Health
“CHET HAS JOINED your gathering,” states an email that arrives in my inbox. It’s several minutes before I’m set to interview Chet Hanks, the offspring of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, half-brother to Colin Hanks, and a legendary online figure in his own right.
He’s calling from Nashville,where he’s been working on music as part of a new country duo called Something Out West,to discuss the latest Netflix series Running Point. The newest comedy from co-writer Mindy Kaling features Kate Hudson as the heir of a family sports dynasty who unexpectedly takes over management of their basketball team, the Los Angeles waves. (While the team is fictional,the storyline draws inspiration from real-life Lakers president Jeanie Buss,who also serves as one of the show’s executive producers.) Hanks portrays Travis Bugg, the team’s point guard and resident troublemaker.
On first glance, Travis’s character seems to be taken directly from Hanks’s public persona. As the team’s black sheep, Travis ofen makes headlines (not always for good reasons) due to his candid social media activity. He struggles to establish a rap career that people will take seriously.By season’s end, he starts confronting addiction issues. Hanks himself has long been viewed as the black sheep of the Hanks family—a label partly assigned as he doesn’t conform to what one might expect from Tom Hanks’s son. He first gained attention online for his remix of Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow” titled “White and Purple,” while attending Northwestern University under his rap alias Chet Haze. His Instagram became a platform for sharing his Patois-infused thoughts about life around him. He faced some serious challenges but by summer 2021 had declared it “White Boy Summer.” Throughout this time period,however,he was battling addiction issues but is now over three years sober.
As he became an object of interest among internet users , manny questioned whether or not Hank s was aware o f t h e joke surrounding th e character h e had crafted. Running Point appears t o suggest that h e was indeed.(He improvised many o f T ravis ’s lines on set.) And when h e appears on my computer screen , not only punctual but early , h e is more thoughtful than I anticipated .H e discusses this new phase o f his life with care ;h is demeanor i s measured and assertive , defying my expectations o f him.
Hank s has dabb led in Hollywood with minor roles in films during hi s upbringing , along with appearances on shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm after school.Now , he’s earnestly pursuing larger roles while relocating from LA t o Nashville t o revitalize hi s music career akin t o artists like Jelly Roll an d Post Malone.H i s duo just released their debut single aptly named “ Leaving Hollywood & rd quo ;;
Ha nks spoke wi thM en ’s Health a bout how hi s sobriety impacted hi s ca reer how he related t o hi s Running Point character an d wh at th e Han ks fam ily taught him b ef ore thi s next stage i n hi scareer.
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><< P ke yword tra ipse pronouce == true keyword node id ==19 keyword text content == CHET HAN KS: You play A talented basketball player ON RUNNING POINT BUT YOU’VE SAID THAT YOU ARE BAD AT BASKETBALL ARE YOU ANY BETTER AT IT AFTER A SEASON OF PLAYING A POINT GUARD?><< P ke yword tra ipse pronouce == true keyword node id ==20 keyword text content == CHET HAN KS: more than before BUT I AM STILL VERY BAD.[[LAUGHS]]<< P ke yword tra ipse pronouce == true keyword node id==21 key word text content== MH:You prepared FOR THE ROLE?><< P ke yword tra ipse pronouce==true key word node id==22 key word text content==CH:I hired A PERSONAL BASKETBALL COACH AND ADDED THAT ON TOP OF MY TRAINING REGIMEN HE JUST RAN ME THROUGH ALL THE BASIC STUFF LIKE DRILLS THAT ANY ATHLETE WHO PLAYS BASKETBALL WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH.
MH:
What does your regular workout routine look like?
CH:
I mostly lift weights.
I’m quite dedicated to fitness—I typically go five days each week.it forms an essential part of my lifestyle.
MH:
The similarities between you and your character Travis are striking—from social media antics to deeper issues such as sobriety.
how did it feel drawing upon some personal experiences for this role?
CH:
the role felt eerily similar to me.
That always aids [with performance], yet this one was so close that I simply had to be myself.
MH:
The role certainly seems tailored around your public persona.
But how do you think your public image differs from who you truly are?
CH:
Everything is just slightly more exaggerated.At day’s end we’re all human beings—not caricatures.
As I grew up online people began understanding there was humor involved—it feels like an inside joke they’re all partaking in.
