Hollywood star Tom Hanks is a well-established superstar in the entertainment industry who has starred in various blockbuster hits throughout his four-decade-long career. In 2020, fans got to see Hanks playing the role of Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd in his first Western-themed movie called News of the World.
While the finished product was outstanding, things were a little rough for the actor during the filming process as the actor claimed that he was treated worse than a horse on the sets. In the film, Hanks worked with Helena Zengel on her international film debut. The actor revealed that Zengal, who was 12 years old back then, had no idea who Hanks or Clint Eastwood was.
Tom Hanks said he was treated worse than a horse on the sets of 2020’s News of the World
In December 2020, actor Tom Hanks appeared on The Graham Norton Show to talk about his 2020 American Western film News of the World. The actor revealed that the horses on the sets got a better treatment than him,
“We had to do a scene where we cross a river – we did it over and over again and when they said, ‘Let’s do it one more time,’ the wrangler said, ‘Stop, stop, we have to give the horses a break.’ We were soaking wet, freezing, exhausted, and were told to do it again, but the horses got a break! We were being treated like cattle while riding the horses that got better treatment!”
The film was Helena Zengel’s international film debut. The actress, who was 12 years old when she worked in the 2020 movie, had no idea who Hanks was. The Forrest Gump star recalled,
“I think she is too young to have seen any of my films. I would test her every now and again and she would shake her head and say, ‘That means nothing to me.’ I’d say, ‘When I worked with Clint Eastwood…’ and she’d say, ‘Who is Clint Eastwood?'”
The film received positive reviews and was nominated for Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Sound at the 93rd Academy Awards.
Tom Hanks once said Clint Eastwood treats his actors like horses
This wasn’t the first time Hanks felt like a horse while he was on a movie set. During his 2016 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, the actor recalled,
“You certainly don’t want one of those Eastwood looks. He treats his actors like horses because when he did the 60s series Rawhide, the director would shout ‘Action!’ and all the horses bolted. So when he’s in charge, he says in a really quiet soft voice, ‘All right, go ahead,’ and instead of shouting ‘Cut!’ he says ‘That’s enough of that.’ It’s intimidating as hell!”
Hanks worked with Eastwood for the first time in 2016’s Sully. Hanks played the role of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger in the American biographical drama film.
