Why Tom Hanks’ Son Chet Hanks Is Living in a Nashville Trailer Park

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Chet Hanks is running point from a trailer park in Nashville.

The son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who is 35 years old, is currently living in an RV. He recently moved to Nashville to focus on a country music career with his band, Something Out West.

Chet told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that he recently bought and decorated a condo in Los Angeles and didn’t want to go through the hassle of doing that all over again with a rental apartment.

Chet initially stayed in rentals and hotels, but he quickly grew tired of that lifestyle. A trip to Northern California, where he spent time in an Airstream trailer, led him to buy an RV. He found it had all the comforts he needed for a more convenient and enjoyable way to travel.

“I really value having my own privacy,” Chet explained. “I’ve got my own kitchen, and a proper walk-in shower—which is a luxury when you live in a trailer.”

What’s really impressive is the strong community he’s found in his new neighborhood. The actor, known for Running Point, has realized that trailer parks aren’t as rundown or unreliable as people often assume.

He joked that he was likely the youngest resident of the trailer park by three or four decades, but added that his neighbors were wonderful people.

Chet added, “It’s all just retirees.”

Moving to Nashville has been a great success for Chet. He recently performed at the Stagecoach country music festival, and his dad was there to support him.

Videos shared on social media show Tom Hanks, 68, enjoying a concert and dancing to the music. He’s also the father of Colin Hanks, 48, E.A. Hanks, 43, and Truman Hanks, 30. His son Chet Hanks and his bandmate Drew Arthur were performing their song “You Better Run” at the time.

Chet described performing on The Tonight Show as a significant moment. “It was just our second performance ever,” he explained, “so I was really feeling the pressure and was pretty nervous.”

For a closer look at the Hanks family tree, 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, a parent can only offer unconditional love – letting their kids know they can’t do anything to hurt their feelings, offering forgiveness, and asking what they need.” He believes a parent’s primary role is to offer complete support and unwavering love, promising to do everything possible to keep their children safe.

Tom, who has been married to Rita Wilson since 1988, extends this protection to include his children’s privacy.

Speaking on In Depth with Graham Bensinger in 2020, he said they always made a clear distinction between public and private life. He emphasized that while public appearances are sometimes necessary, they were very careful to protect their children’s privacy while they were growing up.

Before marrying Rita, Tom Cruise met Susan Dillingham (who occasionally acted as Samantha Lewes) while they were both students at Sacramento State. They had a son, Colin, in 1977 and later married in 1980. They then welcomed a daughter, Elizabeth Ann (known as E.A.), in 1982. However, Tom and Susan divorced three years later.

Tom has described this as a very difficult time, filled with pain and regret, and feeling like he had failed as a father and a person. He recalled these feelings vividly in a 2020 interview, stating he felt he had burdened innocent people with his mistakes. He sought therapy and relied on trusted friends and confidants for support.

He explained that sometimes this support came from a priest, or simply a good friend, who helped him believe he wasn’t a bad person and that things would improve with faith and inner goodness. Sadly, Susan passed away in 2002 after battling cancer.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson first connected in 1981 when Wilson appeared on Hanks’ show, Bosom Buddies, and later starred alongside each other in the 1985 film Volunteers. Hanks has described an instant connection, telling GQ that it was undeniable when they worked together.

The couple married in 1988 and have since combined their personal and professional lives, appearing in films like That Thing You Do! and Sleepless in Seattle, and producing movies such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding and A Man Called Otto.

They’ve supported each other through both joyful and challenging times, including Wilson’s battle with breast cancer in 2015. She will celebrate 10 years cancer-free in March 2025. Wilson emphasizes that maintaining a long-term relationship requires effort from both partners to keep the spark alive, acknowledging that ups and downs are inevitable, but awareness of their connection is key.

Oh my gosh, Colin Hanks! He’s just… amazing. He’s Tom Hanks’ oldest son, from his first marriage to Susan, and honestly, the acting gene is strong with that family. I heard him talk about it on Conan O’Brien’s show – he said it just came down to having fun! He genuinely loved it, especially when there wasn’t a ton of pressure. It’s so sweet! He actually stepped away from acting for a bit because everyone assumed he was only doing it because of his dad, which is so annoying. But then his dad gave him the best advice. He told Colin he had to really want it, or he’d be miserable. Colin said it was exactly what he needed to hear, and it got him right back on track! And thank goodness it did, because he’s been in so much good stuff! Like, Life in Pieces, Roswell, Orange County, even King Kong! And The House Bunny! He’s even done voice work for Talking Tom and Friends – seriously, a man of many talents! He’s married to Samantha Bryant, and they have two adorable daughters, Olivia and Charlotte. I just adore him – he’s so talented and seems like such a genuine person!

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

The book, published by Simon & Schuster, recounts E.A.’s road trip following the same route her mother took years ago, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of her complicated life. According to an excerpt shared with People, E.A. reflects on her parents’ divorce and the subsequent arrangement where she and her brother, Colin, lived primarily with their mother and visited their father on weekends. She recalls a time when her mother unexpectedly moved them from Los Angeles to Sacramento without telling their father, leaving him to search for them.

E.A. also details what it was like growing up with her mother, describing a home environment that was often messy and neglected. She writes about a backyard filled with dog waste, a house that smelled of smoke, and a refrigerator containing only expired food. She also shares a painful memory of an incident that turned physical, leading her to move to Los Angeles and start seventh grade.

Born in August 1990, Chet Hanks comes from a famous acting family – he’s the oldest son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, and has followed in their footsteps. He’s appeared in several TV shows including Running Point, Your Honor, Empire, and Shameless, as well as films like Dead Wrong, Fantastic Four, and even some of his father’s movies, Larry Crowne and Greyhound.

Like his mother, Chet is also passionate about music. He’s released rap songs and is part of the country duo Something Out West, with whom he featured his father, Tom, in a Forrest Gumpthemed music video for their song “You Better Run.”

Chet appeared on the reality show The Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets* in 2024, and has occasionally been in the news for controversial reasons, including his use of a Jamaican accent and the phrase “white boy summer.”

Recently, Chet has been prioritizing his work, family – he has a daughter named Michaiah with his ex, Tiffany Miles – and his sobriety. He’s grateful for the unwavering support of his parents throughout his journey, saying they’ve “always been super supportive” and that he doesn’t take that for granted, especially as he’s been sober for three years.

Truman Hanks, born in December 1995, is the youngest of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson’s children. Like his siblings, he’s pursuing a career in the film industry, but he’s particularly interested in the technical side of things – he prefers working behind the camera. Tom Hanks shared on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show in 2023 that Truman has been creating his own films since high school and is already a member of the camera union, Local 600, in New York. He’s been working as a cinematographer and director of photography on various projects. While he’s primarily focused on filmmaking, Truman also briefly appeared on screen, playing a younger version of his father’s character in the 2022 film A Man Called Otto. Tom jokingly noted their striking resemblance at age 26. Beyond film, Truman is also academically accomplished, having earned a mathematics degree from Stanford University.

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2026-04-30 23:17