Tom Hanks’ Son, Chet, Nearly Quit Acting Before Landing His Breakout Role in Netflix’s ‘Running Point’

The entertainment world loves a comeback story, and ‘Running Point’ on Netflix has delivered one of the most unexpected ones in recent memory. Chet Hanks, the son of Hollywood legend Tom Hanks, has found himself at the center of a major conversation after his scene-stealing turn in the sports comedy series left critics and audiences genuinely surprised.

What makes the story even more compelling is how close it came to never happening at all. Before landing his role in ‘Running Point’, Hanks reportedly told interviewers he was ready to walk away from acting entirely if the part did not come through, making his performance all the more remarkable.

Chet Hanks and the Travis Bugg Role That Felt Written for Him

Hanks revealed in an interview with Esquire that the role felt almost impossibly tailored to his own life, describing it as a chance to play a slightly exaggerated version of himself. The character description reportedly called for a tattooed, wannabe rapper who becomes a liability due to his social media behavior, a profile that mapped closely onto Hanks’s real public persona.

Hanks also noted that the creators behind the show were initially uncertain about casting him, precisely because his offscreen reputation so closely mirrored the character’s problems. According to Hanks, the team asked him on a Zoom call to confirm he would not post anything outrageous before they committed to the offer.

Three years sober at the time of filming, Hanks also connected deeply with the character’s storyline involving addiction and personal struggle. He credited the writers for allowing Travis Bugg to have genuine emotional depth beyond the surface-level antics.

The role represented something personal and cathartic for Hanks, blending professional redemption with real-life resonance in a way that rarely comes together so neatly for any actor.

Chet Hanks’s Acting Career Before ‘Running Point’

Chet Hanks is the third child of Tom Hanks, and ‘Running Point’ marks his first major acting role in four years. While his celebrity lineage has always drawn attention, he has built a genuine filmography over the years, with guest appearances on shows including ‘Atlanta’, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, ‘Shameless’, and ‘NCIS: New Orleans’.

His longest recurring role prior to ‘Running Point’ came on the Fox drama ‘Empire’, where he joined in season four and became a main cast member in season five. He also had a recurring part on Showtime’s critically acclaimed series ‘Your Honor’.

Beyond television, he has appeared alongside his father in ‘Larry Crowne’ and ‘Greyhound’, giving the younger Hanks rare on-screen time with one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors.

Despite this work history, ‘Running Point’ feels like a genuine step forward in terms of visibility and critical reception, placing him in a mainstream ensemble comedy with a profile far larger than anything he has tackled before.

What the Critics Are Saying About His Performance

One prominent review described his performance as perhaps the best and most believable in the entire series, noting that he brings a rare combination of braggadocio and underlying melancholy to Travis Bugg in a way that makes the character more than a simple punchline.

Another critic argued that Hanks proved he is more than a viral internet personality, writing that his portrayal felt natural and that the comedy surrounding Travis landed consistently throughout the season.

Reviewers also noted that while Travis begins the series as a self-absorbed and unruly athlete who prioritizes his music career over his responsibilities to the team, his arc becomes one of the more compelling character journeys by the time the season wraps up.

The critical response has been warm enough to fuel genuine conversation about whether Hanks could translate this momentum into a sustained career in comedy, a genre that clearly suits his energy and screen presence.

‘Running Point’ Season Success and What It Means for the Cast

The series premiered on Netflix in February 2025 and quickly became the number one show on the platform in the United States during the week of March 3 through 9. It earned a 79 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 53 critic reviews, with the consensus pointing to Kate Hudson’s charisma as the series’ primary engine.

Netflix moved quickly to renew the show for a second season, which premiered in April 2026 to an improved score of 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting the creative team found its footing and delivered a stronger follow-up.

Hanks appeared in nine episodes across both seasons, cementing Travis Bugg as a consistent presence in the world of the Los Angeles Waves rather than a one-and-done comedic bit.

The show’s success has elevated the entire ensemble, but Hanks in particular has benefited from audiences discovering his work through the series and reassessing his potential as a legitimate screen talent.

The Bigger Picture for Tom Hanks’s Son in Hollywood

Critics have observed that what distinguishes Hanks as a performer is his apparent self-awareness and willingness to serve as the butt of the joke rather than positioning himself above the material. That combination of instincts, reviewers suggest, can take an actor surprisingly far regardless of their family connections.

The comic sports format appears to suit Hanks particularly well, and industry observers have noted that a sustained run in this type of genre work could define the next phase of his career in a way his earlier scattered appearances never quite managed to do.

What ‘Running Point’ has ultimately done for Chet Hanks is offer a reset, a high-profile platform where his natural personality and genuine comedic instincts could work together rather than against him. Whether he can build on this moment will be one of the more interesting career stories to follow in the coming years.