CNN
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For a while, Chet Hanks was arguably one of the most confounding people in Hollywood. Then he found a way to pour that perception into a perfect role.
The son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Hanks once described himself as the “black sheep” of his artistic family. Now he’s stealing scenes in the new Netflix series, “Running Point.”
Created in part by actress and producer Mindy Kaling, the dark comedy is based on the life of Los Angeles Lakers owner and president, Jeanie Buss, who serves as one of the show’s producers.
Kate Hudson plays the Buss-inspired character leading the family business – a fictional Los Angeles-based basketball team called the Waves. Hanks plays Travis Buggs, a heavily tattooed aspiring rapper and top player on the team.
In one of his first notable scenes, Hanks as Buggs raps in the locker room – something Hanks pursued in his real-life not long ago.
Under the alias Chet Haze, Hanks in 2011 released a song titled “White and Purple,” which was a take on Wiz Khalifa’s hit “Black and Yellow.”
His “Running Point” character is a little over the top, but not too different from the actor himself.
“I basically get to be a slightly exaggerated version of myself,” Hanks told Esquire.
Beloved in the entertainment industry, Oscar-winning actor and author Tom Hanks and his actress/singer wife Rita Wilson have been married for almost 37 years. Their oldest child together, Chester “Chet” Hanks, has had his fair share of drama.
In 2015, he spoke publicly about dealing with substance abuse and apologized for his use of the N-word.
“I know, like, my name’s been in the media about me like going missing or getting kidnapped or something. I just want to let you all know, I’ve been in rehab … and I’m doing pretty damn good,” the Los Angeles Times reported Hanks said in a social media video at the time.
Other controversies followed. He inexplicably spoke in a Jamaican accent on the Golden Globes red carpet in 2020 and released a rap single titled “White Boy Summer,” both of which found him accused of cultural appropriation.
He was criticized for speaking out against vaccines in 2021 after his parents were among the first public figures to share they had contracted Covid-19 at the beginning of the pandemic.
In 2022, Hanks reportedly posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he expressed love for his family but described his upbringing as “toxic” due to his parents being in the spotlight.
His own acting credits include appearances in television shows like “Shameless,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Atlanta.”
But he is earning some of his most positive reviews for his work on “Running Point.
Hanks told The Hollywood Reporter he landed the role by auditioning, despite his family pedigree. He knew Hudson a bit through their families.
“I hung out with her a couple of times, she would have these parties at her house; she would invite all her friends and they’d have a big game night,” Hanks said. “I went a couple of times and it was really fun, so it was cool to get to work with her.”
“Running Point” co-creator Ike Barinholtz told Netflix that Hanks was a slam dunk for the role.
“Chet Hanks gave us such an amazing audition that we were just like, ‘OK, it has to be him,’” Barinholtz said.
Hanks agreed.
“The character description said he’s a white guy, he’s tatted up, he’s a wannabe rapper, and he’s always getting in trouble because of what he posts on social media,” he told Netflix. “So I thought, ‘Man, if I don’t get this role, I might as well just quit.’”
“Running Point” is streaming on Netflix.