Tom Hanks’ love of Greece is no secret.
During his press conference at the Golden Globes this week he revealed just how special the country is to him and his family.
Having recently been granted honorary Greek citizenship for his service to Greece, the actor was questioned by Greek Reporter‘s Anastasios Papapostolou about how he feels about it.
“Well as long as I don’t have to serve in the army. I’m no good anyway; I got bad knees and I’m an old man,” Hanks said jokingly. “Do I have to pay taxes or can I just pay cash and avoid all that?”
Once he had made the reporters laugh, Hanks went on to say what it honour it really is.
“I’ve been Hellenic for the better part of 32 years,” Hanks said, highlighting his marriage to Greek American actress Rita Wilson.
“Greece is a haven,” he continued.
“I’ve been around the world, to beautiful places in the world, none of them tops Greece. The land, the sky, the water, it’s good for the soul; it’s a healing place. Particularly if you get into that fabulous, fabulous Greek schedule of sleeping until noon, staying up until 3 o’clock in the morning, and arguing in a taverna until 3 am. It’s just the best life one can have.”
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Hanks received the 2020 Cecil B. deMille Award at the Golden Globes, presented by fellow actor Charlize Theron.
After making the crowd laugh with the opening of his acceptance speech, the 63-year-old was visibly overcome with emotion, choking back tears as he started to make reference to his family, his wife and children in the room.
“A man is blessed with a family sitting down front like that,” he said. “A wife who is fantastic in every way, who has taught me what love is — five kids who are braver and stronger and wiser than their old man is.”
Wilson looked on lovingly with tears in her eyes.
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Watch the press conference with Tom Hanks below: