Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear) was last seen on-screen in his directorial debut, Crazy on the Outside, a comedy released early this year. He made his film debut in 1994, playing the historic holiday icon in the Walt Disney blockbuster The Santa Clause. In November 2002, he successfully reprised his role in The Santa Clause 2 , and again in 2006 in The Santa Clause 3 . In 1995, he gave voice to the beloved, yet deluded space ranger Buzz Lightyear in the computer animated smash hit Toy Story . Allen reprised his role of Buzz in the 1999 sequel Toy Story 2 , which proved to be a huge hit at the global box office.
Now Allen once again lends his voice to Buzz Lightyear in the new Disney-Pixar 3D comedy adventure Toy Story 3 . Excerpts from an interview with the actor:
This is the 11th full-length animated film from Disney-Pixar. What makes audiences worldwide embrace Pixar films?
The people at Pixar are great storytellers and great movies start with a great story.
What can audiences expect fromToy Story 3?
Toy Story 3 is a remarkable achievement with a story that is so good they could have marketed the storyboard version. Even though I knew the story and had read the ending, it grabbed me in the best possible way. I know audiences are going to have the same reaction. There are great action sequences, but the beauty of the movie is the evolution of the subtleties in the shot selection and how it is directed. Pixar just keeps getting better and better. This is a simple story about friendships and staying together. I love that the ending is really a new beginning. You realise that one door shuts and another one opens. It's very, very emotional.
What are some of the obstacles that the toys face as Andy prepares to leave for college?
In Toy Story 3 , it is all about second chances. The toys are thrown away by mistake and end up in a daycare centre. At first, it looks like heaven for them, but they are placed with a group of kids who don't know how to respect toys and they break them. It becomes an absolute purgatory for these toys. So they have to find a way to get themselves back home.
What adventures does Buzz encounter inToy Story 3?
In this third film, Buzz gets to expand his role. When he accidentally gets reset, he speaks perfect Spanish. He's a conquistador and a bull fighter. Buzz is a lot of fun to play.
Can you give us a sneak peek peak into some of the new characters and voices inToy Story 3?
I like the new toys. Jeff Garlin does a great job with the unicorn, Buttercup. Timothy Dalton plays Mr. Pricklepants, a theatre-loving hedgehog who takes the craft of acting very seriously. He is just wonderful. And Michael Keaton brings alive the character of the Ken doll. I laughed so hard at the scene where Ken does a fashion show for Barbie. It was hilarious.
What other character would you like to play if you could not be Buzz?
I like Mr. Potato Head quite a bit and I am beginning to like Mr. Pricklepants. Ken is very interesting and he is real super deluded. However, in the end, Buzz is really who I like to be. It's a character I developed with John Lasseter.
Friendship is a major theme in theToy Storyfilms. What makes the relationship between Buzz and Woody work?
I think their relationship works because they accept each other's limitations. Woody is honest and he wants to do everything for the group; it's always about other people. Buzz is a doer and a fixer. Give a job to Buzz and he will get it done. There is overall respect for each other and this makes for a great relationship.
The originalToy Storywas released in 1995. Over the course of those 15 years, course of that 15-year span, what would you say is the best thing about playing the role of Buzz Lightyear?
The great thing about working on the Toy Story films is the great friendships I've made with all the people at Pixar and with Tom Hanks. Tom and I really like working together and being around each other. I totally respect his talent and I think he feels the same about me.
Can you talk a little bit about the process of voicing an animated character?
Being in an animated movie is much more difficult than being a live performer. As a comedian, I tend to run on and ad-lib because I get bored very quickly. So it can be long sessions in the recording booth. There are also days when you just do grunting and panting and breathing so that the animators can match it to the characters. It's an incredibly complex mechanical process that ends up on screen as fun.
InToy Story 3, Andy is going off to college. Could you relate to Andy's dilemma of having to leave behind his treasured childhood toys?
I did have a box of stuff with toys I played with in my formative years. My parents went through a flood and some of it got destroyed, but my best stuff was always protected. I still have the box and now it's down to six things. This is what the movie is about; a kid is going off to college and what is he going to keep? Now if I were the kid, I would pick a Buzz Lightyear doll because you could say that you collect classic toys and no one would laugh at you. They would think that a spaceman is cool, but if you have a stuffed cowboy…come on! ( laughs )
