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USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Tom Hanks speaks out on daughter E.A. Hanks' 'bold' memoir of mom's alleged abuse
Tom Hanks speaks out on daughter E.A. Hanks' 'bold' memoir of mom's alleged abuse Show Caption Hide Caption Tom Hanks' daughter reveals childhood of 'violence' and 'deprivation' Elizabeth Ann Hanks opened up about her turbulent early years which she says were filled with "violence" and "deprivation" in her upcoming book, The 10: A Memoir of Family and The Open Road. Cover Media Tom Hanks is opening up publicly about his daughter's book. The "You've Got Mail" actor said daughter E.A. Hanks' memoir is "a pride" because she's been "very open" about it. In "The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road," she looks back on her childhood and parents' divorce, alleging abuse perpetrated by her late mother (and Hanks' first wife), Susan Dillingham. "She's a knockout, always has been," Hanks told Access Hollywood on the red carpet premiere of "The Phoenician Scheme." The younger Hanks' memoir is wide-ranging, both a quest to understand her mother and a cross-country road trip. She writes about her time living in a van on her journey, political and sociological issues in the U.S. and the regional differences in the people she meets along the way. Hanks also tries to parse between fact and fiction in her family history, including a story about her maternal grandfather's possible connection to a murder. Tom Hanks proud of daughter E.A. Hanks' 'bold' memoir The "Forrest Gump" actor called his daughter a "bold, journalistic, literate mind," something he's known since she was young. "If you've had kids, you realize that you see who they are when they're about six weeks old," Hanks said. He continued: "I'm not surprised that my daughter had the wherewithal as well as the curiosity, as well as, I'm going to say, perhaps, the shoot-herself-in-the-foot kind of wherewithal in order to examine this thing that I think she was very honest about. We all come from checkered, cracked lives, all of us." Hanks and Dillingham, who acted under the name Samantha Lewes, divorced in 1987 after nine years of marriage. Together, they shared E.A. (born Elizabeth Anne) and Colin Hanks. He married actress Rita Wilson the following year. Dillingham died of lung cancer in 2002 at age 49 and had struggled with mental illness and addiction. Though her mother was never diagnosed, Hanks believes she was bipolar, she told People in an interview. Her father gained primary custody in her early teen years, following a childhood living with her mother filled with "emotional" and "physical violence." "As the years went on, the backyard became so full of dog (expletive) that you couldn't walk around it, the house stank of smoke. The fridge was bare or full of expired food more often than not, and my mother spent more and more time in her big four-poster bed, poring over the Bible," Hanks writes. "One night, her emotional violence became physical violence, and in the aftermath I moved to Los Angeles, right smack in the middle of the seventh grade." Hanks told People she was afraid to tell her dad how bad the situation became, calling herself a "protector" of her mom's secrets. Now Tom, a novelist and writer in his own right, is supportive of her memoir, she says: "I'm equally my father's daughter because he taught me to tell the truth and move forward."
Glasgow Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
I saw Gary Barlow perform in Glasgow's Armadillo
Singer Gary Barlow stripped it back to basics from the big production shows his fans are used to for an intimate set in Glasgow's Armadillo tonight - and the results were simply wonderful. The razzmatazz of the Take That shows was nowhere to be seen as he opted for a set featuring incredible musicians showing off their talent. Opening up with his 1997 solo track Open Road, the 54-year-old quickly switched things back to familiar territory with the Take That smash Greatest Day as confetti fell into the crowd. (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) Smiling from ear to ear, Barlow beamed: 'Good evening Glasgow 'It's always loud in Scotland.' And the screams echoed around the arena as he rearranged Take That classics Sure and Everything Changes. (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) The Piano star Brad Keller then joined Barlow on stage for a performance of A Million Love Songs with saxophonist Mike Stevens in tow, and it sounded just gorgeous. The Flood - the song which launched Robbie Williams' brief return to Take That in 2010 - was a moment to remember, with the crowd singing in unison with their arms in the air. (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) What's great about Barlow's solo gigs is that he gets to show his true self on stage. You can see glimpses of what he learned in his early career performing in the working men's clubs from the humour he honed from the comedians to encouragement of audience participation, it makes you feel part of the show - and it's something that can be easily lost the bigger the crowd, yet Barlow has mastered it. (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) Patience put Barlow's voice in the spotlight, and he sounded incredible. We know he can write songs, his talent is exceptional, but when he sings them on his own, you feel the meaning even more. This was the case during a piano performance of Forever Love, it was just beautiful. READ NEXT: I saw Take That at the Glasgow Hydro - my verdict READ NEXT: Review of Gary Barlow with Leona Lewis at the Glasgow Hydro READ NEXT: Review: Take That musical The Band at the King's Theatre (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) Shine delighted the crowd, let's face it that song just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, it's a complete mood lifter while Relight my Fire got the party started. The pop masterpiece Back for Good then delivered reminding fans of the beauty of Barlow's writing, it's pure genius and a song that's stood the test of time. (Image: Gary Barlow performs at Glasgow's Armadillo in May 2025. Pic by Calum Buchan.) Finishing things off, Barlow flattered: 'The fact you've chosen to spend your evening with us means the world,' before performing Rule the World and Never Forget.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Woman runs London Marathon in memory of mother
A woman whose mother died while battling alcohol addiction is urging others to seek help before it's too late. Kirsty Toner, from Rochester in Kent, believes her mother Stella began to struggle after her children became adults. "She started going through a slippery slope of drinking and she went missing in August 2023 and unfortunately she was found in the River Medway," said Ms Toner. She is training for the London Marathon on 27 April, and will be raising money for the addiction recovery charity Open Road, which helped her mother. Leah Slater is the fundraising manager for the charity and has called Kirsty's efforts "fantastic". "We really appreciate all she does," she said. "The fundraising and the donations that come in through this will go straight into supporting people like her mum and people out there who are struggling with substance abuse." Kent County Council is aiming to reduce the number of alcohol-related A&E admissions by around 6% by 2028. Ms Toner is urging anyone struggling with addiction to act now. She said: "You can get support networks out there, there are people who understand, so just speak up. I think it's really important." If you have been affected by this story the BBC Action Line web page features a list of organisations which are ready to provide support and advice. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Father runs 10 marathons in 10 days for daughter Man accidentally sets marathon record on crutches 'I'm running a marathon in a pair of sliders' Bar manager to run at the front of London Marathon Man to run London Marathon in polar bear suit Former Cobblers boss Brady to run London Marathon Open Road The London Marathon
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Rochester: Woman runs London Marathon in memory of late mother
A woman whose mother died while battling alcohol addiction is urging others to seek help before it's too Toner, from Rochester in Kent, believes her mother Stella began to struggle after her children became adults."She started going through a slippery slope of drinking and she went missing in August 2023 and unfortunately she was found in the River Medway," said Ms is training for the London Marathon on 27 April, and will be raising money for the addiction recovery charity Open Road, which helped her mother. Leah Slater is the fundraising manager for the charity and has called Kirsty's efforts "fantastic"."We really appreciate all she does," she said."The fundraising and the donations that come in through this will go straight into supporting people like her mum and people out there who are struggling with substance abuse." Kent County Council is aiming to reduce the number of alcohol-related A&E admissions by around 6% by Toner is urging anyone struggling with addiction to act said: "You can get support networks out there, there are people who understand, so just speak up. I think it's really important."If you have been affected by this story the BBC Action Line web page features a list of organisations which are ready to provide support and advice.
