Tom Hanks has joined the calls for America’s acting unions to approve a deal with studios to end the threat of an actors’ strike this summer.

Actors are threatening walkouts at the end of June if talks between the unions and major film studios fail to resolve a dispute over pay and conditions.

And now Hanks has added his name to an email petition urging members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) to accept a deal offered by Hollywood chiefs.

If the union accepts the new agreement, it would be a major step forward in avoiding a strike which will cripple the U.S. film and TV industry – and put many thespians out of work.

Another actors union, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), is also negotiating a deal with the major studios – and SAG bosses are urging members of AFTRA to turn down the proposals.

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The Vatican has a clear message to Tom Hanks and his costars in the new Da Vinci Code movie: “Keep out.”

The diocese of Rome has banned Angels and Demons from filming inside its churches because the movie “does not conform to our views,” says spokesman Monsignor Marco Fibbi.

Angels and Demons is a prequel to 2006’s Da Vinci Code – also starring Hanks and also based on a Dan Brown best-seller – which controversially claimed that Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and had children.

Producers had requested – and were denied – permission to shoot in two of Rome’s historic churches, Santa Maria del Popolo and Santa Maria della Vittoria, Reuters reports.

“It’s a film that treats religious issues in a way that contrasts with common religious sentiment,” Fibbi told the wire service. “Normally we read the script but this time it was not necessary. The name Dan Brown was enough.”

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Tom Hanks played a real life hero this week by halting filming on his new movie to help a stranded bride reach her wedding.

Hanks is currently filming Da Vinci Code sequel Angels and Demons in Rome, Italy and the crew were shooting outside the Pantheon church in the city when the actor spotted the stricken woman.

The bride, in her traditional white dress and veil, had arrived at the church – only to find her access blocked by the film crew, causing her to panic.

But Hanks immediately halted filming and rushed over to help – taking the woman on his arm, he escorted her and her father across the set to meet her groom at the altar.

The star even gathered the train of her dress, to stop the long gown dragging on the floor. And after his good deed was done, Hanks allowed the crew to complete the scene, reports Hello magazine.

The new movie is due for release next year.

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Tom Hanks is offering one lucky fan the chance to act opposite his wife Rita Wilson in a performance of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

The double Oscar winner has teamed up with the eBay Giving Works organization and will auction off the chance to land a speaking role in the play when it airs as part of the Shakespeare Festival L.A. on May 19th.

The winning bidder will also get the chance to mingle with Wilson’s co-stars Annette Bening, William Shatner, Zach Braff, Tim Allen, Christina Applegate, David Schwimmer and Sean Astin, and he or she will also be a part of the post-show cast party.

Hanks has also agreed to record a personal message for the winning bidder’s answering machine.
The auction, which will be managed by Auction Cause, will go live on eBay.com on Thursday and run until May 14th.

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Tom Hanks, his wife Rita Wilson and Nia Vardalos, the star of their hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding production, are set to go to trial to fight for money they claim they’re owed.

The trio co-produced the 2002 movie and maintain their co-financiers at Gold Circle Films still owe them a share of the profits.

The ongoing lawsuit was referred to mediation on Monday and Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos set a court date for 20 January (09) just in case the trio’s mediation battle fails.

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Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Robert DeNiro have all taken out newspaper ads appealing to leaders of the Screen Actors Guild to start talks with movie studios in an effort to avert a possible strike. SAG members will reportedly hold a mass walk-out this summer after their current contract expires on June 30th if negotiations with studio bosses over pay and conditions do not prove fruitful.

The Hollywood stars want SAG directors to enter talks with studios before it’s too late to avoid strike action, and took out ads in trade papers Variety and The Hollywood Reporter to appeal to the leaders of the 120,000-strong union.

Their call comes just days after the Writers Guild of America (WGA) members voted to end a three-month strike over Internet royalties – which has crippled the American TV and movie industry – earlier this week. SAG national executive director Doug Allen insisted the union would open negotiations “at a time that will most benefit our members”.

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Tom Hanks at the UK Premiere of ‘Charlie Wilson’s War’ at the Empire Leicester Square -in London, England on January 9th.

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