Two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks received an honorary degree in arts from Harvard University during its commencement ceremony recently.

The 66-year-old actor known for such blockbuster hits like "Big," "Forrest Gump," "Saving Private Ryan," and "Sleepless in Seattle," among others, was presented a Wilson volleyball, harking back to his character in the movie "Cast Away."

"I don't know much about Latin, I have no real passion for enzymes and public global policy is something I scan in the newspaper just before I do the Wordle," said Hanks who was also the main speaker at the event.

Hanks exhorted the graduates to defend the truth of American ideals.

"The truth to some is no longer empirical. It's no longer based on data, nor common sense, nor even common decency,'" said Hanks in allusion to Harvard's famous motto: "Veritas," which means truth.