Tom Hanks’ Trouble-Magnet Son Chet Insists A-List Parents Back His Plan to Tell All About Rollercoaster Life on Reality TV
Aug. 6 2024, Published 6:34 p.m. ET
Trouble magnet Chet Hanks – the recovering coke addict son of Oscar winner Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson – says his famous parents support his decision to appear on MTV’s The Surreal Life: Villa of Secrets.
A source said: “Chet has given Tom and Rita a lot of worry over the years – but he’s clean and sober now and they see him trying so hard to live a good life.
“Chet feared his folks would be against his going on a reality show and talking about them, but Tom especially said: Hey, this is the way of the world now, reality TV. If you want to do it, go ahead – and we will be tuning in.”
Chet, 34, has had recurring roles on Empire, Shameless, and Your Honor. But insiders said the outspoken rapper, who is more well-known for his loudmouth social media posts and repeated stints in rehab, hopes the reality show can put his acting career back on track.
Before Tom and Rita’s eldest child finally kicked his drug demons in 2021, he whined online about being the black sheep of his wealthy family and was accused of causing $1,800 in damages in a U.K. hotel room, which he denied.
Changed Chet gushed about his latest project, saying: “It’s more about personal growth and relationships with people and vulnerability. It’s a completely different type of reality TV.”
The reformed bad boy’s stint on the show has already earned him one new fan – fellow castmate Kim Zolciak, from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, who gushed: “He’s great!”
As RadarOnline.com reported, Chet and Kim Zolciak reportedly hit it off during the two-week production of The Surreal Life in Medellín, Colombia – leaving others on the show wondering if there was a romantic connection between the pair.
Chet’s appearance on The Surreal Life – which premiered on MTV on July 23 – also came around the same time his famous parents became the latest victims of a slew of celebrity home invasions.
The Hollywood power couple’s Los Angeles mansion was recently broken into by thieves who ransacked the property after gaining access to a guest house on the sprawling property.
A source said of the incident: “The break-in happened in broad daylight while the couple was out of town. An alarm triggered by the broken glass wasn’t enough to stop the thieves from going inside.
“But the good news here is the thieves did not make it inside the main house.”
The insider also said it was “unclear what, if anything, was stolen” and “how much those items might be worth”.
Meanwhile, Chet also recently came face-to-face with an intruder who broke into his home.
Reports at the time said the suspect lashed out at police officers who arrested him at the scene. The 34-year-old Hanks was not injured during the break-in scare.
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