Tom Hanks’ son Chet Hanks reveals it was a ‘mindf***’ growing up with famous parents because he felt ‘worthless’ as he joins Surreal Life
Chet Hanks didn’t have it easy growing up with famous parents.
His father is Oscar winner Tom Hanks, best known for Forrest Gump and Sleepless In Seattle, and his mother is actress and singer Rita Wilson.
Chet shared in his new show Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets that he felt uncomfortable with the public’s reaction to the fact that he was the child of a superstar.
“I’ll tell you something about my childhood. People think that, being Tom Hanks’ son, I would grow up feeling like I was the s***,” Chet said on Tuesday’s season premiere.
“I grew up feeling like I was completely worthless.”
It wasn’t Tom and Rita’s fault, but strangers who had preconceived ideas about what he would be like.
Chet Hanks didn’t have it easy growing up with very famous parents, he said in his new show Surreal Life: Villa Of Secrets
![Tom Hanks' son Chet Hanks reveals it was a 'mindf***' growing up with famous parents because he felt 'worthless' as he joins Surreal Life 2 His father is Oscar winner Tom Hanks - best known for Forrest Gump and Sleepless In Seattle - and his mother is actress and singer Rita Wilson. Seen in February](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1721832417_657_Tom-Hanks-son-Chet-Hanks-reveals-it-was-a-mindf.jpg)
His father is Oscar winner Tom Hanks – best known for Forrest Gump and Sleepless In Seattle – and his mother is actress and singer Rita Wilson. Seen in February
“People treated me like, ‘You must think you’re better than me,’ when you weren’t. I just wanted to be friends with everybody and be treated like everybody else,” he told his costars, including Kim Zolciak Biermann, Josie Canseco and OT Genasis.
“But what am I supposed to do? Walk through the doors and be all humble and shy? That was a mindf*** for me to deal with.”
Chet continued: ‘When you come in and you think, “Here I am, you bastard,” you think, “Look at that arrogant bastard.”
“I’ve internalized all that negativity. Maybe I’m f***ing worthless, you know what I mean?”
It was a “struggle for me, both mentally and emotionally, to just be able to walk out there, look someone in the eye and say, ‘What’s up? I’m Chet,'” the aspiring actor said.
His parents supported him when he vented his frustrations on a reality TV show,
“The Surreal Life is a different kind of show. It’s not trashy and negative,” he explained to UsWeekly.
![Tom Hanks' son Chet Hanks reveals it was a 'mindf***' growing up with famous parents because he felt 'worthless' as he joins Surreal Life 4 Chet revealed in his new show Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets that he felt uncomfortable with the public's reaction to him being the child of a superstar](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1721832421_736_Tom-Hanks-son-Chet-Hanks-reveals-it-was-a-mindf.jpg)
Chet revealed in his new show Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets that he felt uncomfortable with the public’s reaction to him being the child of a superstar
![Tom Hanks' son Chet Hanks reveals it was a 'mindf***' growing up with famous parents because he felt 'worthless' as he joins Surreal Life 6 1721832423 834 Tom Hanks son Chet Hanks reveals it was a mindf](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1721832423_834_Tom-Hanks-son-Chet-Hanks-reveals-it-was-a-mindf.jpg)
“I’ll tell you something about my childhood. People think that as Tom Hanks’ son, I would grow up feeling like I was the s***,” Chet said during the season premiere on Tuesday. “I grew up feeling like I was completely f***ing worthless.”
“It’s more about personal growth and relationships with people and vulnerability. It’s a completely different kind of reality TV. I had full support to do it.”
Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets airs Tuesday nights at 9:00 PM Eastern Time on MTV.
He also said that life has become “extremely easy” since he got sober.
The 33-year-old actor has previously visited rehab for his addiction and as he prepares to show the world he’s “just a regular guy” on the new reality show, he admits he found life “hard” before he decided to go alcohol-free almost three years ago.
He told People: “I’m ready for people to see that I’m just a regular guy. That’s why I signed on to do ‘Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets.’
“It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life, and I’m not just saying that. I had a blast and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
‘There was a little bit of drama, but not much!
![Tom Hanks' son Chet Hanks reveals it was a 'mindf***' growing up with famous parents because he felt 'worthless' as he joins Surreal Life 8 It wasn't Tom and Rita's fault; rather, they were strangers who had a preconceived idea of what he would be like](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1721832425_641_Tom-Hanks-son-Chet-Hanks-reveals-it-was-a-mindf.jpg)
It wasn’t Tom and Rita’s fault; rather, they were strangers who had a preconceived idea of what he would be like
“One hundred percent. None of this would be possible without sobriety. It’s not hard at all. What’s hard is when you’re trying to manage your life and you’re not sober, that’s what’s hard. When you just commit and decide and stick with it, it’s not even negotiable. It’s just non-negotiable. And life becomes extremely easy.”
The former Empire star is looking forward to getting back into acting as he prepares to star opposite Kate Hudson in the Netflix drama Running Point, and he’s also set to release new music soon.
He said, “I have a new big role in a Netflix series with Kate Hudson, coming out sometime in January.
“I have a great character in it, a great role. It’s a comedy, so it’s funny and I get to be funny. I also signed a record deal and I’m putting out some new music, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever put out.”