E.A. Hanks, the only daughter of legendary actor Tom Hanks and his late ex-wife Susan Dillingham (also known as Samantha Lewes), is opening up about her deeply personal family experiences in her newly released memoir The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road.
In it, she shares emotional memories of her upbringing, her relationship with both of her parents, and the close connection she shares with Rita Wilson—whom she calls more than just a stepmother.
“She’s My Other Mother”
Elizabeth Ann Hanks—known professionally as E.A. Hanks—recently told People magazine that she considers Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks’ wife since 1988, as much more than a stepmom.
“When I say my parents, I really mean my dad and Rita,” E.A. explained. “They’ve been together since before I can really remember… since I was 4 or 5.”
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson met on the set of Bosom Buddies in 1981 and began dating in 1986, a year after Tom’s divorce from Susan Dillingham. They married in 1988 and had two sons together—Chet and Truman. For E.A., Rita has always been a central figure in her life.
“Rita’s not really a stepmother, she’s my other mother,” she said. That description reflects the genuine affection and trust E.A. has developed for Rita throughout the years.
“We’re a Posse”: No Half-Brother Labels
E.A. Hanks shares an equally close bond with her half-brothers Chet (34) and Truman (29), whom she has never thought of as anything less than full siblings.
“I don’t think I’ve ever really referred to them as my half brothers, which I guess they technically are,” E.A. explained. “Chester was five when I moved to Los Angeles and Truman had just been born, so neither of them remember a time when I didn’t live with them. We’re a posse.”
This tight-knit family connection shows the strong, inclusive values instilled by Tom and Rita in their household—values that made E.A. feel loved and accepted, even during some of the most difficult years of her life.
A Painful Childhood with Her Mother
E.A.’s early years were not easy. After her parents divorced in 1985, she and her older brother Colin were raised primarily by their mother, Susan, in Sacramento. Those years were filled with instability, confusion, and what she describes as emotional and, eventually, physical abuse.
In excerpts from her memoir, E.A. recounts that their home was in disarray—dirty, filled with expired food, and emotionally cold. “The fridge was bare or full of expired food more often than not,” she wrote. “My mother spent more and more time in her big four-poster bed, poring over the Bible.”
She also described how the backyard became unlivable due to dog waste, and how her mother’s emotional instability sometimes turned violent. One such incident led E.A. to leave her mother’s home in the middle of seventh grade to move in with her father in Los Angeles.
The Role of Colin Hanks: A Protective Brother
During those difficult years, E.A. found emotional support in her older brother, actor Colin Hanks. “I think that when you share an experience, like our childhood, it’s a bond of intimacy that is hard to describe,” she wrote. Colin stepped in to care for her and offered a much-needed sense of safety and companionship when things with their mother were tough.
A Journey of Healing and Understanding
E.A. Hanks’ memoir is not just a story of pain—it’s also one of healing and reflection. In The 10, she retraces a cross-country road trip she once took with her mother. This journey becomes a way for her to make peace with the past, understand her complex relationship with her late mother (who died of cancer in 2002 at age 49), and cherish the stability she found later with her father, Rita Wilson, and her siblings.
Tom Hanks on Parenting and Privacy
Tom Hanks, who shares four children—Colin, E.A., Chet, and Truman—has often spoken about the importance of offering unconditional love to his kids. “The only thing a parent can do is say: I love you, you can’t do anything wrong, and I will do anything to keep you safe,” Tom once said in an interview.
He has also emphasized protecting his family’s privacy, especially during his children’s growing-up years. In public, Tom and Rita have always maintained a careful balance between fame and family life, giving their children space to grow and express themselves on their own terms.
Rita Wilson: More Than a Mother Figure
Rita Wilson, now 68 and celebrating 10 years of being cancer-free as of March 2025, has been a steady partner to Tom and a loving presence to his children. Her deep bond with E.A. is a testament to the power of compassion, consistency, and love within blended families.
In E.A.’s words, Rita is not a replacement for her mother but has earned a unique and irreplaceable role in her heart—as a guiding light who offered her warmth, support, and stability through the hardest years of her life.
E.A. Hanks’ candid recollections in The 10 offer readers an honest look into her life—from a troubled childhood to finding love and strength in unexpected places. Her powerful story highlights how family isn’t always about titles like “step” or “half”—it’s about who shows up, who cares, and who loves without limits.
Through all the ups and downs, one truth stands clear: Rita Wilson is more than a stepmother to E.A. Hanks—she’s family.
The Information is Collected from Yahoo and MSN.
