Tom Hanks’s Best Roles
Tom Hanks has been a beloved figure on the silver screen for decades, earning a reputation as one of the most versatile and consistent actors of his generation. From lighthearted comedies that launched his career to powerful dramas that cemented his legendary status, he has an incredible ability to fully embody his characters. He makes us laugh, cry, and think, often all within the same film. His performances feel genuine and relatable, which is why audiences connect with him so deeply.
Exploring his filmography is like taking a tour through some of modern cinema’s most memorable moments. He has played real life heroes, fictional icons, and everyday people caught in extraordinary circumstances. Each role showcases a different facet of his immense talent, proving that he can handle any genre with skill and heart. This list celebrates some of the most iconic performances that have defined his incredible career and made him a true Hollywood treasure.
‘Forrest Gump’ (1994)
Tom Hanks plays the title character, a kindhearted man from Alabama with a below average IQ who never sees himself as disadvantaged. The story follows Forrest through several decades of his life as he accidentally finds himself at the center of major historical events in the 20th century. He becomes a college football star, fights in Vietnam, and even inspires a popular smiley face t-shirt, all while holding onto a pure and unwavering love for his childhood friend, Jenny.
The film is told from Forrest’s simple and honest perspective as he recounts his life story to strangers while waiting at a bus stop. His journey is one of improbable success and deep personal loss, highlighting themes of destiny, innocence, and love. Through it all, his unshakeable optimism and loyalty to his friends, especially his commanding officer Lieutenant Dan, shape his extraordinary life.
‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998)
In this intense war drama, Hanks portrays Captain John H. Miller, an Army Rangers captain leading a squad of soldiers during World War II. After surviving the brutal D-Day landing at Omaha Beach, Miller is given a difficult and dangerous new mission. He and his men must venture deep into enemy territory to find and rescue Private James Francis Ryan, whose three brothers have already been killed in action.
As they travel across war torn France, Miller’s squad questions the logic of risking their own lives to save one man. Captain Miller struggles with the heavy burden of command, trying to keep his men alive while dealing with his own fears and the moral complexities of their task. The role showcases a man who remains calm and resolute on the outside while wrestling with the emotional toll of war on the inside.
‘The Green Mile’ (1999)
Hanks stars as Paul Edgecomb, the head corrections officer on death row at a Louisiana penitentiary during the Great Depression. Paul is a compassionate and principled man who treats the inmates with a level of decency that is uncommon for the time and place. His world and his beliefs are forever changed with the arrival of John Coffey, a giant of a man convicted of a terrible crime but possessing a gentle spirit.
Paul soon discovers that John Coffey has a miraculous ability to heal the sick and see the true nature of people. As he witnesses these incredible events, he begins to doubt Coffey’s guilt and faces a profound moral crisis. The story is narrated by an elderly Paul, who reflects on the events of that year and the supernatural mystery that unfolded on the “Green Mile”.
‘Toy Story 3’ (2010)
He returns as the voice of Woody, the loyal and dependable cowboy doll who has been a leader among Andy’s toys for years. The film finds the toys in a state of anxiety because their owner, Andy, is now a teenager preparing to leave for college. A misunderstanding leads to most of the toys being donated to Sunnyside Daycare, a place that initially seems like a paradise for unwanted toys.
Woody is the only one who remains steadfast in his belief that they must return to Andy, but the other toys are swayed by the charismatic ruler of Sunnyside, Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear. Woody must rally his friends to escape the daycare, which turns out to be a prison for toys, and make it back home before Andy leaves for good. The adventure tests his leadership and the bonds of their friendship.
‘Toy Story’ (1995)
In the film that started it all, Tom Hanks introduces the world to Woody, a pull string cowboy doll who is the undisputed favorite toy of his owner, Andy. As the leader of the toys in Andy’s room, Woody’s position is secure until Andy’s birthday party brings a new, exciting toy into the mix. Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger action figure, quickly captures Andy’s attention and becomes the new favorite.
Feeling jealous and threatened, Woody’s attempt to get rid of Buzz backfires, resulting in both of them getting lost in the outside world. They must put aside their rivalry and work together to survive a series of misadventures, including a run in with a destructive neighborhood kid named Sid. Their journey home forges an unlikely friendship and teaches them about loyalty and teamwork.
‘Catch Me If You Can’ (2002)
Hanks plays Carl Hanratty, a straight laced and dedicated FBI agent who specializes in bank fraud. The film is based on a true story, and Hanratty’s primary target is Frank Abagnale Jr., a brilliant young con artist who successfully posed as a pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer. Carl becomes obsessed with catching Frank, leading to a global game of cat and mouse.
Despite being on opposite sides of the law, Carl and Frank develop a strange and complex relationship over the years they spend chasing each other. Hanratty is the only one who truly understands Frank’s genius, and he becomes a sort of father figure to the young man who ran away from a broken home. Their pursuit is filled with close calls and clever escapes, building a mutual respect between the agent and the criminal.
‘Captain Phillips’ (2013)
This gripping thriller features Tom Hanks as Richard Phillips, the real life captain of the American cargo ship Maersk Alabama. During a voyage off the coast of Somalia, the ship is attacked and boarded by a small group of armed pirates. Captain Phillips must use his wits and experience to protect his crew and navigate the incredibly tense and dangerous situation.
He finds himself in a direct confrontation with the pirate leader, Muse, as he tries to deescalate the conflict while his crew hides below deck. The situation escalates when Phillips is taken hostage on a small lifeboat, leading to a dramatic standoff with the U.S. Navy. His performance captures the immense pressure and raw fear of a man trying to survive an impossible ordeal.
‘Cast Away’ (2000)
He delivers a remarkable performance as Chuck Noland, a time obsessed FedEx systems engineer whose life is turned upside down when his plane crashes into the Pacific Ocean. Chuck is the sole survivor, and he washes ashore on a remote, uninhabited island. He must learn to survive by finding water, making fire, and securing food in a completely isolated environment.
For four years, Chuck endures crushing loneliness and physical hardship, his only companion being a volleyball he names Wilson. The film is a powerful story of human endurance and the will to live, with Hanks carrying much of the movie entirely on his own. His transformation from a modern man dependent on technology to a resourceful survivor is both compelling and heartbreaking.
‘Toy Story 4’ (2019)
Woody the cowboy, voiced by Hanks, is back for another adventure, this time with a new owner named Bonnie. He finds himself feeling a bit lost in the shuffle of Bonnie’s toys and takes it upon himself to look after her new favorite creation, a spork named Forky who is convinced he is trash. When Forky gets lost during a family road trip, Woody goes on a mission to bring him back.
Along the way, Woody has an unexpected reunion with his long lost friend Bo Peep, who has embraced a life of freedom as a lost toy. Her independent spirit challenges Woody’s lifelong devotion to a single child. He is ultimately faced with a difficult choice between returning to the life he has always known and embracing a brand new purpose.
‘Road to Perdition’ (2002)
In a departure from his more wholesome roles, Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a loyal enforcer for an Irish mob boss in 1930s Illinois. Sullivan is a devoted family man who tries to keep his violent profession separate from his home life. However, when his oldest son witnesses one of his father’s jobs, it sets off a tragic chain of events that results in betrayal and loss.
Forced to go on the run with his surviving son, Sullivan embarks on a path of revenge against the crime family he once served. The film explores dark themes of violence, father-son relationships, and the possibility of redemption. Hanks portrays a quiet, brooding character who must protect his son while confronting the consequences of his own violent life.
‘Philadelphia’ (1993)
Hanks delivers a powerful, Oscar winning performance as Andrew Beckett, a promising young lawyer at a prestigious Philadelphia law firm. Andrew is a gay man who has been hiding his sexuality and his recent AIDS diagnosis from his employers. When a colleague notices a lesion, the firm’s partners orchestrate his firing under the guise of incompetence.
Determined to fight for his rights, Andrew decides to sue the firm for wrongful termination and discrimination. He struggles to find legal representation until he teams up with Joe Miller, a homophobic personal injury attorney who is initially reluctant to take the case. The film was one of the first mainstream Hollywood movies to tackle the AIDS epidemic and the prejudice surrounding it.
‘Apollo 13’ (1995)
He stars as astronaut Jim Lovell in this true story of the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program. Lovell, along with fellow astronauts Fred Haise and Jack Swigert, is on his way to the moon when an onboard explosion cripples their spacecraft. The famous line “Houston, we have a problem” signals the beginning of a life threatening crisis thousands of miles from Earth.
With their moon landing aborted, the mission becomes a desperate race against time to get the three men home safely. The film alternates between the astronauts’ struggle for survival in their damaged capsule and the tireless efforts of the engineers and flight controllers at Mission Control in Houston. They must improvise solutions to complex technical problems to bring the crew back.
‘Bridge of Spies’ (2015)
In this Cold War thriller, Tom Hanks portrays James B. Donovan, an American insurance lawyer with a strong sense of principle. In the late 1950s, Donovan is asked to defend Rudolf Abel, a man accused of being a Soviet spy. Despite facing public hostility and pressure to simply go through the motions, Donovan provides Abel with a vigorous defense, believing everyone deserves a fair trial.
His legal work eventually leads the CIA to recruit him for a much more sensitive task. Donovan must travel to East Berlin to negotiate a prisoner exchange, trading Rudolf Abel for a captured American U-2 spy plane pilot. He finds himself in the middle of a tense international standoff, relying on his skills as a negotiator to navigate the dangerous world of Cold War espionage.
‘Sully’ (2016)
Hanks plays Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the experienced US Airways pilot who became a national hero in 2009. Shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, his plane strikes a flock of geese, causing both engines to fail. With no engine power and no airport within reach, Sully makes the split second decision to perform an emergency water landing on the Hudson River.
His incredible skill saves the lives of all 155 people on board in what became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson”. However, the film focuses on the aftermath, as Sully and his co-pilot face an intense investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. They must defend their actions against computer simulations suggesting they could have made it back to an airport.
‘Big’ (1988)
In one of his early, star-making roles, Hanks plays Josh Baskin, a 12 year old boy who is frustrated with the limitations of being a kid. At a carnival, he makes a wish on an antique fortune teller machine to be “big”. The next morning, he wakes up to find himself in the body of a 30 year old man, forcing him to flee his home and seek refuge in New York City.
With the help of his best friend, Josh gets a job at a toy company, where his childlike enthusiasm and genuine understanding of what kids want make him a surprise success. He experiences the perks of adulthood, including a promotion and a romance, but soon discovers that being a grown up comes with its own set of pressures. He finds himself longing for the simple joys of his childhood.
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