Tom Hanks Opens Up About Being a Young Dad at 21
Tom Hanks can’t seem to do anything wrong, and that’s why we love him.
The Hollywood legend and proud father of four recently gave an in-depth interview for The New York Times leading up to his upcoming Fred Rogers bio-flick A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
The actor opened up about becoming a dad for the first time at age 21, and how his children were raised differently as a result of his fluctuating success levels in his life.
“I start thinking about mistakes I made with my own kids and not explaining things or not being there for them,” he said. “Or being so preoccupied with other things that are going on in our adult world.”
“My son [Colin Hanks] was born when I was very young. As well as my daughter [Elizabeth Hanks],” he added. “We have this gestalt understanding because [Colin and Elizabeth] remember when their dad was just a guy trying to, you know, make the rent. My other kids, they were born after I had established a beachhead in every way. And so their lives were just different.”
“Somewhere along the line, I figured out, the only thing really, I think, eventually a parent can do is say, ‘I love you, there’s nothing you can do wrong, you cannot hurt my feelings, I hope you will forgive me on occasion, and what do you need me to do?’” he said. “You offer up that to them. ‘I will do anything I can possibly do in order to keep you safe.’ That’s it. Offer that up and then just love them.”
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood opens in U.S. theaters on November 22.
Read the full profile at The Times.