Tom Hanks Sparked Health Concerns After Appearing on ‘SNL' — Is He OK?

With multiple decades in the entertainment industry, Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks has become a fixture in the pop culture zeitgeist. Throughout his career, he's played many memorable characters, some of which he's shared with fans on Saturday Night Live, or, as the cool kids call it, SNL.

On SNL, Tom has had multiple talked-about moments on the show, but it was a real-life moment on the renowned stage that kept people talking. During his December 2024 appearance on the show, fans wondered about the Forrest Gump star's health after his hand was noticeably shaking in a sketch. So, is Tom doing OK? Here's what we know regarding the actor's health.

Tom has been open about his health since rising to fame in the 1980s with his first hit movie, Big. In 2013, he announced on Late Night with David Letterman 2013 that he had been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, which he attributed to years of high blood sugar and not paying attention to what he ate. Tom also shared that he was managing his condition by losing weight, which he has done on and off for numerous years.

In addition to his diabetes diagnosis, Tom and his wife, Rita Wilson, were among the first celebrities to be diagnosed with Covid-19 in March 2020, though he joked in his SNL sketch that he never had the viral illness. Then, he raised concerns over his health in December 2024 after appearing on the SNL to celebrate Martin Short entering the show's five-timers club. For those unaware, the five-timers club is a small number of celebrities who have hosted the series over five times.

In a sketch celebrating the accomplishment along with Martin and fellow five-timers Scarlett Johansson, Tina Fey, Paul Rudd, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Wiig and John Mulaney, Tom shared that his colleague had joined "one of the most exclusive clubs in the industry." As he handed Martin a martini, fans noticed his hand shake as he passed the drink's glass along. The moment was something that fans discussed online as the show continued.

Tom's brief hand-shaking moment on SNL was on many fans' minds as they theorized what could be wrong with the actor. Many wondered if he had a health diagnosis he hadn't made fans aware of. Tom hasn't disclosed anything more than his ongoing conditions, which includes his Type 2 Diabetes.

It's important to note that, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people living with diabetes can experience hypoglycemia, which happens when the blood glucose levels fall below 70 mg/dl. One of the most common symptoms of hypoglycemia is sweating and shaking, though it hasn't been confirmed that's what Tom faced.

Though the theories about Tom's health have continued, the actor shared that he was feeling better than ever a month before his SNL appearance. In a November 2024 interview with Entertainment Tonight (via The Standard), he said that playing a younger version of himself for his movie, Here, was challenging since his "metabolism," "bones," and "gravity" had gravely shifted. Still, Tom told the outlet that he was feeling in "better shape" at 68 than when he was in his 30s due to him and his wife being empty nesters.

“I think I'm in better shape now," he proclaimed. "You know why? Because my kids are grown up, I'm getting decent exercise, and I can eat right. You can't do that when you're 35. Life is such a burden!"

With Tom confirming he's doing OK, hopefully, the inquiries about his health will be put to rest, though we know the internet loves to internet!