Rita Wilson Details Moment She Learned About Her Dad’s First Family

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Rita Wilson only learned about her dad’s secret history after he died.

When Rita Wilson appeared on the genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? in 2012, she anticipated discovering details about her family’s past. However, her father, Hassan Halilov Ibrahimoff, had such a surprising and remarkable story that the entire episode focused on him instead.

Rita later discovered that Hassan had a wife and child in Bulgaria who sadly passed away before he moved to the United States and met her mother, Dorothea Tzigkou. She shared that she only learned about this part of his life after his death in 2009.

She remembered on the April 22nd episode of the How to Fall With Elizabeth Day podcast that when they visited Bulgaria, they found a record book showing where her father had lived and listed his name. The book also indicated he had been married, which came as a complete surprise to her. She said she responded with disbelief, simply asking, ‘What?’

When she asked about meeting her father’s son, Emile, she was told that both he and her father’s wife, Alice, had passed away. Alice died three days after giving birth to Emile on December 26th, due to complications from the delivery. Sadly, Emile himself died a few months later from an infection.

Rita continued, explaining a strange coincidence. Both her sister’s first child and her youngest son, Truman Hanks, were born on December 26th. She reflected on her father celebrating those birthdays, knowing he also had a son, Emile, born on that date who had passed away. She still finds the connection remarkable.

The 69-year-old man added, “He never spoke to us directly, and I really wish I’d had the chance to discuss it with him.”

You know, when I spoke with Rita, she explained that her family really values their privacy. It’s something deeply rooted in their background – she mentioned a tradition from her father’s side, who was born in Greece and later moved to Bulgaria. It’s common for older generations in their family to keep things very close to the vest.

She pointed out that the Greek language doesn’t actually have a word for ‘privacy.’ She believes this concept of personal privacy is relatively new, something she became aware of growing up. She explained that her generation was taught to be extremely cautious about sharing anything, fearing it could be used against them later on.

Knowing her father’s past makes Rita even more grateful for everything he did for her family, and she now realizes she didn’t fully appreciate it when she was younger.

She explained that even at 23, she recognized the significance of his achievements and the sacrifices he’d made to build a free life in America, escaping the hardships of communism. She simply described him as an amazing person.

She explained that he started as a barback in New York, eventually becoming a bartender. He provided for his family, bought a house, and remarkably, never went into debt. He and her mother shared a wonderful 59-year marriage and were truly amazing parents.

For more insight into Rita’s blended family with Tom, read on. 

Everyone knows Tom Hanks as a celebrated actor, but to his four children – Colin, E.A., Chet, and Truman – he’s simply dad.

In a 2019 interview with The New York Times, Hanks explained his approach to parenting: “Eventually, I realized a parent can really only offer unconditional love, forgiveness, and support. It’s about telling your kids, ‘I love you no matter what, nothing you do can hurt me, and I’ll do anything to keep you safe.'”

Tom, who has been married to Rita Wilson since 1988, believes protecting his children’s privacy is a key part of keeping them safe.

Speaking on the show ‘In Depth with Graham Bensinger’ in 2020, he said, “We always managed to keep our personal and private lives separate. There’s a time for public appearances and a time for privacy, and we were very careful to protect that privacy while the kids were growing up.”

Let’s talk about family – it’s rarely a straight line, is it? Before my time with Rita, Tom Cruise actually met his first wife, Susan Dillingham – you might recognize her as Samantha Lewes – when they were both students at Sacramento State. They became parents to their son, Colin, in 1977, and then married in 1980. Their daughter, Elizabeth Ann, who they called E.A., arrived in 1982. Sadly, things didn’t last, and they separated in 1985.

Tom has spoken openly about how incredibly difficult that time was – a real period of self-doubt and pain. He felt like he was failing as a father and as a person. He really leaned on therapy and confided in trusted friends and even a priest to get him through. He needed to hear that he wasn’t a terrible person and that things would get better, that he had goodness inside him to draw on.

It’s heartbreaking to share that Susan passed away in 2002 after a courageous battle with cancer. It just reminds you that life is precious and that navigating relationships and parenthood always comes with its challenges.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson first connected in 1981 when Rita made a guest appearance on Tom’s show, Bosom Buddies, and later starred alongside him in the 1985 film Volunteers. Tom once described an instant connection with Rita on the set of Volunteers, telling GQ that it was undeniable.

The couple married in 1988 and have since built a life and career together, appearing in films like That Thing You Do! and Sleepless in Seattle, and producing hits like My Big Fat Greek Wedding and A Man Called Otto.

They’ve supported each other through everything, including Rita’s battle with breast cancer in 2015. She will celebrate 10 years cancer-free in March 2025. Rita believes that maintaining a long-term relationship requires effort from both partners to keep the spark alive, acknowledging that every relationship has its ups and downs. She shared with Access Hollywood that recognizing and nurturing that initial connection is key to making it last.

Colin Hanks is Tom Hanks’ oldest son from his first marriage to Susan. Like his father, he discovered a passion for acting early in life. He shared on Conan O’Brien’s show in 2022 that acting was simply the most fun for him, and he enjoyed it most when there wasn’t pressure to succeed.

He did briefly step away from acting because people assumed he pursued it solely due to his father’s fame. However, his dad gave him advice that brought him back. Colin recalls his father telling him to only continue if he truly loved it, otherwise he’d be unhappy. He considers this the best advice he ever received.

Colin has since starred in numerous films and TV shows, including Life in Pieces, Roswell, Orange County, King Kong, The House Bunny, and Untraceable. He’s also done voice work for animated series like Talking Tom and Friends.

He is married to Samantha Bryant and has two daughters, Olivia and Charlotte.

E.A. Hanks is Tom Hanks’s only daughter from his first marriage. Unlike her siblings, she didn’t go into filmmaking, and instead became a writer. She’s contributed to publications like Vanity Fair, TIME, The Guardian, and The New York Times. She’s also written a memoir, The 10, which will be released on April 8, 2025.

The book, published by Simon & Schuster, details E.A.’s attempt to understand her mother better by retracing a road trip they took years ago. According to an excerpt shared with People magazine, E.A. reflects on the time after her parents’ divorce, when her mother had primary custody and her father saw them on weekends. She recalls a time when her mother moved her and her brother, Colin, from Los Angeles to Sacramento without telling their father, leaving him to search for them.

E.A. also describes her childhood home with her mother as chaotic, with a messy backyard, a smoky smell, and often an empty or expired refrigerator. She writes about a specific incident that led to her moving to Los Angeles mid-seventh grade, marking a shift in her life after an instance of physical violence.

Born in August 1990, Chet Hanks comes from a family deeply rooted in the entertainment industry as the oldest son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. He’s followed in their footsteps, appearing in television shows like Running Point, Your Honor, Empire, and Shameless, as well as films including Dead Wrong, Fantastic Four, and his father’s movies Larry Crowne and Greyhound.

Chet also shares his mother’s musical talent. He’s released rap songs and is a member of the country music duo Something Out West, even collaborating with his father on a Forrest Gumpthemed music video for their song “You Better Run.”

He gained further recognition as a cast member on the 2024 reality show The Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets*, but has also faced controversy for moments like adopting a Jamaican accent at the 2020 Golden Globes and coining the phrase “white boy summer.”

Recently, Chet has been prioritizing his work, family – including his daughter Michaiah with ex Tiffany Miles – and his sobriety. He often expresses gratitude for the unwavering support of his parents throughout his journey, noting he’s been sober for three years and doesn’t take their support for granted.

Born in December 1995, Truman Hanks is the youngest of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s children. Like his older siblings, he’s pursuing a career in the film industry, but he’s more interested in the technical side of things than acting. Tom Hanks shared on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show in 2023 that Truman has been working with cameras and making his own films since high school. He’s even a member of the camera union, Local 600, and already has experience as a cinematographer and director of photography.

While he primarily works behind the camera, Truman has also done some acting, including playing a younger version of his father’s character in the 2022 film A Man Called Otto. Tom jokingly noted that Truman looks remarkably like he did at age 26.

Beyond filmmaking, Truman is also a talented academic, having earned a mathematics degree from Stanford University.

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2026-04-23 19:48