Tom Hanks thanks Australia for taking care of him and wife Rita Wilson while they had coronavirus - and reveals how the pandemic wreaked havoc on his new film Greyhound
Tom Hanks has returned to Australian screens, months after he and his wife Rita Wilson were diagnosed with COVID-19 during an ill-fated trip Down Under.
Speaking to the Today show via video chat on Tuesday, the Hollywood superstar, 63, graciously thanked those who helped him and Rita endure their health battle back in March.
'Thanks to our friends Down Under who guaranteed our safety and saw us through,' Tom told Channel Nine's Ally Langdon, after she jokingly called him 'Australia's most famous COVID patient'.
'Thanks to our friends Down Under': Tom Hanks, 63, appeared on the Tuesday's episode of Nine's Today show to thank Australia for taking care of him and wife Rita Wilson, 63 while they had COVID-19
Tom went on to describe how the pandemic had wreaked havoc upon his new WWII drama movie Greyhound.
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The film, for which he also penned the screenplay, had been due for release in movie theatres in May but was pushed back due to COVID-19.
When it became evident that cinemas would remain closed indefinitely, Apple purchased the film for streaming release on its premium subscription service Apple TV+.
Health battle: Tom and his wife Rita, 63, (pictured) both contracted COVID-19 in early March while he was filming Baz Lurhmann's Elvis Presley biopic in Australia
Not as intended: Ally Langdon (pictured) told Tom that she enjoyed watching the film from the comfort of her own home, but Tom couldn't help but air his disappointment at the fact Greyhound isn't being screened in cinemas as intended
Ally told Tom that she enjoyed watching the film from the comfort of her own home, but Tom couldn't help but air his disappointment at the fact Greyhound isn't being screened in cinemas as intended.
'On one hand, I'm happy to hear that and on the other hand, you're breaking my heart,' he lamented.
'We shot [Greyhound] for the big screen. It was mixed, it was edited, everything about it looks fantastic,' he continued, telling Ally: 'I wish that there had been 160 other people in their PJs, in your room, watching it with you at the same time.'
'We shot it for the big screen': Tom went on to describe how the pandemic had wreaked havoc upon his new WWII drama movie Greyhound, which was meant for cinemas but is now being released on Apple TV+. Tom is pictured in Greyhound trailer
Greyhound stars Tom as a U.S. Navy Captain who is given command of a destroyer code-named Greyhound in his first wartime assignment.
Despite his inexperience, he finds himself in charge of an allied convoy that's being stalked by Nazi U-Boats.
Tom and his wife Rita, 63, both contracted COVID-19 in early March while he was filming Baz Lurhmann's Elvis Presley biopic in Australia.
The couple were hospitalised for several days and then continued their recovery in quarantine, before flying home to Los Angeles where they continued to self-isolate.
Action-packed: Greyhound stars Tom as a U.S. Navy Captain, who is given command of a destroyer code-named Greyhound in his first wartime assignment. Tom is pictured in Greyhound trailer
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