Tom Hanks bypasses quarantine hotel in Australia, gets to stay at private home

Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks both got Covid-19 earlier this year. Photo / Twitter

Hollywood heavyweight Tom Hanks was allowed to bypass Queensland's hotel quarantine after touching down on Australian soil this week.

He returned to Coolangatta in a private jet on Tuesday to finish filming Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic.

But when Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was asked today whether the actor had been forced to complete his quarantine in a hotel, she did not deny he had been granted an exemption.

She suggested he had been allowed to quarantine in a private residence, under the entertainment industry's approved Covid-safe plan.

"The industry plan for Covid in relation to the screen industry is a plan that has been approved, just like there is for the resources industry, just like there is for the agriculture industry," she said.

"Under that plan, they have to stay in the place for two weeks, just like everybody else.

"They will have random checks, as is my understanding, by police."

Filming for the Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic was suspended in March after the coronavirus crisis started to reach its peak.

Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson both contracted the virus at the time – reportedly before they arrived in Australia.

The 63-year-old couple were treated at a specialist ward at Gold Coast University Hospital before returning to the United States where they carried on social distancing and isolating.

"We're home now and, like the rest of America, we carry on with sheltering in place and social distancing," Hanks posted to Twitter in April.

"Many, many thanks to everyone in Australia who looked after us. Their care and guidance made possible our return to the USA."

But now Hanks, who plays Presley's manager Colonel Parker in the A$105 million biopic, is back to finish filming.

Opposition leader Deb Frecklington attacked the Queensland premier for "blatant double standards".

"The double standards are shocking – it shouldn't be one rule for VIPs and celebrities and another rule for everyone else," Frecklington said.

"Everyday Australians don't get to pick and choose where they quarantine and neither should celebrities.

"Today we've tragically heard about how four children in NSW are unable to visit their father dying of cancer at the Prince Charles Hospital.

"Labor are quick to roll out the red carpet for Danni Minogue and Tom Hanks but won't lift a finger to help this family see their dying father."