Rita Wilson clarifies 'terse' Cannes red carpet photo with Tom Hanks: what really happened
The 76th Cannes Film Festival was a heady experience to be sure for the cast and crew of Wes Anderson's Asteroid City, all of whom brought their A-game to the red carpet.
Joining them were Asteroid cast members and Hollywood power couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, plus their 28-year-old son Truman Hanks.
However, their adorably loved-up display was quickly overshadowed by viral pictures of them seemingly engaging in an intense discussion with a staffer on the carpet, which many on social media deemed "terse" or "angry."
MORE: Meet Tom Hanks' famous son Truman – who stars alongside him in new film
Wilson, 66, wasn't having it, though, and quickly took to social media to clear the air on the photos, explaining that they were nothing more than moments of confusion.
Alongside a screenshot of one outlet running with the story, she wrote: "This is called 'I can't hear you. People are screaming. What did you say? Where are we supposed to go?'
"But that doesn't sell stories! Nice try. We had a great time! Go see Asteroid City!"
MORE: Tom Hanks pays moving tribute to man who inspired iconic role
Beyond the moment of brief confusion, the couple were a hit, with Hanks, 66, often stepping aside to let his wife of 35 years shine in her gorgeous black dress.
They were joined by the director and the rest of the glittery principal cast, including Maya Hawke, Scarlett Johansson, Adrien Brody, Rupert Friend, Bryan Cranston, and more.
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The film, which releases in theaters on June 16, received its premiere screening at the famed French film festival, coming on the heels of Hanks' debut novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture, which was released on May 9.
Not all press for the book was positive, however, as it quickly received mixed to negative early reviews from the likes of The New York Times, The Observer, and The Sunday Times, to name a few.
In an interview with the BBC on May 8, the actor shared just what he thought of the criticism, and he was taking it in his stride.
READ: How Julia Roberts broke the norm at Cannes – and Jennifer Lawrence did it too
He acknowledged his privilege as one of Hollywood's most powerful and celebrated stars: Unlike most authors, he published his novel without the rigamarole of agents, publishers, rejections, and endless rewrites, simply saying: "It's not fair."
Hanks did say, though, that he was largely unfazed by the critical feedback — he's used to it thanks to his "day job as a movie star...[I am] stronger when it comes down to really being torn apart."
The synopsis for the 448-page novel says that it is "a wildly ambitious story of the making of a colossal, star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film, and the humble comic book that inspired it all."
SEE: Scarlet Johansson exposes her back tattoo in peek-a-boo bra dress
The book features a host of wacky characters as well, including an eccentric director and a difficult actor, with the two-time Oscar winner acknowledging that he has been those people in different scenarios.
"I have pulled every single one of those moments of behavior myself on a set. Not everybody is at their best every single day on a motion picture set," he said.
Check out more photos from the star-studded 76th Cannes Film Festival below:
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