The Name Colin Lewes Dillingham may not immediately be familiar to every entertainment fan, but it is the birth name of American actor, director, and producer Colin Hanks. Born on November 24, 1977, in Sacramento, California, he grew up in a family closely connected to Hollywood and eventually established a career of his own in film and television. His father is Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, while his mother was actress and producer Samantha Lewes. Despite having one of the most recognizable surnames in American entertainment, Colin Hanks has built a career that extends well beyond being known as Tom Hanks’s son.
The story of Colin Lewes Dillingham is therefore more interesting than a simple celebrity-family profile. His professional journey includes early television success on Roswell, appearances in Band of Brothers, Orange County, King Kong, Dexter, Fargo, The Good Guys, and Life in Pieces, along with directing and producing work. In 2025 and 2026, his documentary work on John Candy: I Like Me added another important chapter to his career.
Quick Bio Information
| Bio Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Birth Name | Colin Lewes Dillingham |
| Professional Name | Colin Hanks |
| Date Of Birth | November 24, 1977 |
| Age In 2026 | 48 Years Old |
| Birthplace | Sacramento, California, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actor, Director, Producer |
| Years Active | 1996–Present |
| Father | Tom Hanks |
| Mother | Samantha Lewes |
| Step Mother | Rita Wilson |
| Sister | Elizabeth Hanks |
| Half Brothers | Chet Hanks And Truman Hanks |
| Wife | Samantha Bryant |
| Marriage Year | 2010 |
| Children | Two Daughters |
| Known TV Role | Alex Whitman In Roswell |
| Notable Drama Role | Gus Grimly In Fargo |
| Notable Film | Orange County |
| Recent Documentary | John Candy: I Like Me |
Who Is Colin Lewes Dillingham?
Colin Lewes Dillingham is the birth name of Colin Hanks, the American actor and filmmaker known for a wide range of television and film performances. Major entertainment databases identify Dillingham as his birth name while listing Colin Hanks as his professional name. IMDb describes him as an actor, director, and producer, while TV Guide similarly lists his birth name as Colin Lewes Dillingham and his professions as actor, producer, and director.
His professional career began during the 1990s, and he gradually moved from supporting appearances into leading television and film roles. Rather than relying exclusively on his famous family connection, Hanks developed a varied résumé that includes comedy, drama, crime stories, science fiction, documentaries, and behind-the-camera projects. His work on Fargo became one of the strongest examples of his dramatic range, while his later documentary projects demonstrated a different side of his creative interests.
Early Life And Birth Details
Colin Hanks was born in Sacramento, California, on November 24, 1977. Reliable entertainment and industry sources consistently identify Sacramento as his birthplace. His birth name was Colin Lewes Dillingham, connecting him to his mother’s family name before he became professionally known as Colin Hanks.
Growing up, Hanks was surrounded by people working in entertainment. His father, Tom Hanks, became one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, while his mother, Samantha Lewes, worked as an actress and producer. That environment gave him an early connection to the entertainment industry, but it also meant that pursuing acting would naturally invite comparisons with his father. Hanks eventually chose the same broad profession while developing his own identity and career path.
Education And Formative Years
Hanks attended Sacramento Country Day School before continuing his education at Chapman University and later Loyola Marymount University. Available biographical sources indicate that he did not complete a college degree.
His education took place alongside the beginning of his interest in entertainment. He eventually moved toward professional acting, and by the mid-1990s he had begun appearing in screen projects. One of his earliest screen experiences came through his father’s film That Thing You Do! in 1996, where he had a small role. That early appearance was followed by more substantial opportunities that helped him establish himself separately from his family’s reputation.
Family Background
Family is an important part of any biography of Colin Lewes Dillingham because his background connects him to one of the best-known families in American entertainment. His father is Tom Hanks, while his mother was Samantha Lewes. His parents later divorced, and Tom Hanks married actress Rita Wilson, who became Colin’s stepmother.
Hanks has a younger sister, Elizabeth Hanks, from his parents’ marriage. Through his father’s marriage to Rita Wilson, he also has two younger half-brothers, Chester “Chet” Hanks and Truman Hanks. This family background has naturally attracted public attention, but Colin’s own professional record demonstrates that his career cannot be reduced simply to his relationship with his father.
Marriage And Personal Life
Colin Hanks married Samantha Bryant, a publicist, in May 2010 in Los Angeles. Reports at the time said the couple had become engaged the previous year after meeting through mutual friends. Their wedding took place in West Hollywood and was attended by a number of entertainment figures.
The marriage has remained an important part of Hanks’s personal life, although he generally keeps his family life more private than his professional activities. Unlike the extensive information available about his film and television career, comparatively fewer details about his everyday family life are publicly discussed. That distinction is worth remembering when researching Colin Lewes Dillingham because public biographies sometimes contain much more professional information than personal information.
Children And Family Life
Colin Hanks and Samantha Bryant have two daughters. Their first daughter, Olivia Jane Hanks, was born in Los Angeles on February 1, 2011. The couple later welcomed their second daughter, Charlotte Bryant Hanks, in 2013. The Los Angeles Times reported both family milestones at the time.
The arrival of his children also gave Hanks a new connection to the next generation of the Hanks family. Olivia became Tom Hanks’s first grandchild, while later family reporting identified Olivia and Charlotte as two of Tom Hanks’s granddaughters. Hanks and Bryant have generally maintained a level of privacy around their children, which is appropriate given that they are not public figures themselves.
Career Beginnings And Roswell
Hanks’s professional acting career gained real momentum with the television series Roswell. He played Alex Whitman, a human teenager connected to the show’s central group of alien characters. The role gave him significant exposure and established him as a recognizable young television actor.
He also appeared in HBO’s acclaimed miniseries Band of Brothers, another important early credit. From there, Hanks began moving between television and feature films. His early career showed that he was interested in taking different kinds of roles rather than remaining tied to one genre. This variety would become a defining feature of his professional life.
Film Career And Orange County
One of Hanks’s most recognizable early movie roles came in Orange County, the 2002 comedy starring Jack Black and John Lithgow. The film helped establish Hanks as a leading young performer and earned him a nomination for the MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Male Performance.
His film work continued with projects such as King Kong, The House Bunny, The Great Buck Howard, and Untraceable. These appearances allowed him to work in comedy, adventure, drama, and thriller settings. His filmography therefore reflects a career built through steady work rather than dependence on one defining role.
Television Career And Fargo
Television became one of the strongest parts of Hanks’s career. After Roswell and Band of Brothers, he appeared in shows including Mad Men, Dexter, The Good Guys, NCIS, and Numb3rs. His role as Travis Marshall, the so-called Doomsday Killer, in Dexter demonstrated his ability to play a darker character.
His performance as Deputy Gus Grimly in FX’s Fargo became especially important. The Television Academy notes that the role earned Hanks a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie in 2014. The performance helped move him beyond the image of a young actor known mainly for comedy and established his credibility in serious dramatic television.
Directing And Producing Work
The career of Colin Lewes Dillingham is not limited to acting. Hanks has also worked behind the camera as a director and producer. TV Guide lists directing credits that include All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records, Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis (Our Friends), and John Candy: I Like Me.
This transition into filmmaking is significant because it shows another side of his creative interests. Acting requires interpreting someone else’s script and character, while directing requires shaping the broader story, performances, visuals, and overall tone. Hanks’s movement between these roles has allowed him to build a career in several areas of the entertainment business.
John Candy: I Like Me
One of Hanks’s most important recent projects is John Candy: I Like Me, a documentary about beloved Canadian comedian and actor John Candy. Hanks directed the film and was also one of its producers. The documentary explores Candy’s professional achievements as well as his personal life, using family interviews, archival material, and previously unseen home videos.
The project became a major career milestone. In 2026, John Candy: I Like Me won the Producers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Picture, with Hanks among the credited producers. The documentary was also nominated for a 2026 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
Colin Lewes Dillingham In 2026
As of 2026, Colin Hanks remains active across acting and filmmaking. His career has developed considerably since the days when he was primarily recognized as the young actor from Roswell and Orange County. His recent work shows an increasing interest in documentary storytelling and producing, giving him opportunities to explore real people and cultural legacies from behind the camera.
His 2026 recognition for John Candy: I Like Me is particularly meaningful because it confirms that his producing career has become an important part of his professional identity. The Producers Guild win places his documentary work alongside his established acting career and shows how his responsibilities in entertainment have expanded over time.
Public Information And Privacy
There is an important difference between publicly documented information and details that should remain private when discussing Colin Lewes Dillingham. Reliable sources provide substantial information about his birth, career, education, marriage, and immediate family. However, some family information is naturally limited because his wife and children are private individuals.
A responsible biography should therefore avoid guessing about personal matters that have not been confirmed. The available record is already sufficient to explain his background and career without relying on speculation. His public professional achievements, rather than unverified personal claims, provide the strongest foundation for understanding his life story.
Final Thoughts
The story of Colin Lewes Dillingham is ultimately the story of Colin Hanks, an entertainer who developed his own professional identity while growing up in one of Hollywood’s most recognizable families. His connection to Tom Hanks naturally brought attention from the beginning, but his long career demonstrates that he has built a substantial body of work in his own right.
From Roswell and Orange County to Fargo, Dexter, Life in Pieces, and his work behind the camera, Hanks has continually expanded his range. His move into documentary directing and producing has added another dimension to that career. Most notably, the success of John Candy: I Like Me in 2025 and its 2026 Producers Guild victory demonstrate that he is now being recognized not only as a performer but also as a filmmaker and producer.
For readers researching Colin Lewes Dillingham, the key point is simple: the name belongs to an established American entertainer whose professional journey has grown far beyond his family connection. His career combines acting, directing, producing, and documentary storytelling, making his life story a continuing part of the broader history of contemporary American entertainment.
FAQs About Colin Lewes Dillingham
Who Is Colin Lewes Dillingham?
Colin Lewes Dillingham is the birth name of American actor, director, and producer Colin Hanks. He was born in Sacramento, California, on November 24, 1977, and is the son of Tom Hanks and Samantha Lewes.
Why Is Colin Lewes Dillingham Known As Colin Hanks?
Colin Lewes Dillingham is the birth name listed by major entertainment databases, while Colin Hanks is the professional name under which he has worked throughout his entertainment career. TV Guide and IMDb both identify Colin Lewes Dillingham as his birth name.
Who Are Colin Hanks’s Parents?
His parents are actor Tom Hanks and actress and producer Samantha Lewes. Tom Hanks later married Rita Wilson, who became Colin Hanks’s stepmother.
Is Colin Hanks Married?
Yes. Colin Hanks married publicist Samantha Bryant in Los Angeles in May 2010. The couple had met through mutual friends and became engaged in 2009.
Does Colin Hanks Have Children?
Yes. Colin Hanks and Samantha Bryant have two daughters, Olivia Jane Hanks and Charlotte Bryant Hanks. Olivia was born in 2011, while Charlotte was born in 2013.
What Is Colin Hanks Best Known For?
Colin Hanks is known for television roles including Alex Whitman in Roswell, Gus Grimly in Fargo, Travis Marshall in Dexter, and Jack Bailey in The Good Guys. His film work includes Orange County, King Kong, and The House Bunny.
What Is Colin Hanks Doing In 2026?
In 2026, Hanks’s recent career highlights include his work as director and producer of John Candy: I Like Me. The documentary won the 2026 Producers Guild Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Picture and received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
Is Colin Lewes Dillingham The Same Person As Colin Hanks?
Yes. Colin Lewes Dillingham is Colin Hanks’s birth name. He has built his professional career under the name Colin Hanks, working as an actor, director, and producer.
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