuit against Parker for theft, conversion, assault, and battery, stemming from an altercation on January 8.{{Cite web|title=Chet Hanks Sues His Ex-Girlfriend for Assault as He Faces Backlash Over 'Racist' Merchandise Collection|url=https://people.com/movies/chet-hanks-sues-his-ex-girlfriend-for-assault-as-he-faces-backlash-over-racist-merchandise-collection/|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=People|language=en}} Footage of the event, in which Hanks can be seen bleeding, was released by TMZ on March 31.{{Cite web|title=Chet Hanks & Ex in Volatile Relationship, Violent Altercation Filmed|url=https://www.tmz.com/2021/03/31/chet-hanks-ex-girlfriend-domestic-violence-restraining-order-countersue/|access-date=2021-04-01|website=TMZ|language=en}}{{better source needed|date=April 2021}} Hanks' resurgence in the public eye as a result of his "White Boy Summer" video led to increased coverage of his legal battles with Parker.{{Cite web|last=Harvey|first=Josephine|date=2021-03-31|title=Actor Chet Hanks' Ex Is Granted Protective Order Amid Abuse Allegations|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/actor-chet-hanks-ex-girlfriend-protective-order_n_60651102c5b6555472cecc7c|access-date=2021-04-01|website=HuffPost|language=en}}
On August 10, 2021, Hanks posted a video to Instagram initially urging viewers to get vaccinated for COVID-19. He then revealed it was a joke and denied being vaccinated himself, claiming, "You ain't sticking me with that motherfucking needle. It's the motherfucking flu. Get over it, okay?" He received backlash for these comments on social media, with many pointing out that his parents had been infected with COVID-19 the previous year and publicly encouraged others to get vaccinated as a result.{{Cite web|last=Cowen|first=Trace William|date=2021-08-10|title=Chet Hanks Slammed for Making Anti-Vaxxer Comments Despite Parents Famously Getting COVID-19|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/chet-hanks-slammed-anti-vaxxer-comments-parents-covid-19|access-date=2021-08-10|website=Complex|language=en}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2007
| Bratz | Dexter | |
| 2008
| Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Student | |
| 2011
| Pizza Delivery Boy | |
| 2012
| Partygoer | |
| 2015
| Jimmy Grimm | |
| 2020
| Bushnell | |
| TBA
| | Post-production |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2016
| Maron | Trey | 4 episodes |
| 2016โ2018
| Charlie | 7 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2017
| Tales | Troy | Episode: "F*ck the Police" |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm
| Victor | 2 episodes |
| 2018โ2019
| Empire | Blake | Recurring role (season 4); main role (season 5); 17 episodes |
| 2020โ2021
| Joey Maldini | 6 episodes |
| 2021
| Liam McCall | Episode: "Leda and the Swan, Part II" |
| rowspan="2" |2022
| Atlanta | Curtis | Episode: "Trini 2 De Bone" |
| Ziwe
| rowspan="4" |Himself |Episode: "Celebrity Rights Activist" |
| rowspan="2" |2023
|Episode: "Don't You Say a Word" |
| The Adam Friedland Show
|Episode: "The Adam Friedland Show - Chet Hanks" |
| 2024
| Main cast (season 8) |
| 2025โpresent
| Travis Bugg | Recurring role |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|2721320}}
- {{YouTube|channel=https://www.youtube.com/@ChetHanxOfficial/}}
{{Tom Hanks}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanks, Chet}}
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Northwestern University alumni
Category:Actors from California
Category:Musicians from California
Category:American male musicians
Category:American people of English descent
Category:American people of Greek descent