- Title: USA: Tom Hanks is honored with an A-list tribute at New York's Lincoln Center
- Date: 29th April 2009
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR TOM HANKS, SAYING: "Look, this is the most intimidating thing on the planet, I don't know what to say, I don't know what superlatives or adjectives to put behind it. Am I thrilled? Yes, I am more anxious that everybody just enjoys whatever show they have in store tonight, because I hope they're not bored by things I've asked them to come to. That would be bad." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS JULIA ROBERTS, SAYING: "Well, he's a great friend, I mean, he's the kind of guy that you can call with any kind of problem and he would do what he could to help you, he's a really compassionate person." REPORTER ASKS QUESTION, TO WHICH ROBERTS RESPONDS: "Well, work with him or watch him, you know, any time you just sort of watch great acting, you know, it teaches you something, for sure. He's a great example of a talented person who is really level-headed and still like your neighbor who you could borrow a cup of sugar from." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS CHARLIZE THERON, SAYING: "I think he's one of those people who, he loves all the different elements of moviemaking, and he's really good at so much of it, and I think, I really love actors like that, who really, they're filmmakers, he's a filmmaker, he's not just an actor." (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOM HANKS, SAYING: "There is always a possibility that I will say something so stupid up there that will haunt me for the rest of my life, so let's just see what happens. REPORTER ASKS RITA WILSON WHAT HER FAVORITE TOM HANKS FILM IS, TO WHICH SHE REPLIES: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS RITA WILSON, SAYING: "All the home movies." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR RON HOWARD, SAYING: "Well, it does a bunch of things, first of all, he makes everybody on a project better, second of all, he's so relaxed, and yet so good, that you don't feel guilty about all the laughs that you are having, because you know you're getting good work, you know he's doing good work, and he also has a great sense of quality." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS SALLY FIELD, SAYING: "Absolutely, absolutely, anytime you work with someone of that caliber, it always makes you better, always." (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR ROBERT ZEMECKIS, SAYING: "I've been very lucky because in the three films I've made with Tom, they've been very, very different, so all of his performances are great, I've been very fortunate to have a chance to work with him." TOM HANKS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS
- Embargoed: 14th May 2009 13:00
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- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVADR95P6B0PXYMLK6SSKWYC9NM6
- Story Text: Tom Hanks' A-list friends and co-stars honor him in New York City with a red carpet event and a rarely offered tribute.
Two time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks was the toast of New York on Monday (April 27), as several of his A-list friends and co-stars gathered to honor the actor's career.
Celebrities in attendance at the red carpet event included Julia Roberts, Charlize Theron, Jeremy Irons, Steven Spielberg, and Adrian Brody, among others.
The event was sponsored by Lincoln Center Film Society, and was named for the first recipient, Charlie Chaplin, in 1972. With only one Chaplin Award handed out each year -- 34 since its inception, Hanks was deeply moved by the committee's selection of him for the 2009 honor.
"Look, this is the most intimidating thing on the planet, I don't know what to say, I don't know what superlatives or adjectives to put behind it," Hanks told Reuters.
"Am I thrilled? Yes, I am more anxious that everybody just enjoys whatever show they have in store tonight, because I hope they're not bored by things I've asked them to come to. That would be bad."
Among Hanks' past co-stars eager to sing his praises was Julia Roberts, whom she starred with in the 2007 film, "Charlie Wilson's War."
Roberts claimed, like many walking the red carpet, that Tom Hanks is just a nice person unaffected by superstardom.
"Well, he's a great friend, I mean, he's the kind of guy that you can call with any kind of problem and he would do what he could to help you, he's a really compassionate person," Roberts said. "He's a great example of a talented person who is really level-headed and still like your neighbor who you could borrow a cup of sugar from."
Actress Charlize Theron got the chance to work with Hanks in the 1996 film "That Thing You Do," which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in. Theron was impressed with his acting talent as well as his talents in the film industry, as he has directed and produced countless films and TV specials ever since.
"I think he's one of those people who, he loves all the different elements of moviemaking," Theron explained. "And he's really good at so much of it, and I think, I really love actors like that, who really, they're filmmakers, he's a filmmaker, he's not just an actor."
Hanks has two Best Actor Oscars to his name -- the first for the 1993 film "Philadelphia," in which he plays a gay man dying of AIDS, and the second for 1994's "Forrest Gump," in which he played a well-meaning simpleton, a role which cemented an iconic pop culture image.
Sally Field played Hanks' mother in "Forrest Gump," and told reporters that she learned from him during their scenes together.
"Absolutely, Absolutely, anytime you work with someone of that caliber, it always makes you better, always," Fields said.
Hanks wasn't only praised by actors at the affair. Filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, and Ron Howard have all directed Hanks in various films, and were on hand to lend their applause to his career, which already spans almost 30 years.
"He makes everybody on a project better," according to Howard. "He's so relaxed, and yet so good, that you don't feel guilty about all the laughs that you are having, because you know you're getting good work, you know he's doing good work, and he also has a great sense of quality."
"I've been very lucky because in the three films I've made with Tom, they've been very, very different, so all of his performances are great, I've been very fortunate to have a chance to work with him," added Zemeckis.
Perhaps Hanks' biggest supporter on the red carpet was his wife of 21 years, actress Rita Wilson.
When asked what her favorite Tom Hanks film is, Wilson replied, "All the home movies."
Hanks' next film is "Angels and Demons," the much-anticipated sequel to the 2006 Blockbuster film "The Da Vinci Code." Hanks reprises his role as Dr. Robert Langdon from the popular novels by Dan Brown.
"Angels and Demons," directed by Ron Howard, opens May 15. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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