Celebrity Justice
Suit: Tom Hanks' Wife Rita Flips Out on the Stand

Usually one of the nicest gals in Hollywood, Tom Hanks' wife, actress/producer Rita Wilson allegedly flipped out on the stand at an arbitration hearing, after they allegedly refused to pay an Idaho contractor. Now that same contractor claims the A-list couple is out to get them.
Tom and Rita
According to the lawsuit, filed in a Blaine County, Id. District Court, the couple hired Storey Construction in 2001 to build a luxe house for them in Sun Valley. In July 2002, the home was finished and Hanks and Wilson moved in. In the suit, Storey alleges they were not paid for the work they did. The contractor claims that after repeated requests to be paid, they were forced to take out a lien on the home, and took Hanks and his wife to arbitration in 2003.

That's where it gets interesting.

At the arbitration, Hanks and Wilson filed a counter-claim, alleging that the work was shoddy and demanded $800,000 in damages. Then, at the arbitration hearing, the documents describe what Storey calls "Rita Wilson's bizarre conduct." She "leaped from the witness stand," the lawsuit states, "and started screaming hysterically. Rita Wilson then stormed out of the hearing room." The lawsuit states that after the arbitration, Wilson and Hanks were denied their counter claim, and Storey was awarded close to 100 percent of the total amount sought in the arbitration.

This suit says Storey construction was paid in full in 2004 and had no contact with Hanks and Wilson, until suddenly they received a demand for arbitration from the couple in November of this year, claiming Storey owed them $2.5 million in damages because the construction was bad.

Storey says this demand is "motivated by revenge." The suit asks a judge to award Storey damages, and to deny the couple's request for another round of arbitration.

Calls to reps for Tom and Rita were not immediately returned.

Reader Comments

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16. Sounds to me like another Hollywood couple trying to get something
free. There's no such thing as something for nothing. If they had
any problems with the construction, they should have brought it to
the attention of the contractors before moving in not afterwards.
I'm glad to finally see a big star lose a lawsuit, I'd like to see
alot more Hollywood celebs sued for millions. Maybe then they'll
learn to keep their big mouth closed.

Posted at 4:47PM on Dec 21st 2007 by Sam

17. Don't delete my posts; I hate them both - they are untalented but he's cute. He has had affairs. I know this. I was one. THEY ARE A TEAM OF BANDITS WHO JUST WANT MONEY and have good PR people. They got rich off of ME.

Posted at 5:53PM on Dec 21st 2007 by chacha

18. Typically, the courts are pro homeowner so for the courts to award the GC his money, he deserved it. Shoddy construction is very easy to prove so if that were really the case, he would not have been awarded the money. Rita Wilson's a fake b**ch. There are many wealthy people out their that think they are above the average blue collar Joe and have absolutely no respect for people working for a living. Why do the wealthy have such a sense of entitlement? If that's what being walthy does to you, keep it. Better yet, shove it up your a**.

Posted at 7:18PM on Dec 21st 2007 by justathought

19. I live in Idaho and know that home, all I can say, why use that contractor, not the best in the area, they usually build row houses. My guess is they took the lowest bid and got what they paid for.

Posted at 2:43AM on Dec 22nd 2007 by leebyy

20. Sounds like Rita just could not stand anything less than being a perfectionist and wants anything above their expectations,working with business people like Stoney Construction.TMZ, since its your story, why don't you fly over to inspect the place and take the picture outside of the house to give us the idea and see what Tom and Rita have been complaining about. $2.5 million dollars sounds like the whole house,not the part of house to me.

Posted at 7:52PM on Dec 21st 2007 by Julie G.

21. Hard to believe they would go through this aggravation and inconvenience just on the hope of winning an award for money they don't need. I'd venture a guess that the shoddy workmanship is real. that it took living in the house to realize just how bad it was. And because they are able to afford a lawsuit, my guess is that they're going after it to prove a point and get justice. Don't knock it If they win, it could help so many others who have been victimized by shoddy builders.

Posted at 8:41PM on Dec 21st 2007 by ParisNauseatesMe

22. PAY YOUR CONTRACTOR CHEAPSKATES!!! I DOUBT YOUR CONTRACTOR IS NOT YOUR BANK OR YOUR PERSONAL SANTA!!!! YOU ARE PATHETIC!! PAY YOUR BILLS!!!!

Posted at 9:09PM on Dec 21st 2007 by Jen

23. PAY YOUR CONTRACTOR CHEAPSKATES!!! I DOUBT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG, RITA IS A SCROOGE AND TOM IS THE GRINCH!! YOUR CONTRACTOR IS NOT YOUR BANK OR YOUR PERSONAL SANTA!!!! YOU ARE PATHETIC!! PAY YOUR BILLS!!!!

Posted at 9:11PM on Dec 21st 2007 by Jen

24. I live in Sun Valley and I know that they ripped a lot of people off during the construction of their house and they screwed a lot of people out of money. And i know the owner of Storey Construction and they did excellent work for their house which is out the SNRA. They are crooked especially Rita.

Posted at 9:16PM on Dec 21st 2007 by Ashnbaby

25. Boo hoo, the tribulations of rich people. Hope the house burns, and the contractor goes bankrupt.

Posted at 9:29PM on Dec 21st 2007 by Dr. Cornelia J. Dogbarker, PhD

26. I have done contracting for years. We do low voltage contracting, (C7). MC Hammer had the contractor I was a sub for remove the equipment because.... he couldn't pay. We've worked for several Movie Directors and "Hollywood Stars", the individuals were ok, but their accountants, assistants, and "staff" that they had surrounding them were unbearable. I've known several business that "went under" because of the behavior of the wives involved, or because a member of the staff, would make outrageous requests or refuse to sign change orders, thus causing the work to stop and deadlines failed to be met. I've changed wall plates from ivory to white and then to almond and then to a custom "off-white" at the whim of designers. I've had Arnold Schwarzenegger tell me to rip out wires and speakers from the planters in his building in Santa Monica/Venice where he has a restaurant. Never once have I had someone acknowledge that their were financial repercussions to their actions, it was always, "Do you know who I am?, "Just do it", "If you know what's good for you..." or "we'll discuss it later..."

So, when someone attempts to "demand consideration" because of their "status" you are seriously suspect. I suspect so was the contractor in this case. (Do note he had them initial every page.) Actors and Actresses can be charming when they want something out of you, but your meaningless to them after your done with the work or when you present a bill.... and when you do have an issue, be prepared to deal with a wife who interferes or a personal assistant who will ask you delay payment or will find errors with your work that supposedly justify a discount or lack of payment, however it appears to be good enough to show off to their friends or be used consistently.

Posted at 12:17PM on Dec 22nd 2007 by PeeGee

27. Absolutely, why did the Hanks move in if there was construction problems with their home in Sun Valley. or did the problems not arrise until after they had moved in..There has to be more to the story than the Hanks just not paying the contractor..I'd like to read both sides of the story..

Posted at 12:47AM on Dec 22nd 2007 by baby doll

28. I love Tom Hanks movies..But I read eyes, body language and I don't think he is all that nice a guy ..think there might be a dark side to him..and I'm not sure, but it seems he walked out on his first marriage and child and didn't have a father son relationship with his son until he was maybe in his teens?

Posted at 12:50AM on Dec 22nd 2007 by baby doll

29. There have been articles before about Tom and Rita and how rude they are to the WORKING PEOPLE.
They treated on eairline attendant like dirt and humiliated her like she was one of their personal paid servants.
I would hate to work for them...

Posted at 1:07AM on Dec 22nd 2007 by Beware of False Idols

30. THIS IS NOTHING NEW. Celebrities come to Idaho, build their mansions with local builders and contractors and then stiff them for hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is just the latest in a very common practice. Celebs come to Idaho and think they can just walk all over us "little people." It's happened so many times around here that for the life of me, I can't figure out why SunValley and Ketchum builders haven't learned there lesson by now. Go to Sun Valley and Ketchum and ask around. Bruce Willis & Demi Moore come to mind -- oh my God, let me tell you a story... lol. IDAHO NATIVE.

Posted at 1:33AM on Dec 22nd 2007 by Maliengus

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