Long before fame, a teenage Tom Hanks wrote a letter revealing he never wanted Hollywood fame
Hanks was quite confident for his age. In fact, he had also proposed a few ways Mr. Hill could 'discover' him, eventually paving his way to stardom.
Today, most people know Tom Hanks as this legendary, Oscar-winning superstar who has delivered some of the most iconic films of all time. But as a teenager, he was like any other regular kid — full of dreams and big ambitions. At 18, as an ardent fan of filmmaker George Roy Hill, Hanks wrote a letter to him just after he'd received the Academy Award for Best Director in 1974.
In his letter, the 69-year-old actor had confessed that he didn't wish to be a "Hollywood superstar," but a moderately successful actor. His letter is now on display at the Library of the Motion Picture Academy in Beverly Hills, according to PEOPLE.
Hanks congratulated Hill on his Oscar win and confessed he thoroughly enjoyed watching "The Sting," starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The "Forrest Gump" actor then tried to convince the filmmaker to cast him in the movies. Hanks confessed that he does realize that he is a nobody and exhibits no quality of a star, but he could succeed if granted an opportunity.
"My looks are not stunning. I am not built like a Greek god, and I can't even grow a mustache, but I figure if people pay to see certain films... they will pay to see me," the actor explained.
Although a bit insecure about his appearance, Hanks didn't let that overpower his dreams of becoming an actor. Instead, his quiet self-confidence perhaps played a significant role in his success, and research states that it can actually shape how people approach their goals later on.
A survey (cited on Jobera) revealed that while 93% of people consider self-confidence important for career success, 70% credit it as a contributing factor to their achievements.
Moreover, another study in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, a 15-year longitudinal study, found that people with higher self-esteem during their university years were comparatively more likely to secure permanent employment, earn higher salaries, and report greater job satisfaction a decade later, while those with lower self-esteem tended to experience more unemployment, burnout, and lower work engagement. Likewise, Hanks was quite confident for his age. In fact, he went as far as imagining possible ways Mr. Hill could 'discover' him, eventually paving his way to stardom.
Hanks imagined himself sitting at a soda shop where Hill accidentally stumbled upon him, just like how actress Lana Turner was discovered at 15. "Or maybe we can do it this way. I stumble into your office one day and beg for a job. To get rid of me, you give me a stand-in part in your next film. While shooting the film, the star breaks his leg in the dressing room, and, because you are behind schedule already, you arbitrarily place me in his part and — BANGO — I am a star," the actor added.
Hanks said he was fine being discovered in whatever ways destiny plans, but he was sure he didn't want to be a big Hollywood superstar with "girls crawling all over me." Instead, the "A Man Called Otto" star wanted to be this regular American boy riding a Porsche and be able to call Robert Redford "Bob."
On April 26, the same year, Hanks heard a reply from the filmmaker. The "Slap Shot" director jokingly recalled a situation where he accidentally hit a boy traveling to Skyline High School on his pogo stick. "Before he slips into unconsciousness, I tell him of my good fortune in finding someone for my next movie who does not have stunning looks, is not built like a Greek god, can't grow a mustache, and is willing to change his name to Humphrey Bogart. The whole part is to be played in a cast up to the neck, and BANGO — you are a star," Hill added.
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