In further proof that Tom Hanks is one of the most down-to-earth and nicest celebrities around, he has now inadvertently helped a fan win a bet by replying to some fan mail.
Already this year, the actor has posed with a newly married couple while out jogging in New York's Central Park, sent a typewriter to a fan who drew sketches of him and spoken with refreshing honesty about the loneliness he endured in his childhood. His ever-growing popularity has even led to calls for him to be the next President of the United States.
Now, just as 2016 is drawing to a close, Hanks took some time out of his busy schedule to personally reply to one fan who asked for a selfie.
Zena Gopal, from Toronto, Canada made a bet with her friends that she would get a headshot from a celebrity the fastest. After tracking Hanks’ speedy movements when it comes to responding to fan mail, she decided the Forrest Gump actor was her best bet.
Three weeks after sending a photo of herself and a letter asking for him to take a selfie with her picture, he sent a lengthy reply and, indeed, a photo of himself holding the photo of Ms Gopal which has been uploaded by a friend of the Hanks’ fan on Imgur.
Ms Gopal told Canadian broadcaster CBC she was “totally floored” by the response and said: “It made me laugh, it really made my day. It was just really cool to see that he reads his fan mail.”
In his response, Hanks apologised for his unshaven appearance citing an upcoming role on a film for his new beard.
“Does this count as a head shot?” he wrote. “Sorry for the beard, but I have some shooting doing up and I must have whiskers. And, my headshot is not all that current, taken long ago and I’d come off vain sending along.”
He then changed the focus of his letter to Toronto where he discussed the new condo towers being built in the city before asking Ms Gopal if she was ready for the Christmas holidays.
“This Polaroid has been developing as I have been typing. The thing is scary…” he wrote, signing off. “Throw deep, always. Tom Hanks.”
