Tom Hanks attends the "A Man Called Otto" New York Screening© Getty Images

Tom Hanks shares take on criticism for debut novel: 'It's not fair'

The Forrest Gump star released The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece about his life in the movie business

Ahad Sanwari - New York
Senior WriterNew York
May 9, 2023

Tom Hanks is flying high after the release of his debut novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture, this week, and it's already making headlines.

However, not all press has been positive, as the book has already received mixed to negative early reviews from the likes of The New York Times, The Observer, and The Sunday Times, to name a few.

VIDEO: Tom Hanks overcome with emotion at the Golden Globe awards

In an interview with the BBC on Monday, the actor, 66, shared just what he thought of the criticism, and he wasn't taking it in his stride.

He acknowledged the privilege he had as a major motion picture star when it came to publishing a novel without having to go through the rigamarole of publishers, rejections, and endless rewriters, simply saying: "It's not fair."

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Hanks did say, though, that he was largely unfazed by the feedback given that he was used to it thanks to his "day job as a movie star," stating that he was "stronger when it comes down to really being torn apart."

The synopsis for the 448-page novel says that it is "a wildly ambitious story of the making of a colossal, star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film, and the humble comic book that inspired it all."

The book features a host of wacky characters as well, including an eccentric director and a difficult actor, with the two-time Oscar winner acknowledging that he has been those people in different scenarios.

"I have pulled every single one of those moments of behavior myself on a set. Not everybody is at their best every single day on a motion picture set," he said.

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"I've had tough days trying to be a professional when my life has been falling apart in more ways than one and the requirement for me that day is to be funny, charming and loving – and it's the last way I feel."

He admits, though, that the one thing he doesn't compromise on is his understanding of routine, adding: "What cannot occur on a motion picture is that someone cannot monkey around with the timing or the length of the shoot or the budget. That is a cardinal sin in the motion picture business."

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The actor published his first book, a collection of short stories, in 2017

While the novel may be Hanks' first, it's his second published work, following a 2017 collection of short stories inspired by his extensive typewriter collection titled Uncommon Type.

He goes in deep, though, terming some of the actors in his book as "cry-babies, psychological train wrecks, on-the-wagon alcoholics, off-the-wagon addicts... and more than a couple of feuds between the Talent."

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When pressed by the British network, though, he doesn't name names for who inspired the caricatures, although he stands by his decision of keeping the more offensive language in by saying: "Let me decide what I am offended by and what I'm not offended by."

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The Hollywood couple celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary recently

The novel's release comes at a busy time for the Hollywood legend, who saw the release of his latest film, last year's A Man Called Otto, on Netflix, where it shot straight to number one. And a little over a week after celebrating his 35th wedding anniversary with wife Rita Wilson.

Take a look at snatches of Tom Hanks' incredible career in some photos below:

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Tom Hanks in 1994's Forrest Gump

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