For the past month, Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks has been quietly exploring Sydney, Australia, managing to remain largely unnoticed by the public. The 69-year-old star, best known for his role in Forrest Gump, made a surprise visit to The Greg Chappell Cricket Centre in North Sydney on Monday, accompanied by his 30-year-old son, Truman Hanks.
Incognito Appearance in North Sydney
According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, store manager John Doughty initially failed to recognise the A-list celebrity due to Hanks' remarkably laid-back and somewhat messy appearance. Doughty admitted to the publication, "I didn't actually recognise him to start off with." The Hollywood legend and his son spent considerable time browsing in the shop, eventually becoming the final customers remaining at closing time.
Cricket Shopping Spree
During their visit, the father-son duo purchased an assortment of cricket equipment, including a beach cricket set, several caps, wicketkeeping gloves, cricket balls, and shorts. Doughty described Hanks as a really nice guy and a typical American, noting that the actor was both loud and animated throughout their interaction.
Australian Travel Plans
Following their Sydney excursion, Hanks and his son are understood to be travelling to Western Australia, where they plan to visit friends. This marks the Toy Story star's second trip to Australia in recent years, having previously visited in 2020 to film his role as Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann's biographical drama Elvis.
Recent Filming Activities in Sydney
Sydneysiders recently experienced Hanks' famously approachable personality firsthand when the Oscar winner was filming his latest project, Greyhound 2, last month. The World War II drama sequel, which Hanks both wrote and stars in, was being shot at the Prince Henry Hospital Nursing and Medical Museum in Little Bay.
Onlookers gathered outside the filming location after noticing lights and equipment, and Hanks—dressed in costume featuring a white shirt, bathrobe, and 1940s-style haircut—took time to chat with curious bystanders. A staff member from nearby Site Pizza Bar captured the moment on Facebook, posting pictures with the caption: "Great to see Tom Hanks saying hello to the locals and having a little chat, very cool."
About Greyhound 2
The new film serves as a sequel to Hanks' 2022 Apple+ streaming hit Greyhound, which he also scripted. The original drama depicted the intense battles aboard a US Navy destroyer in the North Atlantic during World War II. The follow-up continues the story of Hanks' character, Commander Ernst 'Ernie' Krause, as he transitions to fight in the Pacific theatre.
Previous Australian Connections
During his 2020 stay on Queensland's Gold Coast for the Elvis filming, Hanks hired Brisbane-based chef Aaron Teece as his personal culinary expert. The actor's current visit to Australia began in January when he arrived in Sydney with his entourage, which notably included a very muscular bodyguard.
