Even the world’s biggest stars get starstruck.
Tom Hanks says he was forced to face his imposter syndrome when working with the late Paul Newman.
The two-time Oscar winner appeared on the “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard” podcast where he explained what it was like to film the 2002 crime drama “Road to Perdition” with the Hollywood legend.
The beloved actor and philanthropist died in September 2008 at the age of 83 due to cancer.
Hanks, 66, divulged his experience working with the silver screen icon on the hit film, which picked up an Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 2003.
When asked if he’d experienced imposter syndrome during filming, Hanks said “absolutely.”
The film follows an assassin, played by Jude Law, who is at large after his son witnesses a murder committed by his boss. Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, while Newman plays Irish mob boss John Rooney, who raised Hanks’ character.
“I made one movie with Mr. Paul Newman. It took a bit for me to make peace with that fact — I’m in a movie with Paul Newman,” Hanks said.
“He just comes in and he’s the lowest maintenance guy you’ve ever come across and easy to talk to,” said the “Forrest Gump” star.
“There wasn’t a soul on the soundstage that wasn’t thinking, ‘This is the first take of the movie that I am in with Paul Newman. I am going to remember this moment for the rest of my life.’”
“He did [the scene] and there was a moment of silence. Then, he looked at us all and he said, ‘The first day you feel kind of self-conscious, don’t ya?’ And everybody was released from any sort of bondage of honor that we were feeling. That was the guy.”
Shepard mentioned that Newman would splash ice water on his face each morning to help him recover from the night before.
“It’s funny you should say,” Hanks responded. “You know what I learned from Paul Newman and use it to this day? First thing in the makeup trailer — your face in a bucket of ice water.”
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