Jim Hanks, the younger brother of Tom Hanks, has been the secret voice of Woody in Disney theme parks, toys, and merchandise for 30 years, while Tom voiced the character in the films. Jim, 65, revealed in an interview with Metro that he has been voicing Woody since the first Toy Story film in 1995, but only for non-film projects.
Jim Hanks on Voicing Woody
“Someone said to me, ‘I feel like your voice is more Woody than Tom’s’,” Jim said. He explained that the brothers were together “24-7” as children, so they naturally have similar tones. Despite Tom making the character his own, Jim never worked with him on the voice, noting that “Disney and the Pixar people are really protective of it.”
“Woody’s really important to me. I mean, the whole franchise is,” Jim said. “I love the whole franchise, and working with Disney and Pixar on it. Disney takes a lot of care in cultivating the characters and making sure the sound alikes are doing homage to the characters.”
Career and Challenges
Jim’s voiceover career includes roles in Scrubs, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Dexter, and Sunset Beach, as well as his film debut in Buford’s Beach Bunnies. He also voiced Geoffrey the Giraffe in Toys R Us adverts and served as Tom’s body double in Forrest Gump, running in the Santa Monica Pier scenes. He joked, “I might claim the pinky toe, that’s all.”
Jim acknowledged that being Tom’s lookalike has impacted his on-camera career. “When I go in to audition, I don’t get to walk in with an invisible suitcase with two Oscars in them… they’re comparing me to what Tom does. It has impacted my on-camera career. It hasn’t impacted my voiceover career,” he said.
AI and the Future of Woody
After Toy Story 4, Tom told Jim, “Woody is yours,” assuming the franchise was over. But when Toy Story 5 was announced, Tom returned. Jim said, “I would prefer to step in for him rather than they use AI, and I really don’t think they would do that.”
Toy Donation Event
Jim is supporting ODEON Cinemas’ “Play Them Forward” toy collection this weekend (June 27-28) as Toy Story 5 plays in UK cinemas. “You can bring in well-loved toys and donate them to kids who don’t have any,” he said. “It’ll give people a nice feeling letting those well-loved toys continue their life.”
