NEW YORK — Move over, street performers and panhandlers — Hollywood royalty has officially taken over the underground stage!
Rita Wilson, the actress wife of two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks, was spotted Tuesday belting out a live set in the grimy bowels of the Port Authority Bus Terminal area, microphone in hand, leather jacket on, and a black headband keeping her blonde locks in check.
Commuters hustling through the fluorescent-lit chaos of 40th Street and 8th Avenue barely blinked as the Sleepless in Seattle star crooned alongside a keyboardist and guitarist, with travelers in suits and sneakers streaming past like it was just another Tuesday freak show in the city that never sleeps.
Insiders close to the couple say Wilson loves performing and has always chased raw, authentic moments, but even they might raise an eyebrow at choosing one of Manhattan’s dingiest transit hubs over a cozy club or Times Square billboard.
Hanks and Wilson have long played the “we’re just regular folks” card despite their mega-millions and Beverly Hills lifestyle. But this? This is next-level regular.
So what gives? Is the Mamma Mia! producer testing new material on the ultimate tough crowd? Shooting secret footage for a documentary? Or has even A-list cash flow taken a hit in the streaming wars?
Why is Tom Hanks’ wife busking like a broke college kid in a dank NYC subway station?
Only Rita knows for sure, but New Yorkers aren’t complaining about the free show. Just don’t forget to toss a few bucks in the guitar case on your way to the A train.
