Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have worked together on five feature films, starting with Saving Private Ryan, a powerful World War II movie, and reuniting for Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, Bridge of Spies, and The Post. Outside these movies, the two have also executive produced the World War II miniseries – HBO's Band of Brothers and The Pacific, and Apple TV's Masters of the Air.

During a recent appearance on the Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend podcast (via Team Coco), Hanks revealed how he warned actors on his last two films with Spielberg, Bridge of Spies and The Post, about what to expect from the director's way of working. Noting the screenplays are only blueprints for Spielberg, Hanks says he sometimes knows exactly how to shoot the scene, to the extent the lines actors have memorized don't even really matter. Other times, however, Spielberg comes to set with no idea what he wants to do, and looks to his actors to be on the ball:

The last couple of gigs that I've had, I said, when everybody is in town— we did this on Bridge of Spies... oh we did The Post together, did the same thing with The Post— get everybody together, and we'll read through some of the scenes. And I'll just explain, say, "Listen, everybody, there are some days that we will come to work, and we will have all of this stuff memorized, we'll be hot, we will have read through it, we'll be prepared, and we will get to the stage and Steven will have done all that work for us. We don't have to do anything except inhabit the space. Because Steven is telling the story from the cinematic perspective, where the camera is and what he's doing [with it], it's not even going to matter.

"But then there'll be other times, my friends, when we will show up, and we'll know it all, and we need to know it because we have to get there." When we shot the stuff on the Glienicke Bridge on Bridge of Spies— which was the real place where the spies were exchanged, crazy— we were freezing to death, it was very, very cold, and Steven came up to say, "Hey, I hope you guys know all your lines because I haven't the slightest idea how we're going to shoot this." And I just turned to all the guys and said, "What did I tell you!" And then he's the most malleable guy. "Well what if we stand here, Steven? What if we come out here? What if he comes out there?" "Great, great, great, great! Oh, that's a great idea, because then I can..." And then he's very excited about all that kind of stuff.

What Tom Hanks' Warning Means For Actors Working With Steven Spielberg

The Director's Approach May Vary

Tom Hanks' comments detail the dynamic experience that actors have when working with Steven Spielberg, who alternates between being meticulously prepared and completely open to input. For scenes when he has a clear vision, Spielberg guides his actors decisively, using his directorial expertise to dictate every detail from the camera angles to pacing. Jaws is one of the best examples of this, as Spielberg planned several key shots, such as the famous dolly zoom, with meticulous precision. In these moments, actors simply follow Spielberg's direction to achieve the desired cinematic impact.

However, on Jaws, the movie's mechanical sharks famously malfunctioned, forcing Spielberg to abandon his original vision and instead, suggest the shark's presence using various cinematic techniques, including John Williams' ominous score. When necessary, Spielberg embraces spontaneity and encourages his collaborators to contribute to the scene's development. This adaptable approach allows actors to shape scenes and influence the storytelling, as seen in Saving Private Ryan, where the actors' improvisations during the intense and chaotic battle scenes added an aura of authenticity. Hanks' anecdote underscores Spielberg's ability to be both prepared and flexible, adapting to the needs of each moment.

Our Take On Tom Hanks' Warning For Actors Working With Steven Spielberg

He Knows The Director Better Than Anyone

Tom Hanks has worked with Steven Spielberg five times and is uniquely positioned to understand the director's balance of meticulous preparation and spontaneous creativity. Hanks' comments not only reveal insight into Spielberg's style, but also showcase his own keen awareness and understanding of the director's tendencies, fully attuned to the nuances of his vision. In turn, it's no surprise that Hanks and Spielberg's partnership has produced such well-made and memorable movies over the years.

Tom Hanks' Warning Could Be Useful For Actors Working With Steven Spielberg On His Next Movie

Multiple Actors Have Reportedly Been Cast

Hanks' advice could be useful for actors working with Steven Spielberg on his next movie. The project, announced this past May at Universal, is described as an "event film" and is set for release in May 2026. Though plot details remain unknown, it's reportedly a UFO story, marking Spielberg's return to the sci-fi genre after Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., and War of the Worlds. The script is written by Spielberg's longtime collaborator David Koepp, who previously penned the screenplays for Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Spielberg's next movie is described as a two-hander, and Emily Blunt would play one of the lead roles alongside Colin Firth.

This past June, Emily Blunt was in early talks to star in Spielberg's next movie, although an agreement had yet to be finalized. Blunt is a highly esteemed actress, fresh off her first Oscar nomination for Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer – but with roles in Edge of Tomorrow, A Quiet Place, and The Fall Guy – is also highly capable of leading a summer blockbuster. While she has worked with several acclaimed directors, Blunt has never collaborated with Spielberg before, so she could benefit from Hanks' advice.

Spielberg's next movie is described as a two-hander, and Blunt would play one of the lead roles alongside Colin Firth who, this past August, was also in early talks to the cast. Firth is an Oscar-winning actor for his performance in The King's Speech but, like Blunt, has never worked with Spielberg before, so he could also benefit from Hanks' advice. In September, Eve Hewson was also in early talks for Steven Spielberg's next movie, who previously appeared in Bridge of Spies, so she has already heard Tom Hanks' warning and has experience working with the director.

Steven Spielberg's next movie is set for release on May 15, 2026.

Source: Team Coco

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  Tom Hanks

  Birthdate

  July 9, 1956

  Birthplace

  Concord, California, USA

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  Steven Spielberg

  Birthdate

  December 18, 1946

  Birthplace

  Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

  Notable Projects

  Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan

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