Tom Hanks' daughter alleges abuse by late mother in memoir
Tom Hanks' daughter has accused her late mother of psychological and physical abuse. Elizabeth Hanks wrote about these experiences in a book, an excerpt of which has recently surfaced online.
Elizabeth is the daughter of Tom Hanks and actress Susan Dillingham, known professionally as Samantha Lewes. Her parents married in 1978, but their marriage lasted only nine years. After the divorce, Elizabeth and her brother Colin were placed in their mother's care and did not have frequent contact with their father.
She dedicates considerable attention to this stage of her life in her book titled "The 10: A Memory of Family and the Open Road." An excerpt, in which she discusses her challenging relationship with her mother, was shared by People magazine. It reveals that her mother allegedly used questionable practices in raising her children.
One night, her emotional abuse turned into physical violence. After that, I moved to Los Angeles, right in the middle of seventh grade — she wrote.
Elizabeth Hanks does not hide that she and her brother were poorly treated by their mother. Reflecting on her childhood in Sacramento, she still envisions a yard full of dog droppings, where they couldn't walk without it leading to a fight.
She also recalls a refrigerator filled with expired food and a mother who spent entire days in bed reading the Bible. Elizabeth mentions that Susan Dillingham took the children to Sacramento without Tom Hanks' knowledge.
Tom Hanks' daughter suspects her mother had mental health issues
In 2019, Elizabeth Hanks embarked on a journey by camper as part of her work on the book, visiting places associated with her traumatic experiences. She tried her best to understand her mother and ultimately did not portray her solely in a negative light.
She suspects that her mother had undiagnosed bipolar disorder, which might have included symptoms such as delusions and paranoia. Susan Dillingham, the first wife of the "Green Mile" star, died in 2002 at just 49 years old.
The cause of death was bone cancer. The actress, known from the series "Bosom Buddies" and the movie "Mr. Success," called her daughter shortly before her death to inform her that she would soon die. Elizabeth Hanks was 19 years old at that time.
