When Conan O’Brien announced that he had joined the cast of Toy Story 5, the comedian joked that he had originally demanded the role of Woody. The part of the iconic cowboy, of course, belongs to Tom Hanks. If O’Brien had talked to Hanks earlier, however, he may have thought twice before requesting a leading role.
According to Conan O’Brien, the day he signed on to Toy Story 5, Tom Hanks told him voice acting was going to be surprisingly difficult.
Tom Hanks Warned Conan O’Brien About Voice Acting
O’Brien recounted his experience while promoting Toy Story 5 on Good Morning America. He noted that even after working on the film, he didn’t fully understand how all the pieces came together until he saw the finished product.
Conan O’Brien promoting Toy Story 5 – Good Morning America, YouTube
Host George Stephanopoulos asked whether O’Brien was alone while recording his part.
“Yeah, you’re alone,” Conan O’Brien confirmed. “And I talked to Tom Hanks. I think the day I signed I saw him a few hours later and he said, ‘Conan, it’s going to be the hardest thing you ever do.'”
The comedian admitted that, despite the source, he had his doubts. Notably, Toy Story 5 isn’t O’Brien’s first time voice acting in an animated feature. He previously voiced Edward Nigma/The Riddler in The Lego Batman Movie. However, Toy Story 5 marks O’Brien’s Pixar debut, and that distinction may be significant.
Why Voice Acting Is More Difficult Than It Looks
O’Brien said that when voice acting, “you have to work so hard to get all of your personality into this microphone and then of course they have you do it. They’ll say, ‘Do this line and remember you’re falling at 35 miles an hour, but you hit a rock towards the end, so give me a little and go.'”
Woody and Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story 5 Teaser Trailer – YouTube, Pixar
After the first attempt, O’Brien said the filmmakers would confer and then respond, “Could you do it again, but you’re falling at 40 miles an hour and you hit two stones.” He explained that the process continues for hours.
“And you do that for about seven hours, you’re drenched and then they call you back. You do that multiple times. You go back.”
Still, he expressed nothing but admiration for the team at Pixar.
“But they’re geniuses. They did a brilliant job.”
Conan O’Brien is Smarty Pants
In Toy Story 5, Conan O’Brien provides the voice of a new character named Smarty Pants. The character is described as a potty-training gadget, adding another unusual toy to the long-running animated franchise.
Smarty Pants and Jesse in Toy Story 5 – Pixar, YouTube
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Toy Story 5 will explore how toys compete with modern technology for children’s attention. The project is being directed by Andrew Stanton, who previously worked on several Pixar classics, including Finding Nemo and WALL-E.
Toy Story 5 Continues To Build Anticipation
Toy Story 5 is expected to have one of the biggest openings of 2026. Despite confirmation that the story will primarily focus on Jessie rather than Buzz and Woody, early reactions have been mostly positive. According to O’Brien, everyone involved put significant effort into the film.
Jesse in Toy Story 5 -IMAX, YouTube
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If Conan O’Brien’s experience is any indication, Hanks’ warning was accurate. Voice acting may seem simple in concept, but even one of Hollywood’s most experienced stars believes it can be among the toughest jobs in entertainment.
Do you think voice acting is as challenging as Conan O’Brien and Tom Hanks say it is? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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