Tom Hanks finally reveals the Buzz Lightyear trait he wishes he had

Tom Hanks is out doing Toy Story 5 press with Tim Allen, and he dropped a couple of nuggets that say a lot about how these movies get under your skin — and where this one is aiming. Short version: he is oddly zen about the solitude of voice work, he gives Buzz a shout for some big moments, and he says the movie goes straight at the way screens mess with kids today.

The strange calm of the voice booth (and why that helps Buzz land)

In a new chat on CBR Presents' YouTube channel — the episode is literally titled 'Tim Allen & Tom Hanks Reveal Woody 's New Look in Toy Story 5' — Hanks talked about the headspace you live in when you are acting to storyboards and air. He described the recording setup as a kind of 'somnambulistic isolation': you are behind plexiglass, you are hearing playback, and your imagination has to do most of the heavy lifting. The interview hit YouTube via CBR on June 16, 2026.

What he was getting at is simple but revealing: that detached, almost dreamlike focus is part of why Woody and Buzz feel so grounded even when their world is 100% pixels. It also sets the table for Buzz specifically. Hanks nodded to Allen getting a particularly amped-up run this time, hinting at large-scale Buzz Lightyear sequences that crank the stakes. Translation: if you are a Buzz person, it sounds like he is not just along for the ride.

Toy Story 5 aims at modern kid heartbreak

Hanks also previewed what might be the movie's emotional bullseye during The Hollywood Reporter’s U.K. launch event in London on May 28, 2026. He pointed to a scene that hits uncomfortably close to home for anyone raising kids in the age of group chats and push alerts:

'There is one of the most heartbreaking scenes I have ever seen in any of the Toy Story movies, when that little girl is getting her feelings hurt by what other people are texting about her, and she does not understand why. That is a very prescient thing to have in a motion picture today about little kids and toys, do not you think?'

The franchise has always used toys to sneak-attack your feelings. This time, instead of just tackling separation or growing pains, it is leaning into the confusion that comes from phones and social feeds — how fast a kid can get hurt by words they barely understand. That tracks with Pixar 's recent interest in how tech shapes inner lives, and it fits the series' M.O.: take nostalgia, wire it into something current, and make you cry about a plastic space ranger.

• Hanks and Allen sat down for CBR Presents' YouTube conversation 'Tim Allen & Tom Hanks Reveal Woody's New Look in Toy Story 5,' posted June 16, 2026; Hanks described the 'somnambulistic' isolation of voice work behind plexiglass and how imagination carries the performance.
• At THR's U.K. launch event in London on May 28, 2026, Hanks singled out a scene where a young girl is crushed by texts about her — his pick for one of the franchise's most heartbreaking moments.
• He teased that Tim Allen's Buzz gets a particularly dynamic showcase, with big, high-stakes sequences.
• Expect the usual Toy Story cocktail: familiar heart, but reframed for kids (and parents) living through screens, devices, and nonstop notifications.

So, yeah — this is shaping up to be equal parts comfort blanket and gut punch. What is the secret sauce that makes Buzz stand out for you? I am curious.