We’ve been living a lie.
The other day, I was minding my own business on the World Wide Web, when I stumbled upon a Toy Story fact that has SHAKEN me to my core.
E!
You know how Tom Hanks is the voice of Woody in the franchise? Well, turns out he’s not the ONLY actor lending his voice to that role…
Christopher Polk / Getty Images
Nope! In fact, Disney often hires Tom Hanks’ YOUNGER BROTHER to voice Woody for projects when Tom isn’t available.
Disney / Pixar
Meet Jim Hanks — younger brother to Tom Hanks and the other voice of Woody.
GoDigital
Whaaaaaaaaat???
20th Television
I learned this fact by stumbling upon an old interview Tom Hanks did on the BBC’s The Graham Norton Show in 2011:
In the segment, Norton pulls the string on a Woody doll and asks Hanks if the voice coming from the toy is his.
BBC
“No, it’s my brother Jim,” Hanks laughs. “There are so many computer games and video things and Jim just works on those all year long.”
BBC
“[Disney] said, ‘You don’t want to do this,'” Hanks explained, referring to the bit roles Woody has to do between films. “‘So I said, ‘Get my brother Jim, he’ll do it.’ So that’s my brother Jim.”
BBC
Sure enough, Jim Hanks’ IMDb page is FULL of Woody credits for various Toy Story projects. Truly wild!!!
Universal Pictures
If you REALLY wanna have your mind blown, watch this brief clip where Jim Hanks pulls out a spot-on impression of his famous brother:
So, to sum up: When you’re watching the actual Toy Story movies, that’s still Tom Hanks. But when you hear Woody’s voice in toys, video games, commercials, etc. — that’s usually Hanks’ little bro Jim.
Disney / Pixar
I need to go lie down.
E!