Tom Hanks’ Surprise Cameo in Chet Hanks’ Forrest Gump Music Video
Look, I don’t *have* to tell you that nepotism runs rampant in Hollywood, but here we are. Chet Hanks has gone and dropped his latest something-or-other, a Forrest Gump–themed country banger titled “You Better Run,” complete with dear old dad Tom Hanks popping up on a bench like some cinematic Easter egg. Yes, the same Tom Hanks who’s about as low-key as an A-list icon can get decided to stroll onto set for a quick “Run, Forrest!” homage—and, of course, someone filmed it.
Chet, who forms half of country duo Something Out West alongside Drew Arthur, couldn’t resist teasing Tom’s “prima donna” tendencies on Today June 24. “Oh, man, he’s a real prima donna,” he quipped—before backtracking in true papa’s-boy fashion: “I’m just kidding. He’s the most easygoing dude ever.” Source: Today. Yawn. Meanwhile, Drew confessed he had to shoot a scene *before* Tom arrived. “Tom was waiting for me,” he said, probably blinking in astonishment that he’d earned a split second of the Oscar winner’s schedule. Source: Today.
Naturally, once Tom dipped his toes into Chet’s world of twangy choruses, the other way around seemed obligatory. Chet recently snagged a minor acting role opposite Kate Hudson in Netflix’s Running Point. “It’s about time,” he sighed, presumably eye-rolling at how long it took to get off the musical hamster wheel. Source: E! Online.
And because life isn’t complicated enough, Chet also spilled to Jenna Bush Hager and Niecy Nash-Betts about the joys of being *the son of* Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks. “You get to travel the world, stay in nice hotels, fly private,” he noted in a 2022 YouTube confessional—then threw in his own little lecture on envy, because of course. “I wasn’t even famous,” he lamented. “I was just the son of somebody famous.” Source: E! Online.
Meanwhile, Tom has been busy sharing his parenting hack: unconditional love plus strategic privacy. In a 2019 New York Times interview, he insisted kids need one message only: “I love you, there’s nothing you can do wrong.” And on In Depth with Graham Bensinger in 2020, he added that preserving his children’s private moments is top priority. Sure, Tom—just keep those cameo checks coming.
So, in case you missed it, Hollywood’s favorite dad-and-son team just reminded us that you can put the whole Hanks name on a music video and voilà, instant buzz. Did anyone expect a different outcome? No? Thought so. And that, dear reader, is why we can’t have nice things.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, Today Show, The New York Times, In Depth with Graham Bensinger
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
