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Carly Reeves, Tom Hanks’ niece, reveals if the A-list star saw her reality TV show on “Claim to Fame,” the show in which she had a major breakdown after being eliminated.
The 39-year-old actress was the first contestant to be suspended from the ABC competition series in which relatives of stars try to guess each other’s famous relatives while keeping their own celebrity relationships a secret.
During the show’s second-season premiere episode, Reeves had an emotional outburst after fellow contestant Hugo deduced that she was related to the A-list actor. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Reeves questioned whether Hanks had seen the episode or the episode clip of her meltdown that went viral on social media.
“I don’t know. I asked him, and he said, ‘A little bit, like a little bit.’ So I don’t know. He probably got the gist, which I probably think was the meltdown. I’m sure he saw that clip,” she said, laughing.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to a representative for Tom Hanks for comment.
Carly Reeves, the niece of Tom Hanks, suffered a major breakdown after she was eliminated from the reality show ‘Claim to Fame’. (Getty)
At the end of the episode that aired on Monday, Reeves began to cry after Hugo identified Hanks as her mysterious celebrity relative.
“I’m just kind of shocked. I didn’t realize he was going to pick me. I wasn’t expecting this at all,” Reeves told hosts Kevin and Frankie Jonas as she wiped away tears.
Reeves then vented her frustration on Hugo, telling him, “I helped you, Hugo! I fucking helped you. I gave you clues and if any of them make sense, I hope that’s why you go home.”
“But he was smart, he played smart, so I give him credit,” she added as she continued to cry.
After Kevin told Reeves it was time to say goodbye, she walked into the house crying as her fellow contestants seemed stunned and uncomfortable.
Shortly after entering the house to pack her things, Reeves let out a deafening scream.
Reeves’ contender Hugo correctly guessed she was related to Hanks. (ABC)
As she charged up the stairs, Reeves ranted against clues about her identity given earlier in the show, including a park bench and a ping pong paddle that references Hanks’ iconic 1994 film Forrest Gump.
“These damn clues are so damn obvious!” she cried sobbing. “Freaking bench! That’s the freaking poster of ‘Forrest Gump.’ Are you joking?”
“Why a couch, why a couch?” Reeves wailed as he sat in the bedroom. “There’s literally no reference to banks in any other movie. Even Gabriel found out he’s not even smart!”
As Reeves ranted, the camera cut back and forth to her fellow cast members’ shocked reactions.
The actress burst into tears after being told she had been eliminated from the show. (ABC)
“I didn’t have that level of drama for my first bet on my ‘Claim to Fame’ bingo card,” contestant Karsyn noted.
“I didn’t even get to do challenges!” Reeves yelled as she grabbed her clothes from the closet. “I don’t deserve this. I should have more camera time. I should be here longer!”
“Nobody expected that. Nobody!” At the end of the episode, Reeves could be heard screaming from inside the house.
Reeves’ mother is the sister of Hanks’ wife Rita Wilson. In a video played after Hugo’s gamble, she explained her relationship with the Academy Award winner and praised her uncle.
“He’s always been there for me and not only is he so nice, but he’s so funny and he’s so smart, and I can go to him for advice on anything,” she said. “Everything you hear about Tom is true. He’s the nicest guy in Hollywood and I just totally love him.”
Reeves gushed about Hanks, whom she described as a “great” uncle, in her interview with Fox News Digital.
Reeves started screaming as she sobbed as she packed her things. (ABC)
“He’s great,” she said. “He makes everyone laugh all the time. He doesn’t take anything too seriously.”
She continued, “I just respect him a lot. And I look up to him as an actor, but also because he’s just such a good dad.”
“He’s just a good guy all around,” Reeves added. “He’s good to his employees, he’s good to his company. He’s like a professional. He’s just a really good guy. That’s why I think everyone likes to work with him. He jokes, he talks to strangers. The only thing what you just don’t “I don’t want to cross him with his privacy, of course, because that’s important to him.”
Reeves recalled stopping by Hanks’ office numerous times to seek his advice on acting and scripts. She shared the star’s favorite advice for his fellow players.
“He does say you have to get rid of your self-consciousness,” she said. “That’s the most important thing for any actor to know that as long as you can get past that wall of ‘Oh, what do I look like on the outside?’ then you can be successful in acting.”
Reeves continued, “I think he thinks I’m a good actor. I mean, he wouldn’t have let me work with him if I wasn’t good.”
WATCH VIDEO: Tom Hanks’ niece Carly Reeves reveals if the A-list actor saw her infamous meltdown after ‘Claim to Fame’ elimination
The actress appeared in Mike Nichols’ 2007 film ‘Charlie Wilson’s War’, in which her uncle played the lead character, and in the 2018 comedy ‘Larry Crowne’ starring Hanks, who also served as director and producer.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly (EW) after the show, Reeves reflected on her emotional reaction to her elimination.
“I was really upset,” she explained. “I think I overreacted a bit, but I’m an emotional, very dramatic person. I was really angry that I didn’t get the chance to play as long as some of the other contestants.”
Reeves continued, “I mean, there was no one to be mad at. I was just mad at myself in general and at the fact that I was going home. And then that turned into complete despair and sadness.”
“I’m even like, ‘I should get more camera time!’ That’s just so stupid of me to say. But I also just said things out of my mouth.”
The Los Angeles native opened up about Hanks’ reaction when she told him she was on the show.
Reeves’ fellow contestants look horrified as they listen to her scream and cry in the house. (ABC)
“Oh, he was excited for me,” she recalled. “He was like, ‘Going to a show, that’s your choice.’ I hope you are doing well. Good luck.”
Reeves said she told her uncle she was the first contestant eliminated from “Claim to Fame”.
“I told him. I said, ‘Guess what your lead was?’ And he says, “What?” I said, “A sofa!” He was like, ‘Ahhh.’ At first he didn’t understand the game, and then I thought, “It’s clues from your movies.” And then he said, ‘Oh, okay. Understood. Understood.'” Reeves said.
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At the time of the interview with EW, the actress was also weighing in on whether she thought Hanks would watch her episode.
WATCH VIDEO: Tom Hanks’ niece Carly Reeves describes how the Oscar winner is a ‘great’ uncle
‘I hope so. I mean maybe I don’t want him to look at it because I don’t want to embarrass him for any reason. I hope I’m not embarrassing him, but I don’t think so.’
She continued: “So I’d love for him to watch it because I think it’s hilarious… He’s happy for me anyway. He did ask me, ‘Did you make some money?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I made a little bit.’ And he said, ‘Okay, good.'”
“So he was happy I was making some money,” Reeves added with a laugh.
On Tuesday, Reeves shared a photo from “Forrest Gump” where she was photoshopped behind her uncle as he sat on the famous couch.
“So I had a meltdown,” she wrote in the caption of her Instagram post. “Say what you will. I’m not spoiled or entitled or crazy. I can just be a little expressive and vocal, shall we say.”
She continued, “Deviating from the moment you step into the house isn’t easy when everyone already suspects who you are. I was angry because there are literally hundreds of references to his collection of movies and thought Forrest Gump could have given a clue away. “
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“My uncle is amazing and he’s known and experienced my tantrums since I was a kid,” explains Reeves. “He would actually impersonate me when I had a meltdown as a kid! I know it doesn’t look good, but I really wanted to play along with the rest of the cast.”
“At least I hope I made you laugh! Until I… make you laugh again #justiceforcarly #claimtofame,” she concluded.
Reeves told Fox News Digital she was surprised by the attention she’d received following her viral outburst.
“This is wild,” she said. “I’m on a rampage right now. I wasn’t expecting this level of attention, but I’m running with it, and I’m just going with the flow.”
The “Broken At Love” alum also reflected on her future career plans following her removal from “Claim to Fame.”
“I’ve been unemployed for a long time,” Reeves explains. “I have a lot of part-time jobs. So if I could get something that’s a little bit consistent, that would be great. Even if it’s like doing some ads or commercials, that sort of thing. I also like hosting. I’d like it wonderful to host one day. I love reality TV. I want to be on another reality show.”
“I want to do my challenges!” she exclaimed. “I want to complete my challenges. I’ve never been able to do my challenges. So if I get another reality show, I can get my life fulfilled.”
However, Reeves said viewers hoping for another tantrum from her might be disappointed.
“No more meltdowns,” she said with a laugh. “I promise! Unless I get kicked off. You never know.”
“Claim to Fame” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Ashley Hume is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @ashleyhume
