It would have been quite a day for the seniour graduating class in the Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio as the students received a virtual commencement speech from Hollywood actor Tom Hanks.

The Oscar-winning actor took out some time to address the students amid lockdown as the world has hit a pause button with almost all human activities coming to a standstill. Recently recovered from COVID-19 himself along with wife Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks delivered an inspirational speech via Facebook as he addressed the students on how the lockdown has affected their graduation, telling them that they are “the chosen ones”. 

Tom Hanks donated plasma to help fight coronavirus, shares pic

After wife Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks opens up about his coronavirus symptoms

“I’m here to say congratulations,” Tom started and said, “Congratulations to you chosen ones…and I am calling you ‘the chosen ones’ because you have been chosen in many ways. First, by the temperament and discipline you’ve lived by, by the creative fires that are inside of you and the distinctive lunges of your desires.”

He continued, “There is something about you, all of you — in your upbringing and your background and your conscious memories and your ongoing mysteries — something that has driven you to complete your courses and achieve your selected challenges across the rubicon of your time there, your studies at Wright State. You succeeded because of the aid and the love of others that are in your lives, without a doubt. But you have succeeded mostly because you, and you alone, chose to do so. You are the chosen ones.”

He then added and said that this class will reflect on “the Great Pandemic of 2020” and how they will leave school during “The great reset.”

“You will have made it through the time of great sacrifice and great need,” he added. “And no one will be more fresh to the task of restarting our measure of normalcy than you…you chosen ones.”

Tom then pointed out that while the future is uncertain but he sure does know that “you will not let us down” motivating them to do bigger and better things in life. 

Watch the full speech below: