Tom Hanks pays tribute to James Lovell Tom Hanks has paid tribute to late astronaut James Lovell, who he played in Apollo 13. 9 August 2025 Tom Hanks has paid tribute to late astronaut James Lovell. Tom Hanks paid tribute to James Lovell The 69-year-old actor portrayed the former NASA commander in 1995's Apollo 13 - which told the story of the ill-fated 1970 lunar mission which endured critical failures before safely returning to Earth - and following his death on Thursday (07.08.25) at the age of 97, Tom praised his work and legacy.