Tom Hanks is one of the best actors of his generation. With his consistent presence at the top of Hollywood since the ’80s he’s become an icon.
While everyone has their own picks for the best Tom Hanks movies, no one can argue that his deep but gentle voice is one of the most instantly recognizable around, alongside the likes of Morgan Freeman. And, it’s that soothing Tom Hanks voice that used to send Florence Pugh to sleep while she was unwell as a young child.
Speaking on The Graham Norton show, Pugh explained how the Saving Private Ryan star become a huge comfort to her. “I particularly love the sound of Tom Hanks’ voice,” she said, while sat alongside the actor.
“I was sick a lot as a kid, I was always in hospital and they were always trying to find a good position for me to sleep in. And apparently I would always wake up when Toy Story was over and the ending credits would play.”
Pugh continued, “So [my mom would] quickly get up from her bed and rewind it and press play again. So I’ve been very soothed to sleep [by Tom Hanks].”
Just in case your heart wasn’t warmed enough, Hanks then performs a short rendition of You’ve Got a Friend in Me to Pugh. Yes, we are very jealous. You can watch it all unfold in the clip above.
It’s all a sweet reminder of just how much Tom Hanks means to audiences across the world, with his roles in some of the best movies of all time, including Toy Story. In fact, aware of his image as a fuzzy friend, Hanks even has a rule against playing movie villains.
Tom Hanks and Florence Pugh have never shared the screen together, but with their joint stardom it seems like it’s only really a matter of time.
Pugh can be next seen in Oppenheimer and Dune 2, while Hanks will have a leading role in Wes Anderson’s new movie Asteroid City, before starring in 2024’s Here from Back to the Future director Robert Zemeckis.
Check out our Asteroid City review for more, before taking a look at our guides to the Oppenheimer release date and Dune 2 release date. Or, find out why Tom Hanks loves that his most underrated movie is now a cult classic.