Tom Hanks leaves with McCartney after Beatles song at Swift wedding
Tom Hanks was photographed leaving Madison Square Garden with Paul McCartney after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding reception, where McCartney reportedly sang the Beatles hit "I Want to Hold Your Hand" live for the first time in about 60 years. The pairing of Hollywood royalty and a rock legend capped one of the most talked-about celebrity weddings of 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Tom Hanks and Paul McCartney were seen departing MSG together after the Swift-Kelce celebration, People reported.
- McCartney performed the Beatles' 1964 No. 1 single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" — his first known live version in six decades, per The Guardian.
- The reception took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City following the couple's ceremony.
- Stevie Nicks also performed; Swift's mother Andrea invited guests into a reception room with a stage, sources told People.
- Swift and McCartney have publicly praised each other's work for years, including a 2020 Rolling Stone interview.
Why were Tom Hanks and Paul McCartney seen leaving together?
Photographers captured Tom Hanks and Paul McCartney exiting Madison Square Garden side by side once the wedding festivities wound down, according to People. Both men were among the high-profile guests at Swift and Kelce's New York celebration.
The joint departure quickly circulated on social media, linking one of film's most trusted stars with the Beatles legend on the same night McCartney reportedly revived a Fab Four classic. Hanks was not listed among the performers, but his exit alongside McCartney became a headline moment in its own right.
What song did Paul McCartney perform at the reception?
People reports that McCartney sang "I Want to Hold Your Hand," the 1964 Beatles single that became the band's first U.S. No. 1 hit. The Independent confirmed the same song choice, citing the publication's source account of the reception.
The Guardian described the performance as the first time McCartney had played the track live in 60 years. Reviving a song tied to the height of Beatlemania for a private wedding serenade gave the night a historical weight beyond typical celebrity nuptials.
Who else performed at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding?
Stevie Nicks — described by sources as a longtime friend and mentor to Swift — also took the stage during the reception, The Independent reported. After the ceremony, Andrea Swift invited guests into a separate room where a stage had been set up for live music.
Rumors had circulated before the event that McCartney, Nicks and others might appear. The confirmed performances turned Madison Square Garden into both a wedding venue and an impromptu concert hall, keeping the story at the center of celebrity breaking news coverage for days.
Why does McCartney's set matter to Swift fans?
Swift interviewed McCartney for Rolling Stone's Musicians on Musicians cover story in 2020, The Independent noted. She also championed his recent album The Boys of Dungeon Lane in an Instagram post, underscoring a mutual admiration that predates the wedding.
For Swift's audience, McCartney's reported appearance was more than a celebrity cameo. It connected two eras of pop superstardom in one room — with Tom Hanks among the witnesses who later walked out beside the former Beatle as cameras flashed outside MSG.