Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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Tom Hanks reveals to Letterman that he has diabetes

Being stranded on an island with no company other than a bloodied volleyball couldn’t stop him, but a health scare just might. 

 

Renowned actor Tom Hanks, who currently stars in “Captain Phillips,” revealed in an interview with comedian David Letterman that he has type 2 diabetes.

 

In the interview, which aired Monday, Oct. 7, Hanks acknowledged that he had suffered with symptoms of diabetes for over 20 years but received official confirmation recently.


 

Type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form, occurs when a person’s body does not produce enough insulin for proper use.

 

The unexpected news came after the late night host admired Hanks’ recently trimmer physique, which Hanks attributed to his recent diagnosis.

 

“I went to the doctors and they said, ‘You know those high blood sugar numbers you’ve been living with since you were 36? Well, you’ve graduated. You’ve got type 2 diabetes, young man,’” the 57 year-old actor reported.

 

The “Cast Away” star continued by saying that his doctor recommends that he gets back to the shape he was in in his younger days of high school, a goal the dashing actor finds nearly impossible.

 

“Well, I’m gonna have type 2 diabetes because there is no way I can weigh as much as I did in high school,” Hanks joked.

 

When questioned by Letterman about how much he weighed in high school, Hanks answered with a shocking “96 pounds. I was a very skinny boy.” 

 

Despite his recent diagnosis, Hanks isn’t down for the count. After all, Hanks lost a whopping 55 pounds for his role as Chuck Noland in “Cast Away”. If anyone can get back to a healthy weight, it is Hanks. 

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Tom Hanks reveals to Letterman that he has diabetes