Chet Hanks Gave Rare Insight Into His Wholesome Relationship With His Family As He Shared How His Dad, Tom Hanks, Has Supported His Sobriety Journey

This article discusses alcohol and substance abuse.

Chet Hanks is “100%” sober — and he’s opening up about his journey.

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Chet, who is the 34-year-old son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, has publicly discussed his sobriety journey multiple times over the years.

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Back in 2022, he revealed that his past addiction to alcohol and substances put a huge strain on his relationship with his parents — to the point that they sent him away to a wilderness program in Utah for “troubled teens” in 2008.

Just last year, Chet recalled “coming off a three-day coke binge.” He shared on an episode of The Surreal Life, “Two years ago today, I was coming off a three-day coke binge where I didn’t eat, sleep or barely drink any water for three days straight. When I got to Vegas, I weighed 190 lbs. At the end of it, I weighed 163…I lost 27 lbs in three days, so my disease is gnarly. It’s not pretty. I went straight from Vegas, checked myself into rehab…again.”

And now, Chet has once again discussed his sobriety during a new conversation with Drew Barrymore on her talk show.

Revealing that he’s now 3 and a half years sober, Chet said, “I really am so grateful for where I’m at.” Drew, who has also dealt with addiction, revealed that she, too, hasn’t drunk alcohol for five years, to which Chet affirmed, “That’s a big deal.”

“I had massive support from my friends,” Drew shared. “Honestly, there’s days where I don’t know how they didn’t give up on me. I don’t know how they stuck with me for so long, like they had faith that one day I would get there. But what I’ve learned along the way, is that family, whether it’s blood or found, do make you feel shy and embarrassed when you’re not doing the right things, and the most proud when you are. Is that true?” she asked Chet.

“I think naturally you end up feeling embarrassed a lot when you’re messing up,” laughed Chet. ”And when you’re doing the right thing you make your loved ones more proud. I think that’s a pretty natural thing, especially with family.”

Drew then asked if Chet’s family was supportive, to which he responded, “Always have been. Always been super supportive of me. And I don’t take it for granted! I’m really, really grateful for both my parents.”

“I’m at the age where I’m really grateful for them, I really cherish the time I spend with them,” he added. “They’ve stuck with me through thick and thin, and I’m really just grateful for where we’re all at, the things I got going in my life, all the beautiful people in my life, my relationships, my loved ones. I’ve gotten to the point where I fully understand that those are the most important things, by far. And everything else is like a bonus.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, you can call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and find more resources here.