According to Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks’ wife of 35 years, Tom Hanks apparently doesn’t show much understanding towards people experiencing a divorce.
During a recent podcast episode of “Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi,” Wilson revealed that Hanks turned down the opportunity to star in the popular romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally” due to his views on divorce.
Wilson shared, “Most people probably don’t know this, but Tom was offered the role in ‘When Harry Met Sally.'”
Ultimately, Billy Crystal was cast as the lead character, Harry Burns, despite the role initially being offered to Tom Hanks. In the beloved 1989 film that explores the possibility of transitioning from being best friends to something more, Crystal starred alongside Meg Ryan.
According to Wilson, Hanks declined the role because the character was still dealing with the aftermath of a divorce. She claimed that Hanks “was going through a divorce, and he was very happy to be not married.”
“So he could not understand that a person going through a divorce would (feel) anything other than just like, ‘I’m so happy,’” she joked. After nine years of marriage, Hanks and Samantha Lewes, an actress, divorced in 1987.
Wilson and Hanks were wed in 1988. Despite doubts about his professional decisions, Wilson gushed over her husband’s recent movie, “Asteroid City,” during its New York red carpet premiere.
The endearing alien tale Wes Anderson directed is set in a desert hamlet. It will be shown in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on Friday before opening nationwide on June 23.
At the movie premiere, Wilson, a musician, told USA TODAY that she “loved the music in the movie” in particular. She remarked, “Wes gets these great people around him, and they all play (the film’s) cowboy musicians,” Throughout the film, the group sings folk songs with guests to Asteroid City.
The singer from the country genre most recently dispersed the track “Little Black Dress” earlier this month. The artist stated on social media that the song’s purpose was to “tell a story for the little black dress that every woman has in her closet.”
