Tom Hanks, the voice of Woody, and Director Lee Unkrich during a Toy Story 3 voice recording session at Sony Studios on December 9, 2009 in Culver City, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
TOM HANKS (Woody) became the first actor in 50 years to be awarded back-to-back Best Actor Academy Awards® in 1994—first as the AIDS-stricken lawyer in “Philadelphia” and then the following year as the title character in “Forrest Gump.” Hanks earned Golden Globes® for both performances, and again for his roles in “Big” and “Cast Away.” Hanks’ film career began in 1984 with a starring role in Ron Howard’s “Splash.” He has since worked several times with Howard, playing astronaut Jim Lovell in “Apollo 13” and historian-adventurer Robert Langdon, first in “The Da Vinci Code” in 2006, and again in “Angels & Demons” in 2009. In 1995, he gave his voice to the lovable and loyal cowboy sheriff Woody in the computer animated smash hit, “Toy Story.” Hanks reprised his role in the 1999 Disney sequel, “Toy Story 2,” which proved to be a huge hit at the global box office. In 1998, Hanks starred in Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan,” for which he received his fourth Oscar® nomination. Hanks reteamed with Spielberg in 2002, appearing opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in “Catch Me If You Can,” and in 2004 he starred along side of Catherine Zeta-Jones in “The Terminal.” In 2000, Hanks reunited with “Forrest Gump” director Robert Zemeckis and screenwriter William Broyles Jr. in “Cast Away,” for which he received yet another Oscar® nomination. Zemeckis and Hanks worked together again in November 2004 when Hanks starred in the film adaptation of the Caldecott Medal–winning children’s book “The Polar Express.” Hanks’ other credits include “That Thing You Do,” which he also wrote and directed; “The Green Mile,” written and directed by Frank Darabont; “The Road to Perdition,” featuring Paul Newman and Jude Law and directed by Sam Mendes; the Coen Brothers' dark comedy “The Ladykillers”; and Mike Nichols' film “Charlie Wilson's War,” opposite Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Next up, Tom stars opposite Julia Roberts in “Larry Crowne,” which he wrote with Nia Vardalos, directs and is executive producing.
Tom Hanks is back in the saddle again, lending his voice to the popular pull-string cowboy Woody in the new DisneyŸPixar 3D comedy adventure “Toy Story 3.”
Q: The “Toy Story” films are beloved by audiences worldwide. What makes these films classics?
A: The “Toy Story” films accomplish what timeless classics aim for – innocent characters who face an endless trail of adventures. We all know the likes of Woody and Buzz. We wonder who we would be if we were toys. There’s this great logic that John Lasseter and Lee [Unkrich] and Darla [K. Anderson], and all the writers adhere to that makes moviegoers just kind of relax and let themselves be transported to this magical place and time. When you can do that with a movie, it’s amazing. With ‘Toy Story 3,’ you come back to a lovely, familiar and happy place.
Q: DisneyŸPixar is renowned for creating story-driven films with a heart. What can audiences expect from “Toy Story 3”?
A: “Toy Story 3” is a big massive adventure that has you constantly on the edge of your seat. It’s part “Great Escape,” with the same kind of excitement as Dorothy escaping from the Wicked Witch of the West. And yet they take those elements and turn them into something that is very emotional. We’re talking about toy dinosaurs and Mr. Potato Head, and yet you feel for them and don’t want them to get recycled or stuck with the bratty kids. You want them to be together and played with at the end of the movie. You’re worried for their essence. The filmmakers at Pixar always manage to get you right in the heart. The story is as simple as growing up and having a guy go off to college, but it is so profoundly emotional that you can’t help but have tears in your eyes.
Q: This will be your third time playing the pull-string cowboy sheriff Woody. After all these years, how would you describe Woody’s character and what makes him so lovable?
A: Woody is a passionate guy who throws himself into every action. As soon as he has an instinctive thought like “I have to help them,” or “I have to run away,” he does it with 100-percent commitment. You gotta love that about anybody. What’s great is that I get credit for the way the character and the humor come off. I have kids that are now in college come up to me and say, “when you told that neighbor kid to play nice, that really meant a lot to me.”
Q: How has Woody’s relationship with Buzz evolved over the course of these three films?
A: I love the way the relationship between Woody and Buzz has grown. They started off as pure adversaries and learned how to accept each other’s strengths, forgive each other’s failures, and respect each other as individuals. Opposites definitely attract in this case.
Q: What are some of the obstacles that Woody must face in “Toy Story 3”?
A: There is a huge ground shift in the lives of these toys. In one scene, Woody must watch his buddies get inadvertently thrown in the garbage. It is heart-wrenching for him. Another challenge he must face is when he chooses to walk away from his toy friends because of a temporary difference of perceptions. It is a big, tough decision for him. Without giving too much away, there is this tremendous life-shattering and life-saving adventure.
Q: What other character would you like to play if you could not be Woody?
A: Wow, that’s a very, very good question. Quite frankly, I am of the Slinky dog persuasion. I think Slinky can go places other toys can’t go and he can do things other toys can’t do because of his ability to stretch. I think that would be fun.
Q: “Toy Story” was released in 1995. What are some changes to the animation process that you have experienced over the years?
A: For the first one, we were shown the movie through storyboards mounted on walls. So you walked into a building and about a quarter mile later you understood the movie because they literally walked you through every sequence. This time they did this brilliant thing where they just showed us the entire animatic. An animatic is a process where every voice and every sound effect is added to rough animated drawings and it lasts exactly as long as the final movie. So you actually get to go into a screening room with the rest of the cast and you get to see it all at the same time.
Q: Describe the process of working on animated films.
A: I have been working on a Pixar movie on and off for a long time. It astounds me every time that it takes about four years to create these films. It seems like every two weeks they call you in to record, but it turns out to be about every six months. When I started doing the first “Toy Story” film, I had two kids; I now have four kids. [LAUGHS]
Q: DisneyŸPixar has an amazing track record of creating animated films that achieve critical acclaim. What is the secret to Pixar’s success?
A: The Pixar people continuously amaze me. They come up with something that actually looks as though it takes place in this happy, real-world. Every plot line is not just plausible, but oddly authentic. The stories are full of adventure, humor and love. The characters are written with great human dimension. I don’t know how they do it but they astound me.
Q: What do you think of the technological advances in live-action and animated filmmaking?
A: Motion pictures are just beginning to live up to their true potential of being this immersive experience—going from beyond black and white flickering images to fully immersive 3D color high-definition. You don’t even know where the real world starts and the fake world begins. And yet, none of that’s going to matter unless the story and the emotions that they allow us to become invested in are something that we can recognize. Pixar is able to do this in ways that almost defies speculation. And isn’t it grand that the “Toy Story” films are such a great example of this power to deeply connect with an audience?
Toy Story 3 Director Lee Unkrich and Tim Allen, the voice of Buzz Lightyear, during a voice recording session at Stage B at Disney Studios on December 17, 2008 in Burbank, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
TIM ALLEN (Buzz Lightyear) was last seen on-screen in his feature film directorial debut, the independent comedy “Crazy on the Outside,” which is currently available on DVD. Allen made his film debut in 1994, playing the historic holiday icon in the Walt Disney blockbuster hit “The Santa Clause,” which earned him a People’s Choice Award. In November 2002 Allen successfully reprised his role in “The Santa Clause 2,” and again in 2006 in “The Santa Clause 3.” In 1995, he gave voice to the beloved, yet deluded space ranger Buzz Lightyear in the computer animated smash hit “Toy Story.” Allen reprised his role of Buzz in the 1999 sequel “Toy Story 2,” which proved to be a huge hit at the global box office. Allen’s other credits include the Sony Picture Classics’ drama “Redbelt,” the Touchstone Pictures' hit comedy “Wild Hogs,” the Revolution Studios’ comedy “Christmas with the Kranks," the DreamWorks sci-fi comedy “Galaxy Quest,” 20th Century Fox's “Joe Somebody,” the Touchstone Pictures' ensemble “Big Trouble,” the Paramount Classics film “Who Is Cletis Tout?” and Disney’s update of the family classic "The Shaggy Dog." Allen honed his talents as a stand-up comic throughout the 1980s, providing the perfect lead-in to his highly successful ABC television series “Home Improvement,” where he garnered a Golden Globe® Award, an Emmy® nomination, and was honored with the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a Television Series for an unprecedented eight years in a row. In 1999, during the final season of “Home Improvement,” the actor was honored with the TV Guide Award for Favorite Actor in a Comedy Series. Despite a hectic film and TV career, Allen has found time to pen two books. The first book, “Don’t Stand Too Close to a Naked Man,” topped the New York Times Bestseller List. This was followed by his second bestseller “I’m Not Really Here,” which focused on midlife, family and quantum physics.
Tim Allen has signed up for his third mission, once again lending his voice to the heroic space ranger Buzz Lightyear in the new DisneyŸPixar 3D comedy adventure “Toy Story 3.”
Q: This is the 11th full-length animated film from DisneyŸPixar. What makes audiences worldwide embrace Pixar films?
A: The people at Pixar are great storytellers and great movies start with a great story.
Q: What can audiences expect from “Toy Story 3”?
A: “Toy Story 3” is a remarkable achievement with a story that is so good they could have marketed the storyboard version. Even though I knew the story and had read the ending, it grabbed me in the best possible way. I know audiences are going to have the same reaction. There are great action sequences, but the beauty of the movie is the evolution of the subtleties in the shot selection and how it is directed. Pixar just keeps getting better and better. This is a very simple story about friendships and staying together. I love that the ending is really a new beginning. You realize that one door shuts and another one opens. It’s very, very emotional.
Q: What are some of the obstacles that the toys face as Andy prepares to leave for college?
A: In “Toy Story 3,” it is all about second chances. The toys are thrown away by mistake and end up in a daycare center. At first it looks like heaven for these guys, but they are placed with a group of kids that don’t know how to respect toys and they break them. It becomes an absolute purgatory for these toys. So they have to find a way to get themselves back home.
Q: What adventures does Buzz encounter in “Toy Story 3”?
A: In this third film, Buzz gets to expand his role. When he accidentally gets reset, he speaks perfect Spanish. He’s a conquistador and a bull fighter. It’s pretty hysterical. I really do like being Buzz. He’s a lot of fun to play.
Q: Can you give us a sneak peak at some of the new characters and voices in “Toy Story 3”?
A: I like the new toys. Jeff Garlin does a great job with the unicorn, Buttercup. Timothy Dalton plays Mr. Pricklepants who is a theatre-loving hedgehog who takes the craft of acting very seriously. He is just wonderful. And Michael Keaton brings alive the character of the Ken doll. I laughed so hard at the scene where Ken does a fashion show for Barbie. It was hilarious.
Q: What other character would you like to play if you could not be Buzz?
A: I like Mr. Potato Head quite a bit and I am beginning to really like the new hedgehog character, Mr. Pricklepants. Ken is very interesting and he is real super deluded. However, in the end, Buzz is really who I like to be. It’s a character I developed with John Lasseter.
Q: Friendship is a major theme in the “Toy Story” films. What makes the relationship between Buzz and Woody work?
A: I think their relationship works because they accept each other’s limitations. Woody is honest and he wants to do everything for the group; it’s always about other people. Buzz is a doer and a fixer. Give a job to Buzz and he will get it done. There is an overall respect for each other and this makes for a great relationship.
Q: The original “Toy Story” was released in 1995. Over the course of that 15-year span, what would you say is the best thing about playing the role of Buzz Lightyear?
A: The great thing for me about working on the “Toy Story” films is the great friendships I’ve made with all the people at Pixar and with Tom Hanks. Tom and I really like working together and being around each other. I totally respect his talent and I think he feels the same about me. We really do enjoy each other’s company and I value that.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about the process of voicing an animated character?
A: Being in an animated movie is much more difficult than you might imagine, especially for a live performer. As a comedian, I tend to run on and ad-lib because I get bored very quickly. So it can be long sessions in the recording booth. There are also whole days that you just do grunting and panting and breathing just so the animators can match it to the characters. It’s an incredibly complex mechanical process that ends up on screen as an amazing, fun experience. It’s like watching magic.
Q: In “Toy Story 3,” Andy is going off to college. Could you relate to Andy’s dilemma of having to leave behind his treasured childhood toys?
A: I did have a box of stuff with toys that I played with in my formative ages. My parents went through a flood and some of it got destroyed, but my best stuff was always protected. I still have the box and now it’s down to six things. This is what the movie is about; a kid is going off to college and what is he going to keep? Now if I were the kid, I would pick a Buzz Lightyear doll because you could say that you collect classic toys and no one would laugh at you. They would think that a spaceman is cool, but if you have a stuffed cowboy…come on! [LAUGHS]
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