‘Truth is sacred’: Tom Hanks gives keynote speech and receives honorary degree from Harvard

The two-time Academy Award winner spoke to the graduates on truth and was given a volleyball as a gift

As the US grapples with a disinformation crisis, Tom Hanks told graduates of Harvard on Thursday to be superheroes in their defense of truth and American ideals, and to resist those who twist the truth for their own gain.

“For the truth to some is no longer empirical. It’s no longer based on data, nor common sense, nor even common decency,” the two-time Academy Award winner said during his keynote address. He invoked the Latin word for truth, “veritas”, Harvard’s motto.