Hanks, a regular on the sitcom, met Wilson when she appeared in one episode as a devil worshipper who dates his pal.
At the time, Hanks was still married to his high school sweetheart Samantha Lewes, whom he shares son Colin Hanks.
But Hanks and Wilson – who both produced the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise – were destined to be together.
“Rita and I just looked at each other and – kaboing – that was that,” said the star of Forrest Gump. “I asked Rita if it was the real thing for her, and it just couldn’t be denied.”
In 1988, the star of Big divorced Lewes and married Wilson, his co-star from the 1985 film Volunteers.
Almost four decades later
Both now 67, the couple – who share two sons, Chet and Truman – celebrated their 35th anniversary in April 2023.
Over the past three decades, they have starred together in several films, like Bonfire of the Vanities and Sleepless in Seattle, and have supported one another with their unconditional love.
“I’ll never forget, we were standing on the corner of 57th and 5th in New York, or 58th and 5th,” Wilson said of her husband. “We were holding hands, and we were waiting for the traffic light to change. And he looked at me and he said, ‘You know, I just want you to know, that you never have to change anything about who you are in order to be with me.’ Literally, a wave of – if love is a feeling, or a cellular thing that happens to your body – it went through me, and that’s pretty much who he is, and how he’s been.”
In 2015, when Wilson had a double mastectomy and reconstruction after being diagnosed with breast cancer, she said she was filled with gratitude for her supportive husband.
“You never know how your spouse is going to react in a situation like this. I was so amazed, so blown away by the care my husband gave me…who knew it would make you even closer?”
And no one can forget 2020, when the famous couple announced at the beginning of Covid that they both tested positive.
“I think that having the virus at the same time made it that little bit easier,” said Wilson, a singer-songwriter. “We were taking care of each other instead of having the pressure of taking care of one person and no one taking care of you or understanding that the person at home needs a break.”
In 2022, when the power pair were in New York City promoting Elvis, which Hank stars, the actor and filmmaker pulled a huge power move when a fan tripped his lovely wife while they were traveling from the building to their car.
The usually cool Hanks sniped at swarming fans, “Guys, this is my wife. Back the f–k off! Knocking over my wife?!”
Hanks was praised for being such a doting, protective husband.
The same year, some pictures emerged of Wilson – who’s no stranger to weight fluctuations – and she became the target of online trolls who compared her to an “unmade bed,” and said she looked “flabby.”
“Tom looks in great shape, while Rita looks out of shape and flabby,” one user writes, while another anonymous critic adds, “Rita Wilson has really let herself go.”
Before Hanks had a chance to respond, netizens jumped in with comments, defending Wilson, who worked as a producer with her husband on the 2022 film A Man Called Otto, that Hanks also starred.
One fan writes, “Please, Mr. NoProfilePic, post a picture of your perfect body that gives you the right to judge others so harshly…” A second shares, “OMG, really, we get older and our bodies change dramatically. I think she looks great!” And a third adds, “Beauty within ya twit.”
As for Hanks, he says his wife is “extremely brave and beautiful,” and “one of the most classically beautiful women who’s ever walked the planet Earth.”
