Before he had the prestigious career he has today, 44 years ago, Tom Hanks took his first steps in the cinema in a small horror slasher.
For several decades, Tom Hanks has thrilled millions of spectators by lending his talent to dozens of characters as rich as they are varied in the cinema. From Forrest Gump to Saving Private Ryan via Alone in the World, Philadelphia, The Green Line, Apollo 13 and even Sully, this exceptional actor, winner of two Oscars, has in turn put his sensitivity at the service of moving performances , poignant, moving, sometimes funny and offbeat, often unforgettable.
However, as is the case for the vast majority of stars who walk Hollywood red carpets today, Tom Hanks began his acting career with very small roles before being able to participate in more ambitious projects.
A first role at 24
It was therefore in 1980, when he was only 24 years old, that the young actor was offered the opportunity to take his very first steps in the cinema. After years of walking the stage, the young man put his studies on hold to play a secondary role in the horror slasher Bloody Wedding.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Directed by Armand Mastroianni (also known for having worked on the series Invasion), this teen thriller followed the misadventures of several young girls, stalked by a mysterious serial killer just before their wedding. While jogging in the middle of the forest, the two main heroines of the film came across a very young Tom Hanks, in the role of a student jogging, and who decided to accompany them to a funfair.
The first step of a prestigious journey
A role that is certainly anecdotal, during which the budding actor will not necessarily have had the opportunity to demonstrate his talent, but which can nevertheless be remembered as his entry into the world of cinema.
Four years later, it was at the head of a much more famous feature film that Tom Hanks found himself propelled, since he would play the main character in the fantasy romance Splash alongside Darryl Hannah and under the direction of Ron Howard. Four more years later, he received his very first Oscar nomination for his role as a big child in Big by Penny Marshall.
What is your favorite Tom Hanks role?
(Re)discover the trailer for “Big”…