An OCU student is pursuing her goal of watching all 74 movies featuring actor Tom Hanks.
Kate Waldron, music theatre freshman, said she has been an avid supporter and fan of Tom Hanks for most of her life.
“I kind of just liked Tom Hanks for some reason. For example, as a funny thing I would wish him happy holidays on Instagram or something,” Waldron said. “One day, over the holidays, I realized that I’m a fake fan because I haven’t actually seen most of his movies.”
Waldron said from that point on, she made it a goal to watch every one of his movies.
“So, I’m slowly getting through,” Waldron said. “I’ve seen quite a few of his movies as of now, but I feel like everyone has seen a lot of his movies but don’t think about or acknowledge that it’s him.”
Waldron said one of the earliest Hanks movies she saw was “Toy Story,” but as a kid, she never realized who was behind one of her favorite characters.
“Then I watched “Cast Away” and realized, ‘that’s Woody!’” Waldron said. “From that point on I saw him popping up everywhere. He’s in a bunch of things, and I’m on my journey to watch them all.”
Waldron said she has been sharing her passion project with her friend from home, Regan Rohde, with whom she has discussed each entry.
Rohde said her history with Tom Hanks also stemmed from his portrayal as Woody.
“While most kids slept with a stuffed animal or special blanket, I slept with a Woody doll. I remember using the pull string to hear his voice while lying in bed at night,” Rohde said. “As I grew older, I was drawn to Tom in his ‘80s and ‘90s romantic comedies and dramas. Whether I’m sick or emotionally down, Tom’s playfulness is as comforting to me as a blanket and a cup of tea.”
Waldron said when Hanks was diagnosed with the coronavirus (COVID-19) March 11, she received a barrage of text messages from friends who knew about her project.
“I think 20 people messaged me and said, ‘Tom Hanks has coronavirus, Kate, oh my gosh!’” Waldron said. “First of all, it was kind of an honor that so many people reached out, but also, ‘wait a second Kate. People know. People know about you loving Tom Hanks.’”
Rohde said his diagnosis was the moment the gravity of COVID-19 sank in for her.
“My heart sank immediately. COVID-19 no longer felt distant. It no longer felt like a virus for the pre-disposed. Looking back, it does feel like a pinnacle moment in this crisis,” Rohde said.
Waldron said she thinks Hanks will be okay, due to his resources, but she still worries about him. She said this project has only furthered convinced her that Tom Hanks is a national treasure and deserves respect.
Rohde said she is supportive and excited for Kate embarking on this project.
“I believe this kind of “career stalking” can be really beneficial for those studying dramatic arts, like Kate is,” Rohde said. “You get to watch the growth and downfalls of an actor’s career, ponder why they chose the movies they did and dissect and compare their performances one film to the next.”
When she was at school, Waldron said she worked through roughly two movies a week, or 4 Pixar shorts in alternative to a movie.
“There are 75, so if I’m going to get through, I better start cranking on them,” Waldron said
Waldron said she watches the movies alone when she needs to, but occasionally she will gather a group to watch the harder-to-get-through films.
“His first movie he was ever in was this horror movie from the ‘80s. I hate scary things, and it looked very ‘80s horror, so I decided to get people to watch the movie with me so I would stay engaged and actually watched it,” Waldron said. “I got a few people together to watch it, but Tom Hanks was only in 3 minutes of the entire movie. We had to sit through the whole thing.”
Waldron said her favorite Tom Hanks’ movies so far have actually been the ones she grew up watching, due to the nostalgia of revisiting them.
“My favorite of his right now is definitely “Cast Away,” and “Catch Me if You Can,” which is also really good,” Waldron said.
Waldron said her least favorites so far have been his first two films, the horror flick “He Knows You’re Alone,” And “Splash.”
Waldron said the variety of genres that Hanks has appeared in has inspired her as an actress and given her a deeper respect for his abilities.
“I almost see it as a sort of masterclass to watch all the movies,” Waldron said. “Seeing him act both in dumb movies like “Splash” and serious movies like “Cast Away” or “Philadelphia” is a cool thing to see.”
Rohde said Tom Hanks is exactly the kind of person she wants to represent America.
“Funny, kind, charming, talented, honorable, warm, and humble. Tom Hanks might be one of the most well-known humans alive today. Yet, he feels less like a celebrity and more like a famous uncle. America’s favorite fun uncle,” Rohde said. “It takes a really special type of person to achieve what Tom has achieved and still maintain an air of authenticity.”
Waldron will be continuing her quest to watch every Tom Hanks movie. Occasional updates on her progress can be found on her Instagram @watekaldron.
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