Tom Hanks is widely recognized for his decades-long career in Hollywood, but away from the screen, he is also a father of four. Among his children, only one is his daughter, E.A. Hanks, who is now carving out her own identity as a writer.
Born Elizabeth Anne Hanks, she is the daughter of Hanks and his first wife, Susan Dillingham, who performed under the name Samantha Lewes. While her father built a globally recognized acting career, E.A. Hanks has taken a different path, focusing on storytelling through writing.
A Writer Finding Her Voice
E.A. Hanks recently stepped into the spotlight with her memoir, The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road, a deeply personal project that reflects on her upbringing and life experiences. The book is described as both a personal journey and a broader exploration of American life, as she documents a cross-country road trip and the people she encountered along the way.
Her work also examines her own family history, including her parents’ divorce and her relationship with her late mother. In interviews cited by People, she has spoken about difficult aspects of her childhood, including experiences of emotional and physical harm while living with her mother.
The memoir is not limited to family reflections. It also touches on social and political observations across the United States, blending personal narrative with wider cultural commentary. Through her writing, she attempts to separate truth from uncertainty in her family’s past, including questions surrounding her maternal grandfather.
A Father’s Support
Despite the sensitive subject matter, Tom Hanks has publicly expressed pride in his daughter’s work, praising her honesty and willingness to confront complex topics. Speaking to Access Hollywood, he described her as having a “bold” and “literate mind,” adding that her curiosity and openness were evident from a young age.
Hanks also acknowledged the universal nature of difficult family histories, noting that “we all come from checkered, cracked lives.” His comments reflect a supportive stance as his daughter shares her story on her own terms.
A Life Shaped by Experience
E.A. Hanks’ early life was shaped by her parents’ separation in 1987 and her mother’s later struggles with illness and addiction. After spending much of her childhood living with her mother, she eventually moved to Los Angeles during her early teens when her father gained primary custody.
She has described feeling reluctant to share the full extent of her experiences at the time, later reflecting that she saw herself as protecting her mother. Today, she credits her father with encouraging honesty and resilience, values that are central to her writing.
Now, with her memoir released, E.A. Hanks is establishing herself not as the daughter of a famous actor, but as a writer with her own voice.
