'What Happened to His Accent?': Tom Hanks's Son Chet Turns 36 With a Changed Look and Religious Tattoos – Video

Chet Hanks had plenty to say about age, wisdom, and reaching "uncle status" as he reflected on his 36 years. Yet amid the jokes and advice, his latest appearance prompted a conversation of its own.

Chet Hanks has spent years in the public eye, both through his famous family and a career that has included acting and music. More recently, however, the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson has spoken about changes that went deeper than his public image.

Chet Hanks Reflects on Turning 36

On August 7, 2026, Chet took to Instagram with a video about what he had learned since turning 36. The post came three days after his August 4 birthday and was captioned, "Pretty sure Marcus Aurelius said this at some point."

"So, it was my birthday a few days ago — August 4th — and I'm currently 36 years of age," he began. "So I just wanted to share a little something about what I've learned from my life experience over 36 years, man."

His takeaway was delivered with humor rather than sentimentality. "The crazy part about getting older is just, you're just as much of a [expletive] as you were in your early 20s, you know? The only difference is, now you gotta feel guilty about it, as well as pay taxes; your lower back hurts," he said before adding:

"Uh, oh yeah, and kids who are in their 20s constantly ridicule you for being old and cooked and chopped. But regardless of that, man, it feels good to reach uncle status, 'cause a lot of people didn't make it this far. You know what I'm saying? So we just gonna keep on truckin'."

Chet ended his reflection with the advice, "You know, just a word of advice to all the kids out there, just remember, man, a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush, and a fast nickel is better than a slow dime."

However, the message was only part of what drew attention. In the video, the 36-year-old appeared with a closely shaved head, a full beard, and extensive tattoos covering his chest, shoulders, and arms. His appearance, along with the way he spoke, soon became a talking point.

One person questioned his speech, saying, "What happened to his accent? I dont understand what he's saying? Either way happy bday 🎂[sic]." Another seemed puzzled by his birthday wisdom but still offered a compliment, commenting, "What does even mean? You look good tho [sic]."

As one of the two sons of Tom and Rita, the 36-year-old had long attracted attention for a public persona that was markedly different from that of his parents.

Others focused on the changes to his appearance. One person typed, "Did yall [sic] see his new tattoo?! 😮😮😮." Another was particularly taken with his hair, sharing, "im in love with your hair transplant [sic]."

Chet had also displayed more of his body art in another Instagram post, appearing shirtless inside a bike shop with a much larger cross tattoo across his back. That post prompted another person to comment, "Gorgeous!! The bike is nice too!"

The religious imagery was not simply a recent aesthetic choice. Chet had previously connected a major change to his tattoos with a broader shift in how he wanted to live his life.

His Religious Tattoos Marked a New Chapter

In July 2023, Chet took to social media to reveal a large cross tattoo on his chest while discussing a more personal transformation. As one of the two sons of Tom and Rita, the 36-year-old had long attracted attention for a public persona that was markedly different from that of his parents.

His White Boy Summer prediction went viral in 2021, and his use of a patois accent had also generated attention. But by 2023, he indicated that the image people had come to know did not fully represent him.

Chet described his years in the public eye as a period in which he had adopted different personas, including those tied to acting, rap music, fitness, and displays of wealth. He also conveyed that he no longer wanted to present a caricature of himself and intended to live in a way that felt more authentic.

At the center of that change was his Christian faith. Chet had previously identified as an atheist before converting to Christianity about a decade before that 2023 declaration.

During a July 2026 appearance on "Artist Friendly with Joel Madden," Chet reflected on his struggles with addiction and self-worth, as well as the emotional weight he experienced growing up in the shadow of his famous father.

As part of what he presented as a new beginning, he covered an Eye of Providence tattoo on his chest with a large cross. He also cleared the existing posts from his Instagram account at the time.

Chet explained then that he believed much of the pain he had experienced came from pursuing a purpose other than serving God. Although he acknowledged that he did not yet know exactly what that service would look like, he viewed greater honesty about himself and his faith as a place to begin.

That spiritual shift has remained part of the story he has told about his life. Years later, he spoke in greater detail about how faith intersected with addiction, rehab, his career, and his efforts to find peace.

The 36-Year-Old Opened Up About Rehab, Gratitude, and Faith

During a July 2026 appearance on "Artist Friendly with Joel Madden," Chet reflected on his struggles with addiction and self-worth, as well as the emotional weight he experienced growing up in the shadow of his famous father.

He said one of the biggest changes came when he stopped measuring his life by the opportunities he did not have and learned to appreciate ordinary things instead. The 36-year-old told the host:

"I did notice that once I learned to truly love the simple [expletive], it made...my career happen a lot smoother. Like, that's actually the game changer that shifted everything in my career."

That realization followed a particularly difficult period, as Chet recalled being out of rehab, broke, and without the professional momentum he wanted. Yet he found something valuable in having less.

"But I was so grateful to just have a spot, have my bike, wake up in the morning. 'Wow. It's a beautiful day. I'm gonna go for a walk,'" he shared. According to him, his circumstances began changing after he reached that point.

"When I got to that point, that's when the phone started ringing," he explained. "You know what I'm saying? It's an energetic thing...I truly believe that. I feel like we are trained to think that we have to hustle and grind to make [expletive] happen. And, to some extent, that's true."

For him, however, constantly trying to force the next step had produced the opposite result. "But, for me, I can truly say that when I was putting it all on myself [...], I got nowhere," he continued.

Chet said that period left him feeling as though he was making little progress, with "just one [expletive] obstacle after the other." Eventually, however, his response was to relinquish some of that need for control and place his worries in his faith. The 36-year-old noted:

"When I truly let go, and I'm like, 'You know what, [expletive] all that. I gotta just enjoy the simple [expletive] and trust God. And what I'm worrying about, I give it to God.' [...] That's when [expletive] started happening."

By his 36th birthday, the crosses and other tattoos visible across his body accompanied a public outlook that Chet Hanks had been describing for years — one centered on faith, gratitude, and a different approach to the pressures surrounding his life and career.