The Tom Hanks Enigma

In a career spanning twenty-five years, Tom Hanks has won hearts the world over and cemented his position as one of the finest actors of his generation. With roles in blockbusters as diverse as Big, Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Saving Private Ryan and The Da Vinci Code, this award-winning megastar is assured enduring popularity and box-office success. An actor and a producer, he has starred in over forty films. His ealry performaces in the likes of Splash and Big really put him on the Hollywood radar, before his outstanding performance as a sacked lawyer suffering from AIDS, in the provocative and emotional film Philadelphia, saw his profile soar, culminating in his first Oscar win. In more recent years Tom Hanks' commanding presence in the war epic Saving Private Ryan and his stand-out performance as Robert Langdon in the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code helped ensure these films became huge blockbusters, and maintained his position at the top of the celluloid tree. Yet despite his worldwide success, Tom Hanks remains a mysterious and enigmatic character. In this wonderful portrait of a dedicated family man and professional, acclaimed journalist David Gardner looks at Tom Hanks' life - his fractured childhood, the breakdown of his first marriage, his friendship with Princess Diana and his relationship with Bill Clinton, his moral and political stance, family life, and the highs and lows of his stellar career. With insightful interviews with his close friends, colleagues and family, this book is a revealing intimate portrait of the much- loved Hollywood star.

David Gardner worked for ten years for the Daily Mail as a crime writer ans senior foreign correspondent. After leaving London in 1993, he launched a successful news and features agency in New York before moving to California, where he now lives with his wife and three children.