Saving Mr. Banks: Is Tom Hanks the Greatest Storyteller Ever?

Last month, I had the privilege of attending the press conference for the AFI Film Festival presentation of Saving Mr. Banks. The entire cast was there: Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell, Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak. They talked about P.L. Travers, Walt Disney and the making of Mary Poppins. If you want to read the highlights, click here to go to my article for Press Pass LA.

However, I am sharing my entire audio for you to take a listen to. Tom Hanks proves why he is an A-list star with one story that begins around the 20:00-minute mark. An Italian reporter asks him about his grandkids and Disneyland. The story is hilarious, engaging and makes Hanks perhaps one of the greatest storytellers around. He had the press eating out of his hand. I've often given red carpet tips for actors, but this is the most perfect lesson of all…THIS is how you handle an interview.

The entire 25-minute press conference is archived below. The actual audio begins around the 4:00-minute mark. Enjoy!

Let me know what you think of the movie and Tom Hanks' story in the comments below.

TRAILER: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Awards season has already kicked into high gear and I am completely immersed in screeners and nominees. I will be back working for Starpulse for Oscars season starting with nominations on Jan. 16, 2014. I will be posting about my annual Oscar Nomination Dress Challenge next week, so stay tuned for details.

In the meantime, here's a film that I cannot wait to see: The Grand Budapest Hotel. The film is directed by one of my favorite filmmakers, Wes Anderson. I couldn't get enough of Moonrise Kingdom in 2012, so I expect the same in 2014 when this film is released. With whimsy and wacky characters, this is a sure bet for those of you with a quirky sense of humor.

Fox Searchlight Pictures sent me a fun interactive holiday card that I thought I would share with you. Check it out and be sure to watch the trailer below with Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman. The movies opens March 7, 2014.