Tom Hanks' Parents Inspired His Success In Hollywood

Tom Hanks was inspired to become an actor because of his parents' divorce.

The award-wining star has revealed that his acting ambitions stem from his childhood experiences.

The Hollywood star said on the 'On Purpose with Jay Shetty' podcast: "Because my parents were divorced, I spent a lot of time travelling to and from where my mom lived in this small town, or where my dad lived, in Oakland, in the Bay Area. And those hours on a Greyhound bus, starting when I was seven or eight years old. Five hours of just daydreaming. Five hours of looking out the window. Five hours of looking at people passing cars. Air, trains going by, farms and whatnot, buildings within it.

"The natural preponderance I had to sit there quietly and imagine what was going on. That fuelled me into realising that there's actually ... a pursuit that is, 'Let's put on a show. Let's tell the story.' That came along, and bang that that was it. And I'm telling you, it's the same exact now as it was then."

Tom, 68, actually became accustomed to being alone during his younger years.

The 'Forrest Gump' star - who is one of the most popular actors of his generation - recalled: "Because I was so young when my parents split up and there were so many other factors that had to go into [it] - it was logistics and legal things and time and distance and stuff like that - I took care of myself and, you know, was satisfied, I think it was a reprieve for them.

"So I just got used to occupying myself by being alone. And that's really great. And it can be really detrimental."