Tom Hanks Gets Emotional Remembering Costar Peter Scolari
Tom Hanks is having a difficult time discussing the loss of his friend, Peter Scolari. See the video here.
This article is more than 2 years old
Tom Hanks has been a hallmark in American cinema for the past few decades. As the star of Castaway, Apollo 13, and Saving Private Ryan, Hanks’ filmography has stood the test of time. In recent news, he suffered a tragic personal loss. Friend Peter Scolari lost his battle with leukemia on October 22nd. Scolari and Hanks were not just friends, but co-stars in their youth. Fans may remember the short-lived comedy Bosom Buddies where the two actors starred together. In a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Tom Hanks became emotional when remembering his friend. Kimmel played a clip from Bosom Buddies and Hanks remembered him fondly. Both actors starred in the show early on in their careers and continued to work closely after.
You can see Tom Hanks discussing his friend in the Jimmy Kimmel interview below. While the interview is over 17 minutes, the video is set to start at 10:50 seconds, when Kimmel asks about Peter Scolari.
For those who don’t know, Bosom Buddies ran for only two seasons, from 1980 to 1982. The show revolved around two men who disguised themselves as women to get a cheap apartment. It is unlikely that concept would get greenlit today. In the interview, Tom Hanks recalls that they were the only male cast members and bonded quickly. The friendship obviously means a lot to Hanks, who started tearing up after playing a clip from the show.
Peter Scolari was a definitive presence in the entertainment industry and extremely prolific. He worked consistently from his time on Bosom Buddies up until his death. Many of his well-known credits include Girls, The West Wing, Gotham, among too many more to name. He also provided his voice for many animated works. While viewers may recognize him as Hannah Horvath’s father, he also appeared in a passion project of Tom Hanks’.
That Thing You Do was Tom Hanks’ directorial debut. He wrote, directed, and acted in the film. It was so significant that he also named his production company Playtone after the record label in the movie. It was a platform for many rising stars and the film debut of Tom Everett Scott. Liv Tyler, Steve Zahn, and Charlize Theron were some of the many well-known actors that appeared in the film. The film was a period piece about a rock ‘n’ roll band trying to make it big in 1964. Tom Hanks has a particular passion for this era, as he mentions in the Kimmel interview. Peter Scolari plays Troy Chesterfield, the host of The Hollywood Television Showcase. Though it is a supporting role, Hanks is known for his loyalty to the people that he works with.
In an opposing view, there has been some controversy about the casting in his acclaimed show Band of Brothers. Rolling Stone interviewed Connor Ratliff about his experience on the show and how controversy with Tom Hanks and his casting choices led to Ratliff creating his podcast Dead Eyes.
Today, Tom Hanks appears to be genuinely grieving the loss of his friend. He states that they lost Peter Scolari to “the emperor of all maladies.” Scolari was only 66 when he died. Tom Hanks appeared on Kimmel also to promote his new film Finch. Hanks’ film is set in a post-apocalyptic world where his character Finch survives with the help of a robot and his dog. Finch will be released on November 5th on Apple TV.
