Over the past few months, satirical articles and Twitter users have accused "Hollywood's most decent fella" Tom Hanks of being nice, providing readers with a chuckle and a brief break from the news about powerful men like Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and Matt Lauer who have recently been accused of sexual misconduct. However, there was no satire involved in Bryan Cranston's praise for Hanks during a live roundtable discussion hosted by The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month.
When asked if the actors — which included Cranston, Octavia Spencer, Margot Robbie, Diane Kruger, Robert Pattinson, and Armie Hammer — had a mentor, the former Breaking Bad star said he learned how to conduct himself on set from his longtime friend Hanks.
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"I have known [Hanks] for 30 years, and I've watched him on set. Our wives are very good friends, and my wife was in their wedding," Cranston said. "So I was able to watch firsthand how a young man who is a star comports himself and treats people and is able to create an atmosphere on the set that is fun and welcoming of thoughts and ideas and get-the-work-done and then, 'See ya,' go home. You can have it all. You don't have to be the tortured actor and make everyone's life miserable."
Hanks hasn't just been kind reportedly kind to people while shooting. Last holiday season, he made one fan's dream come true by responding to her fan mail with a hilarious polaroid photo and a typed letter. In March, he sent the White House press corps a brand-new espresso machine so that they could concentrate during the never-ending news cycle. Most recently, he called for an end to harassment in the entertainment industry.
Call it cliché to love Hanks, but we could all use more positive influences like him right now.