Rita Wilson has revealed that she disregarded her mother's traditional marriage advice in favor of seeking a profound romantic connection, a decision that ultimately led her to her husband, Tom Hanks. The actress shared these insights during a recent appearance on Michelle Obama's podcast, "In My Opinion."
Wilson recounted that before meeting Hanks, she was engaged to another man. When she expressed doubts to her mother, stating, "I don't know though. Should I marry him? I'm not really in love with him," her mother advised, "Don't worry, you grow to love him."
This advice, Wilson explained, was characteristic of her mother's generation, which prioritized practicalities like a partner being a "good man" and able to "provide," rather than a fervent love. "That's not my generation," Wilson stated, expressing her desire to "hold out for that falling in love thing."
Ultimately, Wilson did not proceed with the first engagement, recognizing that the relationship "would not have sustained." She later met Tom Hanks in 1984 while working on the film "Volunteers" and they married in 1988. Wilson described finding love with Hanks as a distinctly different experience, a feeling of "this is very, very different than what I had before."
Her perspective on starting a family also evolved. While initially uncertain about having children, Wilson knew she "didn't wanna have children with the wrong people or person." Observing Hanks's role as a father to his two children from his previous marriage, Colin and Elizabeth, provided her with a positive example that encouraged her to embrace motherhood. The couple later welcomed sons Chet and Truman.
Their children have also ventured into creative fields. Colin Hanks has appeared in numerous projects, while Chet Hanks has found success as an actor, most recently in "Running Point." Chet has spoken about seeking career advice from his father, who has advised him to "just know your lines, and you show up on time, and you're nice to everybody." IMAGE7