Tom Hanks talks new movie, 2016 race and chat with the queen
Tom Hanks can't predict who will win the White House, but he promises you the presidential election will keep you entertained in the coming months.
"We are going to have the most hilarious September and October and first week of November," the actor told "CBS This Morning" Thursday. "And you people are going to be busy," he warned the media.
Hanks -- who has donated to Hillary Clinton's campaign -- compared the 2016 race to the 1952 election, when former President Harry S. Truman defeated the predicted winner, Republican Thomas E. Dewey.
"There wasn't a pollster or a political hack in the country that said that Dewey wasn't going to be the winner," Hanks said, responding to the growing likelihood that Republican front-runner Donald Trump may clinch the nomination. "Look, American's going to be fine. We're the greatest, most resilient nation... in all of civilization. We've worked ourselves out of holes many, many times over and over again."
The movie star, director and producer has won two Oscars, four Golden Globes and seven Emmys for his list of Hollywood hits. In his latest movie, "A Hologram for the King," Hanks plays an aging salesman, Alan Clay, who is sent to Saudi Arabia to win an IT contract from the king. Clay was once the maker of the popular Schwinn bicycles, until a series of mistakes pivoted his career.
"Alan Clay is that American for whom life has been turned upside (down) on his head," Hanks said.
The film is based on a novel by David Egger, of whom Hanks is a fan.
"David Egger writes these movies that are almost surreal and also most subversive because they're about people in circumstances..." Hanks said. "Logic takes them there, but you can't predict what's happening."
As Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 90th birthday in London, Hanks recalled attending a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, also attended by the Obamas and other Hollywood stars. He recalled that the queen was drinking a "royal martini" and a funny exchange he had with her over dinner regarding British soccer player David Beckham.
"I did say to her majesty, 'That David Beckham fella is a quite handsome man,'" Hanks said, laughing.
As Hanks is nearing his 60th birthday, the actor had some advice to offer to his younger 20-year-old self.
"Floss ... Start watching the blood sugars right now..." Hanks said jokingly, before adding, "Just calm down, would you?. Calm down. You'll be okay, you'll get there. And oh yes, at some point you'll have three kids and four grandchildren -- you've got to have the legs for that."