A recent video of Tom Hanks, which purportedly shows him unable to stop his hands from shaking has sparked concerns for his health. The 65-year-old was attending the Australian premiere of his new film Elvis, in which he plays the role of the singer's manager.
The video was recorded June 4 and released recently. Hanks took the stage as he talked about his experience on shooting the movie in Gold Coast. Fans could not help but notice that the actor was struggling to keep a steady hold on the microphone as his hands were trembling.
As he addressed the crowd, the two-time Oscar winner made the audience laugh with his witty words but did not make mention of his obvious tremors. At one point, he had to hold the microphone with both his hands because the tremors seemed to intensify.
Earlier during his speech, the Forrest Gump actor also tried to switch hands with his left in the pocket of his suit and right grasping the microphone.
Fans have flocked to social media with concerns over the actor's health, who went public with his Type 2 diabetes diagnosis in 2013 at the David Letterman show.
"I went to the doctor, and he said, 'You know those high blood sugar numbers you've been dealing with since you were 36? Well, you've graduated! You've got type 2 diabetes, young man,'' he told Letterman.
According to the Daily Mail, Dr Stuart Fischer, a Yale University graduate and the medical director of two nursing homes in New York City, believes that it could be early signs of the Parkinson's.
"This trembling hand can be an early sign of the disease," Fischer told the Mail.
Some medical professionals suggest that it could be Multiple Sclerosis also as the disease is known to attack the nervous system, eventually disrupting the communication between the brain and the body. Other possible theories revolve around Vitamin B12 deficiency or stress or even a bad reaction to a medication, as per WebMD reported.
Several false claims have also surfaced wherein 'conspiracy theorists' have blamed the COVID-19 vaccine, since Hanks was one of the first celebrities who tested positive for coronavirus. This happened in March 2020 as he was filming for Elvis in Australia.
The actor's loyal fans continue to come to his defense as they state that these tremors could be due to his diabetes or might just be an adrenaline rush.
"He's diabetic. This happens to my mom when she gets low blood sugar," one fan said.
"God forbid it could just be adrenaline and nerves!" another wrote.
As per Dr. Holly Phillips of CBS News, because Hanks has lost and gained weight for numerous acting projects, it could have been a contributing factor in developing diabetes. The actor shed more than 50 pounds for "Castaway" in 2000 and reportedly packed on 30 pounds in "A League of Their Own," in 1992.
Hanks returned to the US after the Australian premiere, appearing a little skinny, the actor was photographed in Manhattan on Wednesday night with his wife Rita Wilson as the pair attended the premiere of Elvis.
It is not clear whether the actor's recent weight loss is associated to an acting project as he is known to prepare exceptionally for his films. Hanks is set to reunite with Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis, in his next movie Here which also stars Robin Wright.
