Tom Hanks Latest Hollywood A-Lister To Lap Up U.K. Soccer Game – Deadline
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Fans at Villa Park, home of Premier League midfielder Aston Villa, were joined in the stands by two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks on Saturday afternoon as his side took on north London Arsenal.
Cameras captured Hanks’ reactions as the afternoon game turned into a six-goal thriller.
The Forrest Gump star is the latest Hollywood star to appear at an English football match in recent months. earlier this week, do the right thing Filmmaker Spike Lee cheered on Arsenal against Premier League title favorites Manchester City.
Lee and Hanks could be described as historic Hollywood football fans. The two Oscar winners have been vocal about their love of the beautiful game in the past, with Hanks even sporting Aston Villa’s burgundy and blue on the red carpet for the London premiere of Charlie Wilson’s War in 2008.
However, football fever seems to be spreading.
Eleven And anchorman Star Will Ferrell was recently pictured alongside Premier League stars such as Jack Grealish and Mo Salah as he toured the UK, appearing at football matches in Manchester, Liverpool and London. The stepbrothers The actor, who co-owns MLS team LAFC, was also pictured having a drink with fans near the Racecourse Ground, home of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s National League club Wrexham AFC.
Reynolds and McElhenney’s purchase of the Welsh club is perhaps the biggest Hollywood intervention in the sport to date.
The pair completed their Wrexham acquisition in February 2021, acquiring the club for $2.5 million. Since then, actor, producer and director Michael B. Jordan has also thrown his hat in. The Believe star is now co-owner of English football club AFC Bournemouth. In a December statement from the Premier League club, it was announced that a deal had been finalized finalizing the sale to a partnership led by American businessman Bill Foley and a minority ownership group led by Jordan.
AFC Bournemouth said Foley will take on the role of club chairman with immediate effect, working closely with Jordan and his business partner Nullah Sarker on areas including “global marketing and internationalizing the club”.
Jordan has made a handful of appearances at Bournemouth games, while Reynolds and McElhenney are regulars in the stands at Wrexham, which has undoubtedly raised the club’s profile.
In January, the team’s 3-3 draw with Sheffield United was televised on BBC in the UK and ESPN in the US, rare for a football match not featuring popular Premier League sides like Chelsea or Manchester United occurs. Sheffield United compete in the Championship, three leagues above Wrexham who play in the semi-professional National League.
Wrexham lost 3-1 to Sheffield United in the replay. There was no happy ending for Hanks either on Saturday at Villa Park. After an early 1-0 lead against leaders Arsenal, Aston Villa suffered a 4-2 defeat in the last minute. The team is currently on a three-game losing streak.