"RE-RELEASE: Tom Hanks"

Episode of SmartLess · June 11, 2026 · 1 h 4 min

Tom Hanks joins Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes to discuss World War II, Saving Private Ryan, his early career, directing, streaming and loving his work.

Summary

In this re-released 2021 episode, the SmartLess hosts opened by teasing Sean Hayes over his nomination for best podcast host before Jason Bateman introduced surprise guest Tom Hanks with a mock biography. Hanks joked about the show's name, questioned whether Will Arnett had changed his voice professionally, and discussed Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther detective novels with Arnett.

Asked about his fascination with World War II, Hanks attributed it to the adults of his childhood who spoke of "the war" as a dividing line in their lives, and to the clarity of a world defeating undeniably evil regimes. He described the chaotic filming of the Omaha Beach sequence of Saving Private Ryan in County Wexford, Ireland, and recalled meeting a dry cleaner who had jumped into Normandy with the 82nd Airborne. Arnett shared his grandfather's wartime story.

Hanks recounted his route from Shakespearean theater to Bosom Buddies and Splash, the lesson from director Dan Sullivan to show up on time, know your lines and have an idea in your pocket, the formulaic comedies of the 1980s, and his wish to play grown-ups in his thirties. He explained that Cast Away's volleyball was named Wilson by writer Bill Broyles in honor of Rita Wilson, argued that every actor should direct while saying directors are born to the job, and said audiences do not care where they watch films. He also discussed Playtone, never being called by Marvel, and named That Thing You Do! as a special experience.

After Hanks left, the hosts praised his authenticity, called him an American ambassador, and promoted his film Finch on Apple TV+.

Chapters

0:02
Hosting award teasing
The hosts rib Sean Hayes over his nomination for best podcast host.
4:00
Tom Hanks introduced
Bateman delivers a mock biography before revealing Tom Hanks, who jokes about the show and Will Arnett's voice.
8:20
Bernie Gunther novels
Arnett and Hanks discuss Philip Kerr's historical detective series.
10:26
Why World War II
Hanks explains his lifelong fascination with the war and its generation.
13:14
Filming Saving Private Ryan
Hanks describes shooting the Omaha Beach sequence and meeting a D-Day paratrooper, and Arnett recalls his grandfather.
22:22
Happy Days, Bosom Buddies and Shakespeare
Hanks talks about how Splash came about, sitcom life, and improvising during a Falstaff performance.
27:56
Early comedies and Dan Sullivan's lesson
Hanks recalls the director who taught him to show up prepared and the formulaic comedies of the 1980s.
35:04
Getting older and Cast Away
Hanks discusses aging into grown-up roles, the naming of Wilson, and Zemeckis's plane crash.
41:01
Directing and producing
Hanks reflects on the difficulty of directing and what producers really do.
45:18
Streaming and the changing business
Hanks compares the streaming shift to the arrival of home video and discusses HBO and Marvel.
51:27
Roots and the fire in the belly
Hanks discusses finding drama in high school, Hayes's Broadway run, and his enduring love of work.
59:33
Post-interview reflections
The hosts praise Hanks's authenticity and joke about his film Finch.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Tom Hanks
Hanks traces his interest in World War II to the adults of his childhood constantly referring to 'the war' as a dividing line in their lives.
“Every single caregiver, every single adult in my life would make references to the six, two words, three letters each, the war”
Listen from 11:15 · World War II
Tom Hanks
Hanks says part of the war's storytelling appeal is that the bad guys lost in the end.
“The other part of it, too, is... is that the bad guys lost at the end of the”
Listen from 11:54 · World War II
Tom Hanks
Hanks recounts that the Omaha Beach sequence used amputee stunt performers, creating startling moments for the actors.
“out of the corner of the other eye, you see a guy blown 40 feet into the air, and he loses a leg in the process”
Listen from 14:30 · Saving Private Ryan
Will Arnett
Arnett relates that his grandfather served in the Canadian Army attached to the Royal Air Force planning bombing missions.
“He was in the Canadian Army, but he was attached to the Royal Air Force, and he planned bombing sorties”
Listen from 21:33 · World War II
Tom Hanks
Hanks says Bosom Buddies was a huge financial reprieve after earning very little as a Shakespearean actor.
“up to that point as a Shakespearean actor, I'd made less than $10,000 in a year for an entire year”
Listen from 25:53 · Bosom Buddies
Tom Hanks
Hanks says Dan Sullivan's lesson became his guiding principle throughout his career.
“the most important thing to do was show up on time, know your lines, and have an idea in your pocket”
Listen from 31:39 · Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival
Tom Hanks
Hanks describes the 1980s as an era when any cheap film labeled a comedy would do some business.
“That was the era of you could make a movie for about $15 million. And if you just said it was a comedy”
Listen from 32:14
Tom Hanks
Hanks explains that screenwriter Bill Broyles named the volleyball Wilson in honor of Rita Wilson.
“he came up with the idea of a volleyball, and he named it Wilson in honor of my beautiful bride”
Listen from 37:41 · Cast Away
Tom Hanks
Hanks credits Zemeckis's choice never to show the plane's exterior for the crash scene's effectiveness.
“he never cuts to the outside of the plane. That's one of the reasons why that plane crash is as good”
Listen from 40:48 · Cast Away
Linked moment · 41:33Skip to 41:33 using a listen link in the info box.
Tom Hanks
Hanks argues that actors and directors should each try the other's job to understand its difficulty.
“I believe every actor should direct. I think every director should have to act”
Listen from 41:33 · Film directing
Tom Hanks
Hanks says he lacks a director's instincts and believes true directors are born into it.
“But I think directors more so than myself as an actor, they're born into it”
Listen from 43:42 · Film directing
Tom Hanks
Hanks argues that films either work or fail regardless of promotion, so release platform does not change the pressure.
“the movies are always binary. They're either double zero or zero one. They either work or they do not work”
Listen from 45:55 · Streaming media and theatrical release
Tom Hanks
Hanks contends that audiences do not care where they watch films, while the industry resists change.
“The audience, I think, if I can pontificate just a little bit here, doesn't care where they see it”
Listen from 46:22 · Streaming media and theatrical release
Will Arnett
Arnett praises Hanks for still making standalone story-driven films in a market dominated by franchises.
“it seems like a shrinking market for films that stand on their own because it's a great story and has a great cast”
Listen from 51:01
Tom Hanks
Hanks says he learned early that working in theater is more enjoyable than anything else.
“Work in the theater is more fun than fun. And I thought, well, yeah, this is a great way to spend your day”
Listen from 55:43
Tom Hanks
Hanks names making That Thing You Do! with friends as an especially memorable experience.
“The experience of making the movie That Thing You Do, I cast it with a bunch of friends. We had a great time”
Listen from 56:30 · That Thing You Do!
Jason Bateman
Bateman describes Hanks as authentic and a natural leader without arrogance.
“He is completely personable and authentic. He is every bit a leader that you'd want him to be”
Listen from 1:00:14
Sean Hayes
Hayes calls Hanks one of the few figures Americans across political divides can agree on.
“He's one of the few people we can all, both sides, if you will, can agree on”
Listen from 1:02:21

People

In the conversation

Jason BatemanAmerican actor and director, co-host of SmartLess
Will ArnettCanadian-American actor and comedian, co-host of SmartLess
Sean HayesAmerican actor and comedian, co-host of SmartLess
Tom HanksAmerican actor, director and producer

Discussed

Philip KerrBritish author of the Bernie Gunther novels
Ron HowardAmerican director of Splash
Peter ScolariAmerican actor, Hanks's Bosom Buddies co-star
Dan SullivanFounder of Strategic Coach
Rita WilsonAmerican actress and Hanks's wife
William Broyles Jr.Screenwriter of Cast Away
Robert ZemeckisAmerican director of Cast Away
Gary GoetzmanHanks's producing partner at Playtone
Laurence OlivierEnglish actor quoted on lacking the heart for stage work
Wes AndersonAmerican filmmaker Hanks had just worked with
Taika WaititiNew Zealand filmmaker Arnett had worked with
Lowell GanzHappy Days writer and Splash co-screenwriter
Babaloo MandelHappy Days writer and Splash co-screenwriter
Richard LovettCAA agent representing Hanks
Garry MarshallDirector of Nothing in Common

Topics

#2519 - Scott Eastwood
The Joe Rogan Experience · Jun 26, 2026 · 2 h 34 min
Joe Rogan and actor Scott Eastwood discuss American food, political division, psychedelics and drug policy, acting and Hollywood, World War II film Lucky Strike, and doubts about recent assassinations.

From the publisher

We are very T.Hankful this week, with surprise guest Tom Hanks. Tom renames the show “HelpLess,” Sean practices his critically-recognized hosting prowess, and we begin the development process on Tom’s next two blockbuster TikTok films. There’s no crying in podcasts! This episode was originally released on 11/1/2021.

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 29, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Film Interviews·Comedy Interviews·History