Tom Hanks Supports Daughter E.A. Hanks’ Candid Memoir on Troubled Childhood

LOS ANGELES, CA — Tom Hanks discussed his daughter E.A. Hanks‘ new memoir, “The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road,” during the premiere of his film “The Phoenician Scheme” on May 26.

The 68-year-old actor expressed pride in E.A.’s decision to confront her past. “I’m not surprised that my daughter had the wherewithal as well as the curiosity to examine this thing that I think she was incredibly honest about,” Hanks said.

E.A., who is 43, opens up in her memoir about her challenging childhood as the daughter of two Hollywood figures. She reflects on her experiences of living with her mother, the late actress Samantha Lewes, and the difficulties she faced after her parents divorced.

“I have few memories of my parents in the same place at the same time,” E.A. writes. “It was just a confusing and chaotic time. My only memories of family gatherings are my brother Colin’s and my own graduations.”

Samantha Lewes, who passed away from cancer in 2002, struggled with mental health issues, and E.A. alleges instances of emotional and physical violence in her upbringing. “One night, her emotional violence became physical violence, and in the aftermath, I moved to Los Angeles, right smack in the middle of the seventh grade,” she recalled.

Hanks noted that all families have their struggles. “We all come from checkered, cracked lives, all of us,” he added. He commended E.A.’s honesty and bravery in sharing her story, saying that it reflects a bold literary mind.

E.A.’s memoir also recounts her journey to reconnect with her late mother’s history and her feelings of loss. After Lewes’ passing, she undertook a significant road trip that retraced earlier travels with her mother.

Tom Hanks is a father of four. He shares two children, Chet and Truman, with his current wife, Rita Wilson, whom he married in 1988. He often speaks about the importance of family and how both his daughters have shaped his view of parenthood.

“If you’ve had kids, you realize that you see who they are when they’re about 6 weeks old,” Hanks said, reflecting on the emotional journey of being a father. “Their personality is on display right there.”