Tom Hanks has the "greatest gig in the world".

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks

The Oscar-winning actor's lengthy career success means he is in a "fabulous" place where he can choose the roles he wants just because they interest him, and unlike some people with "twisted" motives, he only got into the movie-making business because he wanted to have fun.

He said: "I'm at a fabulous place. I really have to be intrigued by a part. It is like sayimg, 'I'm going to give up, go off, form my repertory company in Cleveland, Ohio, and do plays I'd like to be in.' It's not unlike that and it's nice.

"Some people are in show business for twisted reasons. Power. They want to get laid. The money is good.

"But when I stumbled into this, I did it because it was fun and I'm no goo at anything else. To get paid to make movies? This is the greatest gig in the world."

The 59-year-old actor has admitted the roles he takes on have changed throughout his career and is happy to portray characters his own age as he doesn't think it would be realistic for him to do anything else.

He told Sunday Times Culture magazine: "You carry with you the weight of your years and the experiences of your circumstances.

"I'm happy to get older in these roles. I'm going to be 60 in July, so I realise you can't try to play a 32 year old. You don't buy it.

"The other stories I've told are guys, my age, who look like me, who suddenly find themselves in circumstances that are extraordinary."


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