Tom Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker known for playing honest, relatable, and good-hearted characters. He has starred in some of the most popular films of all time, across comedy, drama, and adventure.
There are some actors you like.
And then there are actors you trust.
Tom Hanks is the latter. He’s the cinematic equivalent of a warm mug of hot chocolate handed to you during a storm. He’s America’s Dad, Hollywood’s moral compass, the guy who can make you cry and then turn around and comfort you for being emotional about it.
The magic of Tom Hanks isn’t just talent—it’s tone. He has this uncanny ability to play ordinary men in extraordinary situations, and extraordinary men in painfully ordinary ones. He radiates sincerity, optimism, and vulnerability.
He also has a range that people forget about:
- He can be adorably comedic (Big, Splash).
- He can be quietly heroic (Sully, Captain Phillips).
- He can break your heart slowly (Cast Away, Philadelphia).
- He can remind you of your childhood (Toy Story).
- He can run across America for decades (Forrest Gump)
And luckily, he’s not alone.
Welcome to The Tom Hanks School of Good Men – actors who carry a familiar emotional softness, moral clarity, and warm, dependable screen presence.
Let’s meet the alumni.
1. Paul Rudd – The Eternal Nice Guy Who Never Ages
Paul Rudd is what would happen if Tom Hanks discovered moisturiser and Marvel. There’s an inherent friendliness in the way Rudd plays his characters—this softness that makes even his mistakes feel forgivable. You don’t watch a Paul Rudd movie; you hang out with Paul Rudd for 2 hours.
His movies:
- Ant-Man (the most “normal-guy accidentally becomes a superhero” energy ever)
- This Is 40
- Clueless (1995)
- Role Models
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Rudd radiates accessibility. He’s funny without being mean, charming without trying too hard, and heroic without the angst. If Tom Hanks is America’s Dad, Paul Rudd is the Cool Uncle Who Brings Board Games.
2. Matt Damon – The Smart Everyman With a Born-to-Root-For Face
Matt Damon is an actor who often plays smart, relatable, everyday men, even when the situation around him is big or dramatic. He has a calm, trustworthy screen presence, and his characters usually feel grounded and real. His particular Hanks-ness comes from how normal he feels even when his characters aren’t.
His movies:
- The Martian
- Good Will Hunting
- Ford v Ferrari (2019)
- Saving Private Ryan (their universes overlap!)
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Damon has a built-in moral compass in almost every role. Even when he plays characters with grey areas (The Talented Mr. Ripley aside), there’s an earnestness and vulnerability that feel distinctly Hanks-ian. He’s the hero you want to root for because his humanity always comes first.
3. Hugh Grant – The Charming Disaster You’d Still Marry
Now, hear me out. Hugh Grant may seem like a stretch until you remember that early-era Tom Hanks (Big, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail) was also the king of flustered, charming leading men. Grant carries that same energy-stammering, self-deprecating, slightly messy, unbelievably lovable.
His movies:
- Notting Hill
- About a Boy
- Paddington 2 (2018) (the greatest villain performance to not feel villainous)
- Four Weddings and a Funeral
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Both actors have a refined vulnerability and old-school rom coms. Grant leans British and awkward, Hanks leans American and earnest, but they both embody the soft, romantic, good-hearted man you yell “he’s trying his best!!” for at the screen.
4. Mark Ruffalo – The Sensitive King of Chaos
Mark Ruffalo’s entire aura screams “kind but overwhelmed.” Whether he’s the Hulk or a flustered journalist uncovering systemic corruption, he brings emotional realism in a way that feels very Hanks.
His movies:
- Spotlight
- The Kids Are All Right
- 13 Going on 30
- Avengers series
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Mark Ruffalo, like Tom Hanks, comes across as a kind and sensitive person on screen. Even when he’s angry or upset in a scene, he still feels gentle and emotional, not harsh or scary. He plays characters who are soft-hearted and human, and that warm, vulnerable quality is what makes him feel similar to Tom Hanks.
5. Steve Carell – The Heartbreaking Funny Man
Steve Carell transitioned from “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” guy to “one of the most emotionally compelling actors of his generation” so smoothly we barely noticed. Like Hanks, Carell blends humour, sadness, and sincerity in a way that hits you.
His movies:
- Little Miss Sunshine
- Foxcatcher
- Beautiful Boy
- The Big Short (2015)
- Also, The Office, obviously
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Carell carries the same gentleness Hanks is known for. Even when he plays broken men, they feel deeply human. He can be funny without cruelty, emotional without melodrama, and serious without hardening. That’s classic Hanks DNA.
6. Robin Williams – The Emotional Soulmate
Robin Williams and Tom Hanks are spiritual cousins. They both brought emotional richness to comedic roles and a sense of gentle wonder to dramatic ones.
His movies:
- Good Will Hunting
- Mrs. Doubtfire
- Dead Poets Society
- Patch Adams
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Robin Williams and Tom Hanks both make you feel cared for when you watch them. They can show kindness and emotion in their acting without making it feel heavy or preachy. Williams did it with big energy, while Hanks does it more calmly—but both make you connect deeply with their characters.
7. Keanu Reeves – The Most Polite Action Star in Existence
Everyone loves Keanu Reeves, just like everyone loves Tom Hanks. Keanu may do more action and fight scenes, but he still has that same gentle, kind-hearted energy. Whether he’s saving the world or taking care of a puppy, his goodness always shows on screen. That’s what makes him feel similar to Tom Hanks.
His movies:
- John Wick (2014)
- The Matrix
- Speed
- Always Be My Maybe (the cameo that launched 1,000 memes)
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Keanu and Hanks share a public reputation: sincere, decent, humble, unproblematic, beloved across generations. Keanu isn’t an everyman, but he has the same moral warmth that makes audiences feel safe with him.
8. Andrew Garfield – Soft Boi With Emotional Depth
Andrew Garfield is great at playing honest, open-hearted characters who feel deeply and care deeply. There’s a softness and emotional sincerity in his acting that reminds people of early Tom Hanks. He makes you feel for his characters almost instantly, and that gentle, heartfelt quality is what connects him to Hanks.
His movies:
- Hacksaw Ridge
- Tick, Tick… Boom!
- The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
- The Social Network
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Garfield’s characters always feel like they’re trying to do good, to love deeply, to be better. That striving, that emotional openness, that sincerity… very Hanks.
9. Colin Firth – The Gentleman With a Trembling Decency
Colin Firth is the perfect example of quiet, dignified vulnerability. Even when he plays serious or reserved characters, you can still sense the emotion underneath. He brings a gentle warmth to his roles, and that subtle softness is what makes him feel similar to Tom Hanks.
His movies:
- The King’s Speech
- Love Actually
- Pride & Prejudice (2005)
- A Single Man
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
First, like Hanks, he excels at subtle dignity. Both bring emotional intelligence to their performances. When they break down, you break down. When they try to be strong, you cheer for them. They’re masters of quiet emotional realism.
10. John Krasinski – The Modern Hanks Prototype
John Krasinski naturally fits into this list because he has the same “good guy” energy that Tom Hanks is known for. He often plays honest, dependable characters who are just trying their best, whether it’s in a comedy or a serious film. That warm, steady presence on screen is what makes him feel so Hanks-like.
His movies:
- A Quiet Place (2018)
- A Quiet Place Part II
- 13 Hours
- The Office (where he established himself as the Jim Halpert of America)
Why he feels Tom Hanks-adjacent:
Krasinski brings a reassuring steadiness to everything he does. Even when he’s terrified, grieving, or fighting monsters, he radiates softness. He’s a new-age everyman with a Hanks-like moral centre.
What Makes These Actors Tom Hanks-ish? A Quick Diagnosis
If we were to break it down critically, these actors share four key traits:
1. They Show Their Feelings Instead of Hiding Them
One of Tom Hanks’ strongest qualities is his ability to openly convey emotion. In Cast Away, he barely says anything for huge parts of the film, yet you feel every wave of loneliness and hope. In Forrest Gump, his honesty is what makes the story hit so hard.
Actors like Mark Ruffalo and Andrew Garfield share this. They let emotions sit right on the surface. They show their soft, real, and unforced side, so you immediately understand what their characters are going through.
2. They Make “Being a Good Person” Compelling
Not everyone can make kindness interesting, but Tom Hanks consistently does. Look at Saving Private Ryan or Sully: he plays decent men trying to do the right thing, and the drama comes from watching them hold onto their values.
Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and even Matt Damon fit this mold. Their characters might be flawed or overwhelmed, but their goodness is always central.
3. They Redefine Strength Without the Tough-Guy Act
Hanks’ version of masculinity isn’t loud. It’s steady and gentle. Whether he’s a lawyer in Philadelphia or a father in Road to Perdition, his strength comes from emotional clarity.
Keanu Reeves, Colin Firth, and Ruffalo echo this kind of presence. They play men who feel deeply and aren’t afraid to show it – heroes who win through the heart.
4. They Still Feel Like Regular People, Even in Big Roles
Tom Hanks can play a pilot, a ship captain, a lawyer, a cowboy doll, or a man alone on an island, and he always feels relatable. That’s the “everyman” charm.
Matt Damon stranded on Mars? He still feels like the guy you’d talk to at a grocery store.
John Krasinski is facing monsters in A Quiet Place. Still feels like a dad doing his best.
That grounded, human quality links them all back to Hanks.
Final Thoughts: The School of Nice Men
Hollywood is full of complicated, brooding men. Anti-heroes. Dark, tormented protagonists.
Tom Hanks and his cinematic cousins remind us that being good is not boring. Being kind is not shallow. Being decent is not old-fashioned.
These actors keep alive a form of storytelling that believes in earnestness, vulnerability, and humanity. They carry the torch of the “hero you’d trust with your spare house key.”
And honestly? In the chaos of modern cinema (and modern life), these men—and their Tom Hanks-ness—feel more necessary than ever.
