One of the terms that is most often used to describe Tom Hanks personally and in reviews of nearly all of his films is "likable." Hundreds of articles and film reviews include "likable" in the title or in the first paragraph. However, one British tabloid journalist wrote an article in the May 13, 2009 edition of The Sun titled " Tom Hanks' sex scenes cut " with the subhead "NO one really wants to see Tom Hanks having sex, do they?"  and went on to report that "The actor was forced to omit raunchy scenes from his new movie Angels & Demons - because there just wasn't any time for "smooching" in the action-packed film. A blessing in disguise."

While the Brits may question whether Tom's full frontal or full-rear nudity might appeal to his fans, his acting career has demonstrated that he is willing to take risks. He first came to national attention as Kip Wilson in the television series Bosom Buddies, about two young advertising agency guys disguising themselves as women in order to live in the one apartment they could afford. Appearing as a cross-dresser in the early 1980s was a definite risk, but it paid off when it helped Tom land the role of a disgruntled former classmate of "The Fonz" on TV's Happy Days where he met Ron Howard who subsequently cast him in Splash (1984), which went on to become a box office hit, grossing more than $69 million US  The rest is film history.

Tom also took another risk in Philadelphia (1993) playing a gay lawyer with AIDS fired by a conservative law firm because of his disease.  This was one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to focus on AIDS and homosexuality and it was made at a time when the disease created considerable homophobia. The risk paid off big time and Tom won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of attorney Andrew Beckett. Tom's likability factor contributed to his nomination and award.

But Tom's likeability was the centerpiece of his next film, Forrest Gump (1994), for which he won his second Academy Award as Best Actor for playing the title role of a likable man with a limited IQ.  Among his many adventures was a stint in army for service in Vietnam where he made a friend called Benjamin Buford "Bubba" Blu who suggested that they they go into the shrimping business after the war. After Bubba is killed in battle, Forrest creates a successful shrimp fishing fleet called the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

Although Tom has made many other notable films and produced the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon about the Apollo program after playing astronaut Jim Lovell in Ron Howard's Apollo 13 (1995), on Tom's birthday, we suggest watching Forrest Gump again and making a batch of Bubba Shrimp. You will increase your likability factor by sharing this tasty dish with someone that you care for. During dinner, be sure to discuss the pros and cons of Tom making a film in the nude and send your conclusions to The Sun.