While Chet Hanks has made his way into the news for his own unique behavior, some merely him as the son of his father, actor Tom Hanks. Much like any child to a celebrity as valued as Mr. Hanks, the perks and pitfalls are equally present in such a relationship. Now a part of the YouTube ecosystem with his own channel, the social media star/rapper has taken some time out to discuss what it’s like to grow up as Tom Hanks’ son.
The answers might simultaneously shock people, while also confirming what they’ve already thought about the Hanks family dynamic. In a new YouTube video on his channel promoting HanxFit, his new “self-mastery program,” the young man spoke at length about how he feels blessed, despite some of the not-so-fun parts to being a son of Hanks. To start, here’s Chet Hanks’ story about speaking about very subject in his teenage years with another son of a famous father:
The most memorable time I was asked that question was when I was 14 years old. Me and my family were invited to the White House, this was when George W. Bush was president. When I was introduced to the president, he turned to me and he said, ‘Hey Chester! What was it like growing up the son of a famous father?’ I was caught off guard, because I was 14. The answer I gave him then is pretty much the answer I give people now. I said, ‘Well, Mr. President, there’s a lot of advantages, but sometimes it can be pretty weird.’ And he said, ‘Huh. That’s a good answer. I think I know a little something about that.’
From an early age, Chet Hanks has seemed to grapple with what it means to be the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. Part of that entire situation is dealing with the expectations that others seem to project upon him, which is influenced by assumptions many make of children raised in the limelight of fame.
Assumptions such as those tend to crop up whenever Chet Hanks makes an appearance online, like when he discussed his parents' COVID-19 diagnosis in the early days of the pandemic. Even in social media fights with other rappers like Tekashi 6ix-9ine, his parentage has led to the unwitting involvement of his father in such squabbles. As he revealed the downside to this “double edged sword,” Chet Hanks mentioned how people assumed he was arrogant and spoiled because of his upbringing.
While he absolutely claims to be privileged, Hanks laid out a well argued case for why he isn’t as spoiled as some other kids in his position might be. Even better, Chet told the following story about how Tom Hanks would handle the issue of his son wanting money to go out with his friends:
I’m very privileged, but I wasn’t spoiled. I know a lot of wealthy kids that were spoiled. My parents didn’t spoil me. I was never just given money or an allowance, I had to earn everything. … Growing up, if I needed money to like go out and have fun with my friends, my dad would be like, ‘Ok, you want some money? Go wash my car. I’ll give you $60.’ Everything was earned, and I’m grateful for that.
When clicking onto a video with a title like “The Truth About Growing Up As A Hanks,” some may think Chet Hanks was ready to put his family on blast. That notion couldn’t be further from the truth, as shown in both the way he sees his parent’s fame, as well as the example he provided of his father’s ethics on money. It’s pretty much what you’d expect from Tom Hanks, as he seems like the person that would take life lessons like his own father witnessing his grandfather’s death and turn them into solid parenting strategies.
In its own way, Chet’s story is powerful enough to potentially reform the public's image of him. Time will tell, but if there are any more videos like this in the offing, the young Hanks child seems to have grown quite a bit. For now, if you want to check the 2022 movie releases for a future night out at the movies, that information is available rather quickly. As far as Tom Hanks is concerned, you can see another side of the legendary actor as he plays Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Lurhmann’s Elvis biopic, scheduled for release on June 24th.
