While preparing for the release of “Toy Story 5,” the actor made it clear that he sees no need for a separate Academy Award category for voice acting, arguing that exceptional performances are already eligible for recognition under the existing acting fields. The comments emerged during a recent conversation with Gold Derby at Pixar Animation Studios
Tom Hanks Believes Great Voice Performances Already Qualify for Oscar Recognition
Rather than calling for new categories, Hanks pointed to the Academy’s current standards. “I think they have enough categories,” he said, before stressing that performers working exclusively with their voices are not excluded from consideration. “The truth is, a voice actor can win Best Actor.”
The A-lister argued that the Academy ultimately responds to the emotional impact of a performance rather than the way it is delivered. “Any performance that moved you,” he said, is what matters.
To illustrate his point, Hanks referenced Andy Serkis, whose groundbreaking motion capture work has long fueled debates about awards recognition. “Even though he does not appear as Andy Serkis, he gives all the raw material for it,” Hanks noted, before arguing that recognition for voice work remains possible under the current rules. “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.”
For Hanks, the issue is ultimately straightforward. “If they are moved — that means, they are moved by a human being’s performance — that’s all the requirement.”
His remarks arrive as he prepares to reprise Woody in “Toy Story 5,” the latest chapter in Pixar’s blockbuster franchise. Directed by Andrew Stanton, the film reunites many of the saga’s longtime cast members and explores a world where traditional toys compete with children’s growing attachment to technology. The movie is scheduled to reach theaters on June 19.
