He’s previously played AIDS patients,
war veterans and, in his latest film, the captain of a ship held hostage
by Somali pirates – but it was an entirely different role that Tom
Hanks embraced on Tuesday when he stepped out for jury service in Los
Angeles.
Indeed, the
57-year-old actor was just a regular – albeit extremely familiar – face
in the crowd when he took his seat at a local courthouse for the
domestic abuse trial of a man accused of hitting his girlfriend.
According to TMZ
the Oscar-winner attentively listened to the evidence provided by
arresting officers and even took notes while hearing the defendant’s
lawyer suggest the alleged victim was jealous because her boyfriend was
ending their relationship to be with a younger woman.
Don't mind me: Tom Hanks is just a regular Joe
as he makes his way out of a Los Angeles Courthouse on Tuesday. The
57-year-old actor was attending jury service for a domestic abuse trial
Despite his celebrity
status, Hanks – famous for his affable nature – is understood to
have
fitted in easily with his fellow jurors, who he frequently chatted with.
According to the website he even laughed out loud when one of the lawyers’s cracked a joke.
Perhaps in a bid to be as low-key as possible, Hanks turned up at the courthouse in a black
long-sleeve shirt, dark blue jeans, and black-rimmed glasses.
Fortunately,
the actor had shaved the attention grabbing moustache he was required
to grow for his forthcoming role as Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks, a
film about the production of 1964 musical Mary Poppins.
Serving his fellow citizens: Tom is currently performing jury duty in a domestic violence case
Of course, Tom is no stranger to the inside of a courtroom.
In
1993, he won an Oscar for his portrayal of a gay lawyer in the
groundbreaking movie 'Philadelphia' who was struck down with AIDS and
forced to take legal action against his discriminatory bosses.
Much of the movie was set in the grand surroundings of courtroom 243 in historic Philadelphia City Hall.
Familiar territory: Tom pictured here playing
lawyer Andrew Beckett in a court scene from Philadelphia - the
ground-breaking movie about HIV AIDS
But in real life, celebrities have traditionally done their best to keep out of court even if it is only for jury duty.
Up
until 2011, stars in the Manhattan district were allowed to be excused
from serving if they instead volunteered for Juror Appreciation Day to
talk to schoolchildren about the important work of a jury.
Now, that special favour has been withdrawn and they may get called up just like everyone else.
However most do not get selected because lawyers fear they may have undue influence on the other eleven men and women.
The day job: Tom filming his latest movie 'Captain Phillips' due for release next month.
The actor has a busy year ahead, with Saving Mr. Banks currently in
post-production and his latest, Captain Phillips, set to go on general
release on October 11.
Hanks will play the real-life captain of
the Maersk Alabama – a ship hijacked by Somali pirates off the coast of
Somalia in 2009.
Both films are set to feature at this year’s
London Film Festival, with Captain Phillips opening the annual event on
October 9 and saving Mr. Banks closing it on October 20.
Upstanding member of the community: The Forest Gump actor is apparently relishing his new real life role as a juror
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