Inside Chet Hanks’ transformation: the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson got flak for his song White Boy Summer and called fame ‘destructive’ – then he revealed his dedication to God on Instagram

Aug 9 , 2023

Chet Hanks, eldest child of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. Photo: Getty Images

Chester Marlon Hanks is famous for being the son of iconic actor Tom Hanks. But through his struggles and quirky statements, Chet has become well-known in his own right. From rapper, actor and igniter of conversations around race, this is the Chet you may not know.

Chet Hanks’ life-changing decision

While he has famous parents, Chet Hanks has made his own name for himself. Photo: @Adult Swim/Instagram

At the end of July, Chet revealed to his more than 530,000 followers on Instagram that he had chosen a new path in life, stating, “There’s only one thing the world needs more of and that’s God.” In the post, Chet shared an image of his chest with a cross tattooed over his previous Eye of Providence tattoo, explaining that he was an atheist before converting to Christianity 10 years ago. According to Men’s Health, Chet deleted all other images from his Instagram account, leaving only the one of his chest.

Chet Hanks’ last image on his Instagram, of his chest tattoos. Photo: Handout

“All the pain in my life has been the result of one thing – the lie of believing that my purpose is anything but just serving God,” he wrote. “It’s not fully clear to me yet how I can best serve Him, but I feel that this level of honesty is a starting point. And I know He will continue to reveal more.”

Chet later deleted the image of his chest and his caption, leaving his page completely blank.

Meet Ariana Grande’s new boyfriend, SpongeBob SquarePants actor Ethan Slater

He is an actor and a rapper

Chet Hanks has had a career in showbiz just like his famous dad. Photo: Getty Images

The first child of actress Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks, Chet, 33, was born on August 4, 1990. As a student at Northwestern University, he used the stage name Chet Haze while attempting to launch a music career.

He has also done some acting work and his well-known for his roles on Empire and Shameless. He famously made headlines when he confirmed via an Instagram video that his parents had Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic.

Chet Hanks’ use of AAVE drew flak. Photo: The Chet Hanks Show

However, he raised eyebrows for his use of AAVE in the video, The New Yorker reported. He drew attention again in another Instagram video, where he stated, “I just got this feeling, man, that this summer is, it’s about to be a white boy summer.” He released his hip-hop song “White Boy Summer” in mid-2021.

Chet Hanks used the name Chet Haze when trying to launch a music career. Photo: Getty Images

His message drew sharp criticism for his apparent lack of understanding of the rise of white supremacist violence in the US, per The New Yorker. At the same time though, he has also blasted former US president Donald Trump and shown his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

In 2022, he opened the personal training company HanxFit.

10 Asian stars rocking Barbiecore in 2023: from HK’s Grace Chan to Blackpink

Struggles with substance abuse

Chet Hanks, seen here with dad Tom Hanks and mum Rita Wilson, has spoken about parental intervention to tackle his substance addiction. Photo: Getty Images

In 2014, he was admitted to rehab to treat substance abuse – a problem he had battled since he was 16. He said he got sober for his daughter, Michaiah Hanks, who he had with his ex Tiffany Miles, per The New Yorker.

In a podcast with Ivan Paychecks, Chet spoke about the interventions his parents made at the height of his addiction. In 2008, when he was a high school junior, he was dragged out of his bed and taken to a wilderness programme in Utah. But Chet believes his parents were simply manipulated by and taken advantage of by the programme because they had money.

His Hollywood legacy was a “double-edged sword”

Despite growing up in a famous and wealthy family, Chet Hanks (second from left) says he was spoiled growing up. Photo: Getty Images

In a YouTube video, in February 2022, Chet opened up about having famous parents. He said growing up in Hollywood was a “double-edged sword” and while he is often seen as a spoiled brat, he wasn’t raised that way.

Chet acknowledged that he was privileged, but said he was “never just given money or an allowance”. He had to work to earn money and was raised that way his whole life, he added. Chet went on to declare that fame is the “most powerful drug known to man. It can also be the most destructive”.

Is Blackpink’s Lisa dating an LVMH heir – and will she end her YG contract?

He admitted his experience with fame was even more unique because “I wasn’t even famous. I hadn’t even done anything to deserve recognition”. He said it drew contempt from people because he wasn’t talented and people made many assumptions about his life.

Want more stories like this? Follow Style on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Celebrity children

Chester Marlon Hanks, 33, is the son of iconic Hollywood actor Tom Hanks – but although he might be a nepo baby, he called his Hollywood upbringing a ‘double-edged sword’ on YouTube
The actor and rapper blasted Donald Trump and supported the Black Lives Matter movement, but still sparked controversy over his use of AAVE – but now he says his purpose is ‘serving God’