Chet Hanks Stranded in Colombia

Chet Hanks, the 35-year-old son of Tom Hanks, recently shared in an Instagram video that he’s found himself stuck in Colombia. It seems he traveled to Medellin without his American passport, which has left him in quite a predicament.

He initially went to Puerto Rico to celebrate a friend’s birthday and then decided to swing by Medellin before heading home to meet another friend, Taylor. In his post, he mentioned, “I’m a dual citizen, so I’m traveling on a Greek passport. I didn’t use my American passport because it’s close to expiring, and even if it hasn’t expired yet, you might not be allowed to enter a country.”

Upon arriving at the airport, Chet was informed that because he was traveling on a foreign passport, he would need a green card to return to the U.S. “I don’t have a green card because I’m an American citizen,” he explained, adding, “I’m literally stuck in Colombia. Sure, there are worse places to be, but I have no idea what to do. The only embassy that can help me is in Bogota.”

Getting to Bogota isn’t a simple task—it’s about an hour’s flight from Medellin. Chet humorously signed off his video by telling his followers, “Release me.”

Fans quickly took to the comments, some making light of his situation. One said, “LOL, nice life in Medellin,” while another joked that it seems like he’s now living there. A more serious comment expressed concern over how this might affect the second season of his Netflix show, “Running Points,” where he plays a character named Travis Bugg, a point guard with personal issues and aspirations of becoming a rapper.

Chet had once mentioned, “If I don’t get this role, I’m going to quit acting.” It felt oddly personal to him, yet he also noted that it wasn’t literally written about him. He feels it reflects a slightly exaggerated version of himself.

Celebrating three years of sobriety last year, Chet noted that the character’s addiction storyline resonated with him. He often shares his journey on sobriety, saying it could help others understand the better life that awaits if they let go of their burdens.

“Being sober is really important because people think it’s boring,” he remarked. However, he quickly clarified that it’s quite the opposite—life changes in ways you wouldn’t anticipate until you embrace it.