Chet Hanks Laments Over The "Toxic" Side Of Fame As He Recounts Being Judged

BY Erika Marie 2.2K Views
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Chet Hanks
He's grateful for experiencing all the perks of being Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson's son, but the recognition came with drawbacks.

He's the son of not only one, but two famous parents, but that hasn't kept Chet Hanks out of trouble. As the child of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Chet has enjoyed his fair share of Hollywood perks. However, in recent years, he has developed a reputation that is less like his parents and more of a Rap star as Hanks continues to work on music in hopes of climbing the charts.

Yet, Hanks's career isn't the only reason he has made headlines; there was also the controversy involving his ex, as the former couple took the other to court with accusations of physical violence. There hasn't been much ruckus from Hanks's camp in recent months, but he surfaced in a new video he posted to YouTube where he speaks about the "toxic" side of fame.


"There's a lot of advantages but sometimes, it can be pretty weird," he said. "I got to do a lot of cool sh*t that a lot of people don't get the opportunity to do. I got to travel the world, stay in nice hotels, fly on private planes and I'm very blessed for that. I wouldn't change my situation." He also spoke about what it was like growing up as the son of two superstar actors.

"My experience was even more complicated because on top of fame already being toxic, I wasn't even famous. I was just the son of somebody famous so I hadn't even done anything to deserve any sort of recognition and that created a lot of contempt," Hanks added. "People would make up their minds about me before they even got the chance to know me and it was extremely hard to break down their walls."

These experiences, according to Hanks, made him develop a tough exterior. He revealed that he has given up the partying lifestyle and has made significant changes in his life in hopes of doing better for himself and his loved ones in the future. Check it out below.

[via]


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.