Tom Hanks and Tim Allen on Their Three-Decade Toy Story Bond: "We Get Together and Talk"

The voices behind Pixar's most iconic duo have forged far more than a professional partnership. During a recent SiriusXM Front Row event hosted by Julia Cunningham to promote Toy Story 5, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen discussed the authentic friendship they've nurtured since stepping into the recording booth together in 1995.

Hanks traced the origin of their connection to the central relationship of the films themselves. "We found out that there was wicked importance in the friendship between Woody and Buzz and the stories that were being imagined and brought to us by the Pixar people," he explained. "So much so, that's why we sort of started getting together and talking about this and other aspects of life and career."

The two actors have made their bond a priority over nearly three decades. Hanks shared that despite their demanding schedules, they carve out time together regularly. "When we get together and have lunch—we do it about every three or four months—and people put together that Woody and Buzz are sharing, you know, a club sandwich," he said with a laugh. He added that public encounters between the two often draw emotional reactions from fans. "At some point they just come over. 'I'm sorry, my head just exploded, Woody and Buzz right here.'"

Allen seized the moment to deliver a lighthearted quip at his collaborator's expense: "You're so much older in person."

When it comes to the franchise's continued expansion, Hanks and Allen take a measured approach. Rather than automatically committing to each new installment, they evaluate whether a project merits their involvement. "Every time they said, 'Hey, we would like to do another Toy Story movie,' first of all, they do not have to," Hanks explained. "No one is saying, 'Hey, come on, crank out another Toy Story movie.' They have to come up with it, and they actually have to pass muster with us a little bit already."

The actors engage in deliberate conversations about potential projects. "[Tim and I] talk about it on the phone. We get together and say, 'What do you hear? What are the jungle drums that are beating?' And they sort of have to, you know, prove that there is a reason to be yet another Toy Story film," Hanks continued. "And they did."

Allen concurred with this selective strategy, emphasizing that the core appeal of the franchise lies in the relationship at its heart. The fifth installment arrives in theaters on June 16, 2026.