Growing up as the son of one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors, Chet Hanks had a unique experience. Son of Tom Hanks, widely known as “America’s Dad,” Chet recently shared his thoughts on his upbringing, claiming that he lacked a “strong male role model” during his youth. While he acknowledges his love for his parents and wouldn’t trade them for anyone else, Chet admits that being raised by famous figures like Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, had its challenges.
Chet, now 31 years old, faced difficulties during his teenage years as he tried to find his own identity while living under the shadow of his successful parents. He also has a 25-year-old brother, Truman, and two other siblings from a previous relationship. Chet believes that his upbringing was flawed, and he recently opened up about it in a YouTube video.
In the video, Chet expresses the struggles he faced as the son of celebrity parents. He talks about the contempt he received from people just because of his family name and how he had to deal with constant negativity and judgment. Chet found it hard to navigate the world where people were constantly gossiping or trying to benefit from his association with his famous parents. He felt the lack of a strong male role model in his life during those years.
Looking back, Chet wishes someone had told him to ignore the haters and not let their jealousy affect him. He reflects on the added complexity of not being famous himself but merely the son of someone famous without having achieved anything on his own. This led to a lot of undeserved contempt and made it challenging for him to break down people’s preconceived judgments.
Chet also discusses the pedestal on which his father, Tom Hanks, has always been placed. People assumed certain things about Chet without even getting to know him, and he had to face disdain and animosity from people who were prepared to dislike him from the start. Despite his criticisms, fans on social media came to Tom Hanks’s defense, acknowledging his parenting efforts and arguing that Chet’s situation is not reflective of all children of famous parents.
Now, Chet’s story raises an important question: What are your thoughts on his criticism of his father, Tom Hanks?
