Samantha Lewes Wiki: Actress Who Called Tom Hanks As Husband In Remembrance
Samantha Lewes was popularly known by her married life with the two-time Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks. Helping the famous actor, Tom streamline his priority and focus on his career, Samantha became the support pillar for nourishing his career.
However, the lovebirds called it quits ending their decade-long married life, but remained as friends. But tragedy got its best when Samantha became a victim to one of the incurable diseases, which eventually took her life.
So here we dethrone the wiki-like biography of the first wife of Tom Hanks!
Married Life With Tom Hanks; "We Were Both Too Young"
Susan Jane Dillingham who is well-known with the stage name, Actress Samantha Lewes got married to her college sweetheart actor Tom Hanks on 24 January 1978.
The couple met at Sacramento State University where they were acting students in the mid-70s. Eventually, spending more time together brought them close and turned their friendship into dating life. Later, the college sweetheart took the sacred marriage vows and got pronounced as husband and wife.
They share two children; a son named Colin Hanks and a daughter named Elizabeth Hanks. And their children are also in the acting career, following their parents' footsteps.
After the birth of their children, the young couple struggled financially.
Samantha with her ex-husband Tom Hanks (Photo: wcelebs.com)
From the start of his career from the theatre production picture, The Taming of the Shrew, the San Diego, California native stood side by side her husband. He gave very blockbuster movies and is regarded as the veteran actor of Hollywood.
However, their beautiful bond spoiled after Tom Hanks' heart started aching for the actress Rita Wilson. And as a result, Samantha and Tom split in 1984 ending their relationship with divorce. In an interview with nypost.com on March 2001, Hanks said,
“We tried to make our marriage work, but we were both too young."
Though the divorce between Samantha and Tom was not finalized, he had gone public with his romance with Rita. Only then the divorce between the couple was finalized in 1988.
The actor disclosed that getting married at the young of 21 was to getting away with the feeling of loneliness. He further stated in his interview with bbc.co.uk on May 2016:
“I had kids very young. My son Colin was born when I was 21 and my daughter Elizabeth was born four and a half years late. By then I thought I was rolling along with the natural order of things.”
Even after their separation, they remained friends and took dual custody of their kids. Well, many of her fans might not know the fact that Samantha had the music fever. She loved to listen to Tom Petty songs, she used to listen to his music on her car all the time until she made the switch to nonstop classical music.
Samantha's son Colin Hanks revealed on her Instagram post on 3 October 2017 mentioning it was his mother who influenced him to the music. Since his mother handed him her music collection, Colin's relationship started with music.
Death Due To Incurable Cancer; Ex-Husband "Harassed and Tried to Kill"
After splitting from her husband of a decade, Samantha, born on 29 November 1952, remained friends with ex-husband Tom Hanks.
However, at the age of 51, she was diagnosed with the bone cancer, which became the prime start of the tragedy. Actor Tom was devasted by learning that his first wife is dying in 2001. By the time he knew, Samantha just has some months to live.
Tom, who has the net worth of $350 million, left no stone unturned to save the life of his first wife, he paid all the medical expenses for her treatment. Tom's close friend reported that Tom arranged the top bone-cancer specialists at UCLA but it was too late for her as cancer had already spread to lungs and brain. And all they could do in release her pain.
However, all in vain, the "Bosom Buddies" actress, Samantha took her last breath in Sacramento California on 12 March 2002.
After Samantha's death, a very shocking report came out. It says that Tom Hanks harrassed and also attempted to kill his ex-wife, Samantha Dillingham.
The revelations about the domestic violence came out after the court papers' were published in the David Gardner's book, The Tom Hanks Enigma. She had written to an LA court asking for a restraining order against Hanks.
“My husband has repeatedly verbally abused and humiliated me during the past 90 days in my home. This caused me to suffer great emotional distress.”
Well, Samantha did not get to witness her children's success. She bowed to the death the same year his son Colin got his first nomination for the MTV Movie Awards.