--- title: Tom Hanks ’Has No Respect‘ for People Not Wearing Masks description: Tom Hanks, the actor and coronavirus survivor, 'has no respect' for people not wearing masks canonical: https://time.com/5863761/tom-hanks-interview/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2020-07-08T14:24:29.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-14T09:05:56.966Z og:title: Tom Hanks 'Has No Respect' for People Not Wearing Masks og:description: "I don't get it, I simply do not get it, it is literally the least you can do," the actor and coronavirus survivor said og:url: https://time.com/5863761/tom-hanks-interview/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5985224164b89079/698a101197cdff9e7e6baedb/Tom-Hanks-Interview.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Tom Hanks og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Tom Hanks 'Has No Respect' for People Not Wearing Masks twitter:description: "I don't get it, I simply do not get it, it is literally the least you can do," the actor and coronavirus survivor said twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5985224164b89079/698a101197cdff9e7e6baedb/Tom-Hanks-Interview.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 00:37 video:published: 2020-07-07 section: health topics: face masks, COVID-19, public health precautions, social distancing, handwashing, personal responsibility, rising case counts genre: opinion, interview clip tones: frustrated, blunt, critical, emphatic emotions: frustration (high), contempt (medium), disbelief (medium) sentiment: negative audience: general news readers, public health followers, entertainment audiences, people following COVID-19 guidance people: Tom Hanks content_suitability: health controversy [00:00-00:37] transcript_source: automatic transcription transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Tom Hanks Has a Message to Deliver to People Not Wearing Masks > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=0ce2eb2d-893b-44cb-94c4-07315ac520ee&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Tom Hanks On People Refusing to Wear Face Masks to Prevent COVID-19 [Watch (HLS stream): Tom Hanks On People Refusing to Wear Face Masks to Prevent COVID-19](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ZxqCSFzy.m3u8) (0:37)  _Published 2020-07-07. Tom Hanks has little patience for those who refuse to wear a mask in public as various states watch COVID-19 cases rise._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary Tom Hanks expresses frustration with people who refuse to wear face masks in public during rising COVID-19 cases. He compares the basic precautions of wearing a mask, washing hands and social distancing to the basic rules of driving a car. He says he has no respect for people who make arguments against these measures. ## Key points - Hanks says he does not understand why people refuse to wear a mask, calling it literally the least you can do. (00:00) - He argues that anyone defending doing the least they can should not be trusted with a driver's license. (00:00) - He compares safety precautions to driving rules: obeying speed limits, using turn signals and avoiding hitting pedestrians. (00:00) - He says that if people cannot wear a mask, wash their hands and social distance, they should not be doing so in public, by analogy to driving. (00:00) - Hanks says he does not understand people who cannot wear a mask, wash their hands and social distance. (00:27) - He states he has no respect for people who refuse these precautions. (00:32) - He says he does not buy the arguments people make against wearing masks. (00:34) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:27] Hanks criticizes refusal to do minimal precautions. Hanks questions why anyone would refuse to wear a mask, comparing basic precautions to safe driving rules. - [00:27 to 00:37] Hanks rejects arguments against precautions. Hanks lists the basic precautions of masks, handwashing and social distancing and says he has no respect for those who refuse them. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Tom Hanks: "It is literally the least you can do." - [00:00] Tom Hanks: "I wouldn't trust them with a driver's license." - [00:27] Tom Hanks: "If you can't wear a mask and wash your hands and social distance, I don't understand." - [00:32] Tom Hanks: "I got no respect for you, man." ## Questions this video answers - Why does Tom Hanks think refusing to wear a mask is unacceptable? [00:00] - How does Hanks compare mask-wearing to driving rules? [00:00] - What basic precautions does Hanks say people should follow in public? [00:27] - How does Hanks respond to arguments against wearing masks? [00:34] ## Content suitability - health controversy [00:00-00:37]: Discusses public refusal to follow COVID-19 mask guidance and rising cases. by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Jul 8, 2020 2:24 PM UTC Tom Hanks has little patience for those who refuse to wear a mask in public as various states watch COVID-19 cases rise. by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Jul 8, 2020 2:24 PM UTC When it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, noted [nice guy](https://time.com/5826972/tom-hanks-typewriter-letter/) Tom Hanks isn’t playing nice anymore. The actor told reporters that he “has no respect” for people who don’t wear face masks. For those unfamiliar with his experience, the Oscar-winning actor and his wife, actor and singer Rita Wilson, were diagnosed with COVID-19 in March. He shared the news [in a tweet](https://time.com/5801765/tom-hanks-coronavirus-reactions/) and fans were invited to follow along as [Hanks and Wilson](https://time.com/5802265/tom-hanks-rita-wilson-coronavirus-update/) slowly made their recovery. His authentic [updates](https://time.com/5803846/tom-hanks-coronavirus-update/) helped make the virus [all the more real to people](https://time.com/5801765/tom-hanks-coronavirus-reactions/). Now, as one of the more famous people to recover from the virus, Hanks is using his platform to urge people to do their part and help stop the spread of the virus and to continue to remind the world that “[we’re all in this together](https://time.com/5803846/tom-hanks-coronavirus-update/).” In his latest interview, as he makes the publicity rounds for his new film _Greyhound_, Hanks has continued to advocate for what he calls doing “literally the least you can do.” Namely, wearing a mask, washing your hands, and keeping [a safer distance](https://time.com/5800442/social-distancing-coronavirus/) away from people. “If anybody wants to build up an argument about doing the least they can do, I wouldn’t trust them with a driver’s license,” Hanks said in an [interview with the Associated Press](https://twitter.com/APEntertainment/status/1280261610058272769), mirroring [ similar remarks made earlier this week](https://time.com/5863326/tom-hanks-coronavirus-reaction/). “I mean, when you drive a car, you’ve got to obey speed limits, you’ve got to use your turn signals \[indicators\], you’ve got to avoid hitting pedestrians. If you can’t do those three things, you shouldn’t be driving a car.” “If you can’t wear a mask and wash your hands and social distance, I’ve got no respect for you, man. 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