Tim Allen brings back Buzz for Toy Story 3, set to be in our cinemas for the start of the school holidays.
Tim Allen has once again lent his voice to the heroic space ranger Buzz Lightyear in the upcoming Disney/Pixar 3D comedy Toy Story 3. He chats about what audiences can expect when the film hits our screens on Thursday.
What are some of the obstacles the toys face as Andy prepares to leave for college?
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 these guys, but they are placed with a group of kids that 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 home.
What adventures does Buzz encounter?
Buzz gets to expand his role. When he accidentally gets reset, he speaks perfect Spanish. He's a conquistador and a bull fighter. It's pretty hysterical. I really do like being Buzz. He's a lot of fun to play.
Can you give us a sneak peek at some of the new characters and voices?
I like the new toys. Jeff Garlin does a great job with the unicorn, Buttercup. Timothy Dalton plays Mr Pricklepants who is 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.
What other character would you like to play if you could not be Buzz?
I like Mr Potato Head quite a bit and the new hedgehog character, Mr Pricklepants. Ken is very interesting and he is super-deluded. However, in the end, Buzz is really who I like to be.
Friendship is a major theme in the Toy Story films. What makes the relationship between Buzz and Woody work?
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 an overall respect for each other and this makes for a great relationship.
The original Toy Story was released in 1995. Over that 15-year period, what would you say is the best thing about playing Buzz Lightyear?
The great thing for me is the great friendships I've made with all the people at Pixar and with Tom Hanks [who voices Woody]. 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. We really do enjoy each other's company and I value that.
What's the process of voicing an animated character?
Being in an animated movie is more difficult than you might imagine, especially for 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 whole days that you just do grunting and panting and breathing just so the animators can match it to the characters. It's an incredibly complex mechanical process that ends up on screen as an amazing, fun experience.
In Toy Story 3, Andy is going to college. Could you relate to Andy's dilemma of having to leave behind his treasured childhood toys?
I did have a box of toys that I played with. 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!
*Toy Story 3 is released in New Zealand cinemas July 1.
