According to IMDb trivia, the actor has also developed a charming habit whenever he meets children who doubt he is really the voice behind Andy’s favorite toy. The story has become one of the sweetest behind-the-scenes anecdotes connected to the “Toy Story” franchise, which remains one of animation’s most influential series.
The Simple Trick Tom Hanks Uses to Convince Kids He’s Really Woody
During a 2019 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Hanks revealed that he occasionally runs into children in unexpected places, including elevators, who refuse to believe that he is the voice of Woody. Rather than trying to persuade them with an explanation, he turns the moment into a little performance.
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The actor asks the children to close their eyes before slipping into Woody’s unmistakable voice. Once they do, he delivers one of the cowboy’s familiar lines: “We got to get back to Andy’s room right away guys!” Hearing the character speak without seeing Hanks is often enough to convince them.
Hanks has voiced Woody since the original “Toy Story” premiered in 1995. Produced by Pixar and released by Disney, the film became the first feature-length title created entirely with computer animation and introduced audiences to the friendship between Woody and Buzz Lightyear. It went on to earn three Academy Award nominations, while director John Lasseter received a Special Achievement Oscar for the picture’s groundbreaking technical achievement.
The success of “Toy Story” transformed the animation industry and launched one of cinema’s most enduring franchises. The original movie was later selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and its characters have remained central to popular culture through multiple sequels, spin-offs, and generations of fans.
