Tom Hanks may have voiced Hollywood’s most iconic cowboy for more than 30 years, but he apparently still has a thing or two to learn about his own “Toy Story” character.
Ahead of the release of “Toy Story 5,” Hanks was left stunned by a surprising piece of franchise lore involving Woody’s full name and a possible family connection to Jessie.
The actor also teased one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the upcoming installment and weighed in on whether voice actors should have their own Oscar category.
Tom Hanks has voiced the iconic “Toy Story” character Sheriff Woody for more than three decades, but even he is still getting used to some parts of the character’s lore.
While promoting the upcoming “Toy Story 5,” Hanks sat for an interview with BBC Radio 1 alongside his co-star Tim Allen, where critic Ali Plumb informed him that Sheriff Woody has a full name: Woody Pride.
“How did they find this out?” Hanks exclaimed. “I play the guy! I didn’t realize that he had a surname.”
Plumb then dropped another surprise by revealing that Jessie the Cowgirl, voiced by Joan Cusack, also has a full name: Jessica Jane “Jessie” Pride.
“I think that means you’re siblings,” Plumb suggested.
However, Hanks appeared bewildered by the revelation and quickly pushed back on the claim.
“Boy! No!” Hanks replied. “Distant cousins, please!”
Tim Allen Was Already Aware Of The Lore
Also, during the interview, Allen, who voices Buzz Lightyear, said he had previously heard about the information and knew that Woody and Jessie were somehow related.
“There’s something in there. One of the guys on the internet gets these names,” Allen said. “I heard that same thing.”
Perhaps Hanks was hesitant to accept this new relationship because he appeared concerned that Woody and Jessie had some kind of romantic link. However, fans know that Jessie and Buzz have long been presented as a romantic pair, while Woody has always been drawn to Bo Peep, voiced by Annie Potts.
Tom Hanks Teases A Heartbreaking ‘Toy Story 5’ Scene
“Toy Story 5” arrives in theaters on June 19 and will see Jessie take on a central role in a toys-versus-tech plot with the introduction of Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee.
The story focuses on Bonnie, now 8 years old, and her toys as they grapple with Lilypad, a smart tablet device that threatens to replace creative playtime.
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Hanks noted that the film features one of the most heartbreaking storylines he has seen throughout the franchise.
“There’s one of the most heartbreaking scenes I’ve ever seen in any of the Toy Story movies,” Hanks explained. “When that little girl is getting her feelings hurt by what other people are texting about her, and she doesn’t understand why. She doesn’t know what she did wrong, but it hurts, and that is a very prescient thing to have in a motion picture today about little kids and toys, don’t you think?”
Woody Shows His Age In ‘Toy Story 5’
However, director and co-writer Andrew Stanton clarified that Lilypad is not exactly the villain, even if fans may see her that way at first.
“She is to the toys because they’re understandably intimidated,” Stanton told Variety. “She’s just the next phase in Bonnie’s life. She’s built like a toy in the sense that she wants to help the kid go forward, but she’s got very different skills and zero experience, whereas Jessie has nothing but experience and is probably unprepared for what to do.”
Meanwhile, one of the biggest surprises in the latest installment is that Woody has aged significantly. Fans may not notice the difference at first, but when the pull-string cowboy removes his hat, they will quickly see that he is balding.
Speaking at a press preview earlier this year, Stanton explained that Hanks’ character is simply enjoying his retirement.
He added, “The bald spot symbolizes that he’s just worn out from not trying to take care of himself so much anymore — just doing whatever dirty work needed to be done to save a toy.”
Tom Hanks Rejects A Separate Voice Acting Oscar
While promoting the new installment in a conversation with Gold Derby, Hanks also weighed in on whether voice actors need a separate category at the Oscars.
Hanks, who has won two Oscars for 1993’s “Philadelphia” and 1994’s “Forrest Gump,” said there is no need for a new category because voice actors should be able to compete in the main acting races.
“I think they have enough categories,” he said, per Variety. “The truth is, truly, a voice actor can win Best Actor. The judgment is ‘any performance that moved you.’”
He continued, “We’ve talked about, for example, Andy Serkis. Even though he does not appear as Andy Serkis, he gives all the raw material to it. There’s been people who have been close to being nominated that do not appear on camera. That could happen to a pure-vocal actor.”
“If they are moved, that means they are moved by a human being’s performance. That’s all the requirement,” Hanks added.
