Biography & Net Worth Of Rita Wilson

3 years ago

Biography & Net Worth Of Rita Wilson

Rita Wilson is an American-Greek actress, singer, songwriter, and producer. Her film appearances include Volunteers, Sleepless in Seattle, Now and Then, Jingle All the Way, The Story of Us, Runaway Bride, It's Complicated, and Larry Crowne, and she appeared in the television series The Good Wife and Girls.

Early Life

Rita Wilson was born Margarita Ibrahimoff on October 26, 1956, in Hollywood, California. She grew up in a Greek Orthodox household with a Greek mother, Dorothea, a Bulgarian father, Hassan, and two siblings, Lily and Chris. Hassan moved to the U.S. in 1949 and changed his last name to Wilson in 1960. Rita attended Hollywood High School and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Stage And Screen Career

Wilson made her TV debut at the guest of 16 when she guest-starred on a 1972 episode of "The Brady Bunch," and she followed it up with guest-starring roles on shows such as "Lou Grant" (1977), "Hawaii Five-O" (1979)," "MAS*H" (1982), "Happy Days" (1982–1983), and "Three's Company" (1983). Rita's first film was 1977's "The Day It Came to Earth," and she soon appeared in "Cheech and Chong's Next Movie" (1980), "Volunteers" (1985), and "Teen Witch" (1989). Wilson has more than 70 acting credits to her name, including "Jingle All the Way" (1996), "The Story of Us" (1999), "It's Complicated" (2009), "From the Earth to the Moon" (1998), and "The Good Wife" (2011–2014).

Rita helped playwright and actress Nia Vardalos secure a movie deal for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which grossed $368.7 million at the box office. Along with producing the film, Rita produced the sequel, 2016's "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2," as well as a 2003 TV series, "My Big Fat Greek Life," and two stage productions. In 2006, Wilson starred as Roxie Hart in "Chicago" on Broadway, and she returned to Broadway in 2015, co-starring with Larry David in his play "Fish in the Dark." She has also appeared in off-Broadway productions of Nora and Delia Ephron's "Love, Loss and What I Wore," Daniel Margulies' "Dinner with Friends," and Lisa Loomer's "Distracted."

Singing Career

Rita released her debut album, "AM/FM," on May 8, 2012, and she has released three more since: "Rita Wilson" (2016), "Bigger Picture" (2018), and "Halfway to Home" (2019). In 2014, she performed for President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and co-hosted the event. Wilson toured with Chicago in 2016, serving as the band's opening act, and in 2017, she put on "Liner Notes: Songwriters, Stories and Music with Rita Wilson and Friends" at L.A.'s Geffen Playhouse.

Personal Life

Rita married Tom Hanks on April 30, 1988, and they welcomed son Chester (aka "Chet") on August 4, 1990, and son Truman on December 26, 1995. Wilson is also stepmother to Colin and Elizabeth, Tom's children from his marriage to Samantha Lewes. Rita first met Tom when she guest-starred on "Bosom Buddies" in 1981, but they didn't begin a relationship until they co-starred in 1985's "Volunteers." In 2015, Rita underwent a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer, and in March 2020, Wilson and Hanks were diagnosed with Coronavirus while Tom was filming a movie in Australia. The pair was treated at Gold Coast University Hospital and returned to the U.S. at the end of the month.

Awards And Nominations

In 1999, Wilson won a Golden Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television for her performance in "From the Earth to the Moon." In 2003, the Publicists Guild of America honored Rita, Tom, and producer Gary Goetzman with a Showmanship Award. That year, the Producers Guild of America gave "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" a Visionary Award and nominated Wilson, Hanks, and Goetzman for the Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures award. In 2008, Rita was nominated for an Orpheus Award for Best Short Film for "The Trap" at the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, and the following year, she shared a National Board of Review award with her "It's Complicated" castmates. Wilson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2019, and in 2016, she was featured on a stamp by the Greek Postal Service ELTA.