At 69, Rita Wilson Is Embracing Her Wild Side With Bold New Tattoo & New Chapter

Sep 29, 2026 by apost team

Rita Wilson is proving that getting older can mean getting bolder.

At 69, the actress and singer gave fans an unexpected glimpse of a massive new tattoo covering much of her back — a striking cross that bears a strong resemblance to the one sported by her son, Chet Hanks. Wilson unveiled the ink in a playful Instagram post promoting her new single, “Stranger With Age,” embracing a philosophy that seems to have guided much of her life in recent years.

“Who else is stranger with age?” Wilson asked in the caption, adding that she was loving it.

The tattoo reveal arrived at an especially fitting moment for the star, who has spent the past several years embracing a musical career that began decades after she first found fame as an actress. Her latest album, “Sound of a Woman,” is her sixth studio album and represents perhaps her most personal musical chapter yet.

For Wilson, this creative evolution was partly inspired by her late friend Nora Ephron, the celebrated writer and director behind “Sleepless in Seattle,” in which Wilson appeared. When Wilson turned 50, Ephron offered her a piece of advice during a champagne toast: Great things happen after 50.

Wilson never forgot those words.

When she began seriously pursuing music in her 50s, she thought about Ephron’s own late-career accomplishments and wondered what might happen if she allowed herself to pursue something simply because she wanted it.

The answer was music.

Wilson began writing songs after meeting songwriter Kara DioGuardi while performing in “Chicago” on Broadway in 2006. Her debut album, “AM/FM,” followed in 2012, and she went on to perform at the Grand Ole Opry and collaborate with artists including Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson and Tim McGraw.

Now, that sense of reinvention has become central to “Sound of a Woman.” Wilson has described the album as a reflection on the different phases of a woman’s life, including love, loss, family and finding her voice.

That theme also runs through “Stranger With Age,” which Wilson said resonated with her because it captures the freedom that can come with growing older — caring less about other people’s expectations and becoming more comfortable with who you are.

Her family has been part of that musical journey, too.

Wilson and Chet previously collaborated on her 2018 song “Heart He Handed Down,” with Chet contributing harmonies. She has since said she would happily work with him again, even joking that they could tackle Eminem’s “Cleanin' Out My Closet.”

And then there’s Tom Hanks.

The couple, who married in 1988, recently hit the road together while Wilson toured in support of “Sound of a Woman.” Tom joined her for portions of her American tour, with Wilson also taking the music to the United Kingdom and Europe.

After decades in Hollywood, Wilson seems to be entering a chapter where she’s less interested in fitting neatly into expectations — and more interested in trying something new.

At 69, that means making music, touring with her husband, collaborating with her son and proudly showing off a giant tattoo.

In other words, Rita Wilson is getting stranger with age — and she seems to be having a wonderful time doing it.

apost.com

What do you think about Rita Wilson’s giant back tattoo? Are you happy to see her taking risks and embracing life at her age? Let us know, and then pass this on to friends and family who are also grabbing all the opportunities life has to offer!