In an age of rapidly evolving language, slang terms often emerge and disappear before most people have a chance to catch on. As a result, when seasoned actors like Callum Turner, George Clooney, and Tom Hanks explore the intriguing realm of Gen Z slang, people take notice and pay attention. During their recent visit to BBC’s The One Show, these Hollywood legends discussed their opinions on a slang term that has gone viral on social media: “rizz”. Hanks was specifically questioned about Rizz when he showed up on the BBC show.
In his opinion, “rizz” is merely a shortened form of “charisma”, and anyone who claims to possess it is lying. Admittedly, he feels that this trending Genz slang is something that “gotta be placed upon you.”
‘Rizz’ Was Hilariously Shot Down by Inferno star Tom Hanks
The emergence of Gen Z slang is frequently linked to their social media presence and its influence on language trends. We recently got a peek into the fascinating realm of Gen Z’s linguistic evolution as Tom Hanks, Callum Turner, and George Clooney explored the meaning behind the famous Gen Z slang “rizz”. These Hollywood stars made an appearance on the BBC’s The One Show to talk about their upcoming endeavors.
When hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas asked the Inferno star about his take on ‘rizz’, the actor, 67, charmingly described his understanding of this Gen Z’s slang, saying:
“Well, I think if you claim to have rizz, you don’t have rizz. It’s gotta be placed upon you. If you make that statement, then you clearly have rizz.”
In light of what he said, does it follow that if we do not believe we have any rizz, then we actually do? For those who are unaware, Hanks has been nominated for six acting Oscars and has won numerous awards during his storied career. He has starred in big Hollywood blockbusters such as A League of Their Own, The Post, and Catch Me If You Can, but most people also know him from his roles in Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump.
Next up for him is the upcoming drama film Here, which is helmed by Robert Zemeckis. It is based on Richard McGuire’s same-titled graphic novel.
Also read: Tim Allen Confirms Toy Story 5 in the Works, Tom Hanks Asked To Return
Oxford Has Named ‘Rizz’ the Word of the Year, 2023
The Oxford Word of the Year for 2023 is “rizz”. The words ‘beige flag’, ‘de-influencing’, ‘heat dome’, and ‘parasocial’ are among the other runner-ups for Word of the Year. The dictionary publisher Oxford University Press describes the term —a portmanteau for “charm”—as
“Someone is ability to attract another person through style, charm, or attractiveness.”
Rizz can also be used as a verb; most commonly, it is in the phrase ‘rizz up’, which means ‘to attract, seduce, or chat up (a person)’, similar to ‘chat up’, according to Oxford. Since its inception, Oxford’s Word of the Year 2023 has been a mainstay of Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha slang. It was chosen by a panel of linguists and garnered over 32,000 votes.
In September, ‘rizz’ was officially approved by Merriam-Webster, joining the ranks of 690 newly added words to the esteemed dictionary (via PEOPLE). Use of the term has skyrocketed this year, according to the Oxford Dictionary.
In a June BuzzFeed interview, Tom Holland even addressed a question regarding the “secret” of his “rizz”. The 27-year-old actor retorted that he is “happy and in love” with Zendaya and has “no need for rizz”, adding “I have no rizz whatsoever.”
As aforementioned, Tom Hanks and George Clooney are two other celebrities who have commented on the term on Monday’s episode of BBC’s The One Show. Well, it is essential to accept the new language that the next generation is speaking, as societal norms change and the world adapts.
