Tom Hanks latest Hollywood A-Lister to cover the British football game

Fans at Villa Park, home of Premier League midfielder Aston Villa, were joined in the stands by two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks on Saturday afternoon as his side took on north London Arsenal.

Cameras captured Hanks’ reactions as the afternoon game turned into a six-goal thriller.

The brown owl star is the latest Hollywood star to appear at an England football match in recent months. earlier this week, do the right thing Filmmaker Spike Lee cheered Arsenal on against Premier League title favorites Manchester City.

Lee and Hanks can be described as historic Hollywood football fans. The two Oscar winners have spoken about their love for the beautiful game in the past, with Hanks even wearing Aston Villa’s burgundy and blue on the red carpet for the London premiere of Charlie Wilson’s War in 2008.

However, football fever seems to be spreading.

Eleven And anchorman Star Will Ferrell has recently been photographed alongside Premier League stars such as Jack Grealish and Mo Salah touring the UK and appearing at football matches in Manchester, Liverpool and London. The step brothers The actor, who co-owns MLS side LAFC, was also pictured having a drink with fans near the Racecourse Ground, home of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s National League side Wrexham AFC.

Reynolds and McElhenney’s purchase of the Welsh club is probably the biggest Hollywood intervention in the sport to date.

The pair completed their Wrexham acquisition in February 2021, acquiring the club for $2.5 million. Since then, actor, producer and director Michael B. Jordan has also thrown his hat into the game. The Believe star is now co-owner of the English football club AFC Bournemouth. A December statement from the Premier League club announced that an agreement had been finalized to finalize the sale to a partnership led by American businessman Bill Foley and a minority group led by Jordan.

AFC Bournemouth said Foley will take up the role of club president with immediate effect and work closely with Jordan and his business partner, Nullah Sarker, in areas such as “global marketing and internationalization of the club”.

Jordan has made a handful of appearances at Bournemouth games, while Reynolds and McElhenney are regulars in the stands at Wrexham, undoubtedly raising the club’s profile.

In January, the team’s 3-3 draw with Sheffield United was broadcast on the BBC in the UK and ESPN in the US, which is rare for a football match involving unpopular Premier League teams such as Chelsea or Manchester United. Sheffield United play in the Championship, three leagues above Wrexham who play in the semi-professional National League.

Wrexham then lost 3–1 in a replay against Sheffield United. There was no happy ending for Hanks at Villa Park on Saturday either. After taking an early 1-0 lead against leaders Arsenal, Aston Villa suffered a 4-2 defeat in the final minute. The team is currently on a three game losing streak.