Tom Hanks embodies the very essence of the late Fred Rogers in the new biographical drama "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," and the role helped him strengthen his marriage, he recently revealed.
The iconic actor offered ET a glimpse into his life with wife Rita Wilson in an interview Sunday during which he spoke about the influence Fred, known as the host of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," had on their relationship.
"When my wife and I are going at it on those rare occasions, when she is letting me know that I'm not really listening to her and I'm trying to establish what the ground rules are [for the argument], when we're going at it like that, one of us will say, 'Well, you know what? You know what, honey? It's good to talk. It's good to say the things we feel,'" Hanks said. "And I learned that from Mister Rogers."
Like most couples, Hanks and Wilson do have the occasional spat, but that comes with the territory of being married for 31 years. They work hard to make their marriage work and have found their common interest in cooking has helped strengthen their bond.
"We make soup together," Hanks said. "Like, if we have a day off and there's nothing going on," he continued, explaining that doing so gave them at least two to three hours together to whip up a storm in the kitchen.
Hanks' commitment to his wife is a trait he shares with Fred, who was also a loving husband and father right up until the day he died in 2003 from stomach cancer at age 74.
His widow Joanne Rogers opened up about her fondest memories of her husband in an interview with People earlier this month.
One incident she recalled vividly was the time Fred declined an invitation from the president in 2002 because his wedding anniversary happened to be on the same day — so the celebrations were moved to the White House.
She also opened up about how Fred used music to bring joy and laughter into their home.
"When our sons James and John would get a little rambunctious, or it was a rainy day and nobody knew what to do, Fred would say, 'Let’s have a parade!' He'd go to the piano and play and they'd march around," Joanne said. "Music almost always put everyone in a good mood."
Fred had always been a fan of Hanks and Joanne was full of praise for the actor's portrayal of her husband in a separate interview with People.
"I think he would like this very much," she said of Hanks' performance. "There's a wonderful energy there. It's a very needful film right now."
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