Tim Allen Had a “Tough Time” Watching Toy Story 4

Toy Story star Tim Allen, who has voiced space ranger toy Buzz Lightyear for nearly 25 years, [...]

Toy Story star Tim Allen, who has voiced space ranger toy Buzz Lightyear for nearly 25 years, admits he had a "tough time" watching the franchise's latest sequel.

"It's a very different Pixar movie. It's not somber, but very reflective, layered. I put too much into it because I'm involved in it. I'm too close to it," Allen told Us Weekly.

"I literally had a tough time watching it, because it brought up some of my own personal stuff about loss, change, moving on. It's heartwarming. A little tough, but essentially pays off."

Toy Story 4 explores Woody's (Tom Hanks) status quo after being handed down by original owner Andy to new kid Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw), who shows little interest in the pull string cowboy doll. When Bonnie crafts reluctant toy Forky (Tony Hale), who goes missing during a family road trip, Woody reunites with the long-missing Bo Peep (Annie Potts) and is soon confronted by a world-changing philosophy that forces him to question what it means to be a toy.

"All the stories to me are human in nature — it's masking human stuff with animated characters," Allen said. "This is even more of that, and has deeper themes about how we treat each other, and what's worth something and isn't worth something."

One particular moment, shared between best buddies Buzz and Woody, proved overwhelmingly emotional for both Allen and Hanks.

"They've kind of become Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck of a certain generation. I really take a large leap by saying that we're that iconic, but it does feel that way. They're immortal; they're toys — they don't have a life span," said Allen.

"There's a very short scene that both Hanks and I had trouble with because I thought there were more pages. It ends, and I got choked up. I literally had a hard time saying it. He did too. We both had the same reaction. Twenty-five or so years of friendship between Woody and Buzz has morphed into a very close friendship with Hanks and I."

He added, "It's just peculiar as life imitates art."

Toy Story 4 is now playing.

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