Subway riders in New York City had an unexpected celebrity interaction when one of Hollywood’s biggest stars hopped on.
But most riders may not have noticed that Tom Hanks had joined the on the train thanks to an exam mask he wore that obscured his instantly recognizable visage.
The 69-year-old Oscar winner looked totally casual in an olive-green jacket and a forest-green ski cap when he got on the green 6 line.
Hanks — whose daughter E.A. Hanks recently detailed her painful childhood after her parents’ divorce — paired the stylish jacket with an autumn-ready green cardigan that matched his cap, along with a pair of dark slacks and black leather boots.
He accessorized with a green messenger bag that matched the rest of his outfit, and he wore a cool pair of clear plastic eyeglasses.
Witness who spotted that Saving Private Ryan star said he appeared to drop his bag after almost missing his stop.
Subway riders got an unexpected celebrity encounter when Tom Hanks took the green 6 line in NYC while riding incognito with a mask on
Hanks is far from the first celebrity to try to go incognito in public.
The increased prevalence of masking since the start of the coronavirus pandemic has given stars an easy excuse to cover their faces, in addition to helping to prevent the spread of disease.
Stars including Leonardo DiCaprio and Jared Leto have regularly worn masks to keep their recognizable faces hidden, while others like Jessica Alba have turned to hats, sunglasses and even make-up free looks to fly under the radar.
Hanks’ last film was Wes Anderson’s black comedy The Phoenician Scheme, which starred Benicio Del Toro as a morally compromised arms dealer struggling to make his biggest deal come to pass without being murdered by his enemies in the process.
Hanks, who first collaborated with Anderson on his previous film, the period comedy Asteroid City, had a small comic role as part of a duo of brothers who ink a deal with Del Toro’s character, with Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston playing Hanks’ sibling.
The Forrest Gump star will next be featured in the sequel Toy Story 5, in which he’ll return to voice the role of Woody alongside Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear and Joan Cusack as the cowgirl Jessie.
The team last appeared in 2019’s Toy Story 4, which many fans and critics took to be an attempt to wrap up the series.
Hanks is also reportedly returning to star in a sequel to his 2020 WWII film Greyhound, in which he played a US Navy commander leading a group of destroyers during the years-long Battle of the Atlantic.
Hanks wore a green jacket with a dark green cardigan, dark trousers, black boots, a green ski cap and clear plastic glasses
Witnesses said Hanks appeared to drop his bag after he nearly missed his stop; pictured in June in NYC
His latest film was the critically acclaimed Wes Anderson comedy The Phoenician Scheme, starring Benicio Del Toro (center). Hanks (L) and Bryan Cranston (R) played brothers invested in Del Toro’s unsavory business deals; pictured with Riz Ahmed (second to left)
was swept up in controversy in September after a planned West Point alumni group event to honor him was canceled at the last minute, with critics claiming the event was canceled to please President Donald Trump due to Hanks’ support for the Democratic party
Trump failed to dispel those concerns when he celebrated the scrapped award ceremony on social media
The actor, a longtime WWII enthusiast, wrote the screenplay for the Apple TV+ movie, which was a hit with fans and critics alike. So far, few details have been announced about the sequel.
Despite Hanks’ longtime association and promotion of the US military, he was swept up in controversy in September after a planned West Point alumni group event to honor him was canceled at the last minute.
He was to be awarded the Sylvanus Thayer Award, which the West Point Association of Graduates gives to non-alumni who ‘draw wholesome comparison’ to the military academy’s motto: ‘Duty, Honor, Country.’
In an unusual email to members, Retired Army Col. Mark Bieger, the president and CEO of the organization, announced that the group was scrapping its tribute to Hanks, who was slammed by conservatives on social media earlier this year for portraying a Trump supporter as a dimwitted racist on Saturday Night Live.
‘This decision allows the Academy to continue its focus on its core mission of preparing cadets to lead, fight, and win as officers in the world’s most lethal force, the United States Army,’ Bieger wrote.
It’s unclear if Hanks still received the award despite the event being canceled.
Critics contended that the unusual cancellation may have been a politically motivated move to please President Donald Trump, as Hanks is a supporter of Democratic candidates and causes.
Trump failed to dispel those concerns when he celebrated the scrapped award ceremony on social media.
‘Our great West Point (getting greater all the time!) has smartly cancelled the Award Ceremony for actor Tom Hanks. Important move!’ he wrote on Truth Social. ‘We don’t need destructive, WOKE recipients getting our cherished American Awards!!!
‘Hopefully the Academy Awards, and other Fake Award Shows, will review their Standards and Practices in the name of Fairness and Justice,’ Trump added.
