Fans love to see Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. They have been together for over thirty decades, almost a lifetime for so many of us! Both of them indeed make a beautiful couple. They set extraordinary standards for relationship goals for everyone around there. But how many of us know about the first wife of Tom Hanks? Samantha Lewes was the first love of his life before Rita Wilson.
But, not to undermine her achievements, she has her own identity apart from being someone’s wife. She was an actor herself and a great mother. The entire Hanks family is often in the media focus. However, Samantha Lewes, Tom Hank’s first wife, received little to no coverage from the media. So let us dig deeper into the story of Samantha Lewes!
Who was Samantha Lewes – Tom Hanks’s first wife?
Samantha Lewes was not just Tom Hanks’s wife. She was her own person. Apart from being someone’s ex-wife, she has appeared in many sitcoms. In addition, she is a recognized artist from Hollywood. Although her acting career is not as remarkable as her husband’s, she sure has made her mark.
Samantha is a Californian native. She landed several roles in films. However, she mainly stuck to theatre and some of the movies featuring her ex-husband, Tom Hanks.
Actress Samantha Lewes had two children, Colin Hanks and Elizabeth Hanks in 1977 and 1989, respectively.
Basic Information about Samantha Lewes
| Full Name | Susan Jane Dillingham |
| Professional Name | Samantha Lewes |
| Date of Birth | 29-Nov-52 |
| Died | 12-Mar-02 |
| Place of Birth | San Diego, California, United States |
| Death Place | Sacramento, California, United States of America |
| Gender | Female |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Christian |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Former Husband | Tom Hanks (1978-1987) |
Professional Life
| Profession | American actress |
| Popular Movies | Bosom Buddies (1981) |
| Mr. Success (1984) | |
| Net Worth | $15 Million |
Family
| Father’s Name | John Raymond Dillingham |
| Mother’s Name | Harriet Hall Dillingham |
| Siblings | David Dillingham (Brother) |
| Children | Elizabeth Ann Hanks |
| Colin Hanks | |
| Grandchildren | Olivia Jane Hanks |
| Charlotte Bryant Hanks |
Body Stats
| Height in m | 1.70 m |
| Height in cm | 170 cm |
| Height in inches | 5 Feet 7 Inches |
| Weight in Kg | 60 Kg |
| Weight in pounds | 132 lbs |
| Body Measurements | 36-27-38 |
| Hair Colour | Blonde |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Skin Type | Very Fair |
Educational Background
| School Name | Soon will update |
| University Name | California State University, Sacramento |
| Graduated | Yes |
Social Media Accounts
| Not known | |
| Not known | |
| Not known |
Early Life
The actress was born in California as Susan Jane Dillingham. She was born on November 29, 1952. Her parents were Raymond Dillingham and Harriet Hall Dillingham. She had a very reserved and private childhood, and not many knew about it.
Her mother taught elementary English as a teacher in England. At the same time, her father was a US Marine. He served during the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and World War II. Her father received purple hearts during her 26-year military service.
However, her parents got separated, which was very hard on Samantha. She only has her mother raising her single-handedly. Soon after the separation, her mother moved them closer to her brother in Northern California. During her childhood, she spent most of her time in Hawaii, California, Virginia, and Florida.
The Acting Career of Samantha Lewes
Many people are of the opinion that the main highlight of her life is that she was Tom Hanks’s first wife. But that is not entirely true. Both of them aspired to be actors from their early college days. Samantha, initially known as Susan, mainly stuck to the theatre. She adapted the name Samantha from her theatre characters. And after making a few movie appearances, the name stuck with her.
She did cameo roles in movies like Bosom Buddies (1981) and Mr Success. But she could not make it big in Hollywood like her ex-husband. But theatre was her forte!
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Samantha Lewes’s Net Worth
Samantha Lewes has always focussed more on her family than her acting career. But still, she has a satisfying professional life. According to the sources, her estimated net worth throughout her whole active career was $15 million.
It says she reached this point only due to her hard work and dedication to her work. On the other hand, the estimated net worth of her former husband, Tom Hanks, is $350 million. That’s a lot higher than her.
Personal Life
Unfortunately, the date Samantha Lewes and Tom Hanks started dating is unknown. However, speculations say that they started to become official in the early 70s. Both of them went to acting classes at their university- Sacramento State University. This is where they first met each other and had sparks flying everywhere.
Over time, both of them developed a friendship. Slowly, their friendship turned into a romantic relationship. They dated each other for some time. Eventually, the couple decided to tie the knot on January 24, 1978.
As mentioned before, many might know Colin Hanks is the son of Samantha Lewes and Tom Hanks. So he is quite a known face on the big Hollywood screens. But something that might turn heads is that the actor was born before his parents married. Now that shows how passionate the love of Tom Hanks and Samantha was!
The couple welcomed their second child in 1982. Blessed with a beautiful baby girl, they named her Elizabeth Hanks. She made a few appearances in movies like Forrest Gump and That Thing You Do. However, like her father and brother, she could not make it big in Hollywood.
How Samantha Lewes Helped Tom Hanks Fight His Depression
Today, mental health issues are a real problem. At least people acknowledge the seriousness of these issues. But to think they were non-existent is entirely untrue. Depression and anxiety are common issues that people struggle to deal with quite often. Actor Tom Hanks acknowledged that he fell into this abyss early in his teens.
Fans all over know him as a man of will and courage. However, depression can get to even the bravest and best of us. While giving an interview to the Desert Island Discs, he said that he was very lonely. Moreover, he added that he married Samantha Lewes to deal with his loneliness. Well, this confession seems quite ambiguous. Does he mean his ex-wife helped him with his depression, or was he not ready for marriage?
