Tom Hanks, a double Oscar winner, enjoys a status akin to Hollywood royalty.
Recently, it has come to light that the star of Forrest Gump is connected to one of America’s most esteemed presidents, Abraham Lincoln.
The actor, who is 56 years old, is a third cousin, four times removed from the former president.
The connection to ‘Honest Abe’ is traced back to Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks.
Details surrounding this genealogical relationship were disclosed by Hanks, 56, during the announcement of his role as the narrator for a film titled Killing Lincoln.
This historical thriller combines computer-generated imagery and rare archival material, produced by the National Geographic Channel.
The movie is adapted from Bill O’Reilly’s book, featuring Billy Campbell as Lincoln, Jesse Johnson as his assassin John Wilkes Booth, and Geraldine Hughes as Mary Todd Lincoln.
Since childhood, Hanks has been aware of his distant connection to Lincoln, with family members passing down the information about his ancestry.
He found immense joy in reciting the Gettysburg Address at an inaugural celebration for President Obama in 2009.
While Hanks does not flaunt his lineage, he once remarked, ‘I’m related to Abraham Lincoln. His mother was called Nancy Hanks, and those in my branch of the family are either cousins or in-laws or distant relatives.’
‘So when I was at school, guess which president I was always writing essays about.’
Known as the ‘chronicler in chief’ of U.S. history through his roles in films like Saving Private Ryan and Apollo 11, Hanks was briefly considered for the title role in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming movie Lincoln.
He later withdrew from consideration, noting that the actor portraying Lincoln needed to be tall and recognizing that he did not possess the same stature as Daniel Day-Lewis.
Genealogists have verified that Hanks is indeed a descendant of the former president.
Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks.
His mother passed away when he was nine, and he had an elder sister who died during childbirth at the age of 20.
Due to a series of tragedies and unmarried descendants, Lincoln has no direct living descendants.
Only one of his children, Robert, survived to adulthood, and while he had three children, only a few of them provided him with grandchildren.
The last descendant of Lincoln passed away in 1984.
In Spielberg’s film, Daniel Day-Lewis will portray the 13th president, set to release in November.
The film chronicles Lincoln’s political career leading up to his assassination in 1865 and is anticipated to be a significant contender in the Oscar race of 2013.
by Milo Johnson
