Tom Hanks opens up on 40 years of ‘love’ for Aston Villa as he fires cheeky dig at Leeds United
Hollywood icon Tom Hanks has opened up about his decades-long devotion to Aston Villa, revealing that his unexpected connection to the Midlands club stretches back more than four decades and began through a simple football results segment on British television.
The award-winning actor, celebrated worldwide for blockbuster films such as Cast Away, Forrest Gump, and Bridge of Spies, admitted that his attachment to Villa was formed in the mid-1980s, long before he became publicly associated with the club. What started as curiosity soon developed into a lifelong passion that has seen him follow the team through triumphs, disappointments, relegation fears, and, more recently, a remarkable return to European prominence.
Speaking on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, Hanks reflected on the unusual circumstances that led him to become a supporter of a football club thousands of miles away from his home in the United States.
The actor explained that during his early career in 1985, while making promotional appearances, he regularly encountered football coverage from England. Fascinated by the unique names of clubs displayed on scoreboards and results programmes, one particular name immediately stood out from the rest.
According to Hanks, “Aston Villa” sounded less like a football team and more like a glamorous destination somewhere along the Mediterranean coast. The name captured his imagination instantly.
He joked that while other clubs sounded like traditional sporting institutions, Aston Villa seemed like a luxurious island retreat or a picturesque resort overlooking the sea. That first impression stayed with him, and from that moment he adopted Villa as his team.
What began as a light-hearted choice eventually became something far more meaningful. Over the years, Hanks followed the club’s fortunes from afar, enduring the emotional rollercoaster that every devoted football supporter understands.
The Hollywood star first publicly disclosed his Villa allegiance in 2008 during a conversation with television presenter James Corden. Since then, he has become one of the club’s most recognizable celebrity supporters.
His commitment has extended far beyond simply wearing the colours. In 2012, Hanks travelled from Los Angeles to watch Aston Villa face the Portland Timbers during a pre-season tour in the United States. The visit further strengthened his bond with the club and introduced him to Villa supporters on American soil.
In the years that followed, Hanks made several trips to Villa Park itself. One notable visit came in February 2023 when he attended Villa’s Premier League clash against Arsenal. He returned again in May 2024 for the dramatic encounter with Liverpool, a match that effectively secured Aston Villa’s place among the Premier League’s top four and confirmed their return to elite European competition.
For Hanks, those moments represented the culmination of years of hope and loyalty.
He spoke passionately about the unique relationship between football clubs and their supporters, arguing that once a person truly commits to a team, that connection lasts forever. Unlike many modern sports fans who may switch allegiances, Hanks believes football support becomes part of a person’s identity.
Yet beneath the humour was genuine emotion. Hanks described supporting Villa as a lifelong journey built on faith and patience. For decades, his ambitions for the club were relatively modest. Rather than dreaming of trophies, he often found himself simply hoping the team would avoid relegation and remain competitive.
That perspective made Villa’s recent resurgence even more satisfying.
Having watched the club spend years battling inconsistency, managerial changes, and periods of uncertainty, Hanks admitted he never stopped believing that better days would eventually arrive. The club’s historic European Cup triumph in 1982 had always served as a reminder of what Aston Villa was capable of achieving, even if a return to those heights seemed distant at times.
Now, with Villa once again competing among Europe’s elite and adding another chapter to their continental history, Hanks says he feels privileged to witness the club’s revival during his lifetime.
He acknowledged that newer supporters may already be dreaming of even greater achievements, but for those who endured the difficult years, the current success carries a deeper significance.
For Hanks, Aston Villa’s recent accomplishments are not just victories on a football pitch. They are the reward for decades of unwavering loyalty, patience, and belief.
The actor concluded by expressing immense pride in wearing the famous claret and blue colours and insisted that his connection to the club will never fade. As far as he is concerned, Aston Villa is a part of who he is, and it will remain that way for the rest of his life.
After more than forty years of support, countless highs and lows, and a football journey that began with a name on a television scoreboard, Tom Hanks finally finds himself celebrating the success he dreamed about for decades — and, as he admits, he could not be happier to see it happen while he is still here to enjoy it.
