Tom Hanks is stepping into one of Hollywood’s most debated conversations – and his answer may surprise animation fans.
With calls growing louder for the Academy Awards to introduce a dedicated Oscar category for voice acting, the Toy Storystar is not convinced it’s necessary.
“I think they have enough categories,” Hanks said in a recent interview with Gold Derby.The two-time Oscar winner believes great performances should not be separated by how they are delivered.
“The truth is, just a voice actor can win Best Actor. The judgment is any performance that moved you, so that’s a quality.”
Hanks pointed to performers like Andy Serkis, whose motion-capture work has long fueled awards-season debates.
“We have talked about, for example, Andy Serkis for whatnot. Even though he does not appear as Andy Serkis, he gives all the raw material to it,” Hanks explained.
“And there’s been people who have been close to being nominated that do not appear on camera. That could happen to a pure vocal actor.”
So what’s the real issue? According to Hanks, it is not the rules – it’s perception.
“If they are moved, that means that they are moved by a human being’s performance,” Hanks said. “That’s all the requirement.”
The comments carry extra weight coming from the actor behind Woody, one of animation’s most beloved characters. Hanks has voiced the cowboy toy since 1995 and will return once again in Toy Story 5.
Reflecting on nearly three decades in the recording booth, Hanks admitted the process still feels remarkably familiar.
“Over the course of five movies, we’ve gone back to the same confines, and it’s the same geometry,” he said.
Whether fans agree or disagree, Hanks has made one thing clear: in his eyes, a great performance is a great performance – microphone or no microphone.
2026-06-12 11:56:00
