With husband Tom Hanks cheering her on, Rita Wilson gave an emotional concert to open her residency at Café Carlyle on Tuesday night, touching on her battle with breast cancer and her 28-year marriage to the Oscar winner.
“I call 2015 my year of survival,” Wilson told the audience, referencing her breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery last year.
“I was dealing with some very scary health issues. Life throws everyone curveballs but that’s what I like to sing about.”
The 59-year-old, who was declared cancer-free last May, became visibly choked up while performing an original tune about love, “Every Day,” wiping away tears as she looked at her husband across the room.
“Before I met my husband I never thought I would fall in love,” the actress-turned-singer said, calling the star “the love of my life.”
She also peppered in a number of funny stories between songs, saying she’s only tried Botox once (circa 1999) before appropriately launching into a rendition of The Weeknd’s hit “Can’t Feel My Face.”
Hanks, 59, sat at a table next to Gayle King, who told Page Six of the show, “I thought it was terrific.” The “CBS This Morning” co-host didn’t join in any post-concert festivities, but for good reason. “I’m going home and going to bed. I have to be up at 3:30!” she told us.
Wilson, whose self-titled album drops on March 11, is at the legendary Upper East Side venue through March 5 before heading out on tour.