Tom Hanks’ son, Chet Hanks, has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of his upbringing, particularly in relation to feeling disconnected from his cultural roots and identity. Chet has shared that he struggled with feeling out of place growing up in a predominantly white community and attending private schools where he felt isolated as a person of mixed race. He has also mentioned feeling pressure to conform to certain expectations due to his family’s fame and his father’s reputation.
Chet Hanks has been vocal about embracing his Jamaican heritage later in life and connecting more deeply with that part of his identity. His discontent seems to stem from a sense of not fully belonging to either the white American or Jamaican cultures he identifies with, which has influenced his perspective on his upbringing. These issues highlight the complexities of identity formation and cultural belonging, particularly for individuals from mixed-race backgrounds navigating fame and family expectations.
