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Tom Hanks believes voice actors should be eligible for Best Actor awards rather than needing a separate category
He cited Andy Serkis’ performances as examples of voice work deserving recognition in existing acting categories
The Oscars most recently added a Best Casting category in 2026
Tom Hanks said voice actors shouldn’t have their own category — but not for the reason you might think.
The Toy Story 5 actor, 69, told Gold Derby in a recent interview that despite voicing his beloved character Woody for over 30 years, he doesn’t believe he deserves an Oscar for that work, nor should a Best Voiceover category be included.
“I think they have enough categories,” he said. “The truth is, a voice actor can win Best Actor. The judgment is, ‘Any performance that moved you.’ “
Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) and Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) in Disney and Pixar’s TOY STORY 5
Credit: Disney/Pixar
He went on to cite Andy Serkis, who was the voice behind CGI characters Gollum in the Lord of the Rings franchise and Caesar in Planet of the Apes, as an example of a behind-the-scenes acting performer worthy of the prestigious award.
“Even though he does not appear as Andy Serkis, he gives all the raw material for it,” he said. “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.”
Unlike the Oscars, the Emmys split voiceover parts into two categories: Best Character Voice-Over Performance and Best Narrator, the latter of which Hanks won for The Americas in 2025.
Still, the Academy Awards do not appear to be moving in that direction soon. Most recently, the Oscars added a Best Casting category for the 2026 ceremony, which was awarded to One Battle After Another. However, the category was the first new award to be added since Best Animated Feature in 2002.
Hanks, however, is emphatic that voiceover parts should be included in the running for Best Actor and Actress, regardless of a new category.
“If they are moved — that means, they are moved by a human being’s performance — that’s all the requirement,” he said.
Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee) in Disney and Pixar’s TOY STORY 5
Credit: Disney/Pixar
Hanks is currently promoting Toy Story 5, which sees him reprise his role as cowboy toy Woody alongside Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear and Joan Cusack as cowgirl Jessie. This time around, the crew is facing a new challenge: technology in the form of Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee), a disruptive tablet that has its own ideas for what’s best for Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw).
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Toy Story 5 releases in theaters on June 19.
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