Tom Hanks Addresses Daughter Elizabeth Hanks’ Claims of Abuse in Her New Memoir

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Tom Hanks and his daughter, Elizabeth Ann (E.A.) Hanks, have found themselves under the limelight post the publication of her memoir, which delves into her experiences with childhood abuse. The book, encompassing allegations concerning her late mother, Samantha Lewes, has ignited curiosity about their family’s past. Recently, Tom Hanks has expressed his thoughts on the memoir and E.A.’s choice to reveal her story publicly.

This is a summary of Tom Hanks’ comments on how his daughter depicted her childhood experiences, along with the insights we gain from the memoir regarding their familial relationships.

Tom Hanks opens up about daughter’s memoir detailing childhood abuse

In a recent statement, Tom Hanks spoke about the publication of his daughter Elizabeth Ann (E.A.) Hanks’ memoir titled “The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road”. The book recounts claims of emotional and physical abuse by her mother, Samantha Lewes.

At the red-carpet debut of The Phoenician Scheme in May 2025, Hanks told Access Hollywood, “I’m not shocked that my daughter had the wisdom and curiosity…to scrutinize this matter she was so truthful about.” He continued, “Everyone comes from lives with their own flaws and cracks, including us all.

On April 8, E.A. Hanks, formerly known as Elizabeth Anne, published a memoir. In it, she revealed that her mother, Susan Dillingham (also recognized as Samantha Lewes), subjected her to both emotional and physical abuse. This abuse took various forms, such as pushing, shaking, pulling her hair, and locking her in closets.

E.A. stated that their custody arrangement has changed so they currently reside in Los Angeles, but they visit Sacramento during weekends and in the summer. (via People)

In 1978, Hanks and Lewes got married, but they divorced in 1987. After their split, Lewes was granted primary custody of E.A. and her brother Colin. During seventh grade, E.A. started living with Hanks following a violent incident at home. She recounted their household as having expired food, filled with dog waste outside, and her mother frequently ill in bed, surrounded by a Bible.

Tom Hanks spoke highly of his daughter, commenting that she’s always been a real charmer. He shared with us that he could identify the unique personalities of his children from just six weeks old. E.A. Hanks and Colin Hanks are Tom’s sons from his late first wife Lewes, who passed away in 2002 due to lung cancer. Interestingly, E.A. once referred to Tom’s current wife Rita Wilson as more than a stepmother, stating, “Rita’s not really a stepmother, she’s my other mother.” Tom and Rita have two sons named Chet and Truman together.

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2025-06-05 11:10