'Toy Story 4': Andy's Voice Actor John Morris Talks Life After Woody and Buzz

Though Woody and Buzz’s original owner, Andy Davis, is mostly missing from “Toy Story 4,” his legacy looms large over the plot of the new Pixar movie. It’s not hard to see why. Even nine years after the release of “Toy Story 3,” Andy’s voice actor, John Morris, says people still bring up that film’s tear-inducing ending where Andy hands off his beloved cowboy to little Bonnie.

“A lot of people tell me ‘Oh my gosh, I just broke down and cried!'” Morris told TheWrap. “I think that ending just taps into a universal milestone of childhood ending and entering adulthood. While recording that scene I went back to how I felt when I left for college and left childhood, and because it became so emotional for me, I think it became emotional for the audience.”

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Now 34, Morris said that memories of standing in Pixar’s recording studio as a boy nearly 25 years ago came to mind as he watched “Toy Story 4” at its Hollywood premiere. While there was much skepticism about whether “Toy Story” needed a fourth installment after such an acclaimed trilogy capper, Morris was impressed by how the latest film explored how Woody’s devotion to Andy and Bonnie is challenged by his discovery of a new world with more kids that need a toy to play with.

“The scene that stuck with me most is where Forky and Woody are walking back to the trailer and Forky asks, ‘Who’s Andy?’ because even though he’s just come into existence even he can tell that Andy is important because of how Woody’s talking about him. And that contrasts well with Harmony and Bonnie and what those kids need growing up. It’s nice seeing that message that there are all kinds of different kids out there.”

While his “Toy Story” days have come to an end, Morris wants to take the passion for voice acting that came with a childhood behind the microphone and instill it in a new generation. He’s currently working on a series of projects, including a one-man play and documentary, that reflect on his time as Andy and exploring the unique challenges and quirks of voice acting.

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“I think what I love most about it is that when you just have your voice and no physical set or costume, you have to completely rely on your imagination,” he explained. “I was a lot like Andy, completely imagining new worlds and stories with his toys. Sometimes I would be given some character design to work with, but I didn’t always have that, and I got to just imagine how the scene would go and the animators would build around it.”

And to Morris, one of the most imaginative voice actors he’s ever heard is John Ratzenberger, the “Cheers” star who followed up his decade as Cliff Clavin with a voice career that has made him a Pixar icon. Along with playing Hamm in the “Toy Story” series, he’s also had a role in many other Pixar films that have been made, a consistency that was lampooned in “Cars” when his talking truck character, Mack, watched car-infused spoofs of all the roles Ratzenberger had played through time.

“I think it’s so impressive that he’s been able to show such an incredible range with Pixar over the years,” Morris said. “And another person I really love is Nancy Cartwright, who plays Bart Simpson. It’s always something I love when an actor plays someone who is a different age and gender than you.”

Such a profound difference between character and actor can knock a lot of fans for a loop, something that Morris often experiences with kids who do a double take when he tells them he played the kid in “Toy Story.” But with his new project, Morris hopes he can demystify voice acting for kids and show them a little bit about how their favorite animated TV shows and movies are made.

“They always see the final product, but not a lot of kids and families see the process,” he said. “I’m hoping I can bring that process and the medium to the stage through my personal experiences growing up as Andy.”

Happy 4th of July: 4th Franchise Movies Ranked From Worst to Best, From 'Jaws IV' to 'The First Purge' (Photos)

Happy 4th of July holiday! There are few things more patriotic than pairing grilled food and movie franchises with at least four installments. But where to start? Find out with us as we celebrate Independence Day by counting down the worst and best "fourth" franchise films.
34. "Jaws IV: The Revenge" (1987)

"I have never seen it ('Jaws 4') but by all accounts it is terrible," star Michael Caine said about the movie. "However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."
Universal
33. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009)

Thank the heavens that "Logan" and "Deadpool" happened.
20th Century Fox
32. "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol" (1987)

Did you know the Razzies had a "Worst Original Song" category? The one from this film was Brian Wilson's "Let's Go to Heaven in My Car."
Wikimedia Commons
31. "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" (1988)

This sequel is easily confused with the third, far superior film, "Dream Warriors."
New Line Cineams
30. "Superman IV: The Quest For Peace" (1987)

"Uh, No pain, no gain?" is our kryptonite.
Warner Bros.
29. "Batman & Robin" (1997)

Not to sound cold, but between bat nipples, that whole Poison Ivy-Bane thing, and Mr. Freeze's puns, they should've put this movie... on ice.
Warner Bros.
28. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008)

This is the movie that got "Jump the Shark" replaced with "Nuke the Fridge."
Paramount
27. "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" (1984)

"The Final Chapter." That's hilarious.
Paramount
26. "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" (1988)

Skip this and watch the excellent 2018 sequel instead.
Fox
25. "Sudden Impact" (1983)

This movie is, uh, not great. No, not even "Go ahead, make my day."
Warner Bros.
24. "Transformers: Age of Extinction" (2014)

This is the "Transformers" movie with dinosaurs/dinofours.
Paramount
23. "Alien Resurrection" (1997)

It's probably aged better than a lot of the other fourth films, but "Resurrection" suffers from a thin plot and an obvious attempt to keep a franchise alive.
20th Century Fox
22. "Terminator Salvation" (2009)

The only good thing that came out of "Salvation" was Christian Bale's freakout.
Warner Bros.
21. "Vegas Vacation" (1997)

Why would we watch "Vegas Vacation" when "Christmas" and the original exist?
Warner Bros.
20. "Shrek Forever After" (2010)

It's "Shrek FORever After." Like "FOURever." Get it? GET IT?
Dreamworks
19. "Saw IV" (2007)

Might as well have been "Saw IV: The Final Chapter."
Lionsgate
18. "Live Free or Die Hard" (2007)

A PG-13 John McClane film with boring, blood-free action was bad, but the real cardinal sin was censoring the f-word out of McClane's iconic catch phrase. That really happened! Yippie-ki-boooo.
20th Century Fox
17. "Bourne Legacy" (2012)

Remember when Jeremy Renner starred in a Bourne film? No? Then I guess you can't tell us where they keep the chems.
Universal Pictures
16. "Lethal Weapon IV" (1998)

Fun yes, and Jet Li is awesome. But, by this point, the franchise was getting too old for this sh--.
5. "Bride of Chucky" (1998)

One of Jennifer Tilly's best roles, without a doubt.
Universal Pictures
14. Men in Black International (2019)

The soft-reboot starring Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth basically James-Bonds the franchise. The film is actually delightful, if also kinda forgettable. (No, that's not a neuralizer joke.)
13. "Thunderball" (1965)

But what if James Bond went underwater?
Eon Productions
12. "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" (1999)

Yes, it's officially "Episode 1," but it's also the 4th theatrically released (in the US) "Star Wars" movie, so it makes the cut. More interesting than it is good, this film's weird mix of parliamentary minutia and convoluted worldbuilding, in service to a story setting in motion the end of a democracy, has aged surprisingly well. Except, of course, for the numerous arguably racist alien accents and "Now that's podracing!"
11. "Scream 4" (2011)

It's easily a cash grab, but it's one of the most fun horror movies to come out in recent years and is way better than it has any right to be.
Dimension Films
10. "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" (2011)

We thought we'd get bored of watching Tom Cruise jump out of things. We were wrong.
Paramount
9. "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" (1972)

The chilling, highly topical final speech by Roddy McDowell's Caesar alone qualifies this underrated gem for cinematic immortality. Especially the unrated version.
20th Century Fox
8. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005)

The third and last films in the franchise are probably the best in terms of quality and how successfully it adapted the source material... but "Goblet of Fire" killed off Robert Pattinson and broke our hearts.
Universal Pictures
7. "Rocky IV" (1985)

Say what you will, but more than 30 years later, Rocky vs. the Russians might be the most quintessentially '80s concept ever put to film, and it hasn't been topped since.
MGM
6. "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986)

They made us really care about those whales in this fish out of water sci-fi.
YouTube
5. "Fast & Furious" (2009)

You have this film to thank for turning a disjointed (but still awesome) series of car-based action films into what is arguably a superhero franchise. NOT a complaint. (Also, as always, R.I.P. Paul Walker.)
Warner Bros.
4. "Toy Story 4" (2019)

We'll let TheWrap's review speak for itself:

"There's adventure and growth and the subtlest brands of messaging and metaphors that current family films can offer... 'Toy Story 4' is, in its way, as much of a game-changer as 'Avengers: Endgame.'"
2. "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" (1977)

Technically, this is the first "Star Wars" movie made, and you might have noticed there's another "Star Wars" entry on this list. But because George Lucas gave us a sequential order that we have to stick by, it makes the list. And of all the "4th" movies in the franchise, it's definitely the best one.
Lucasfilm
2. "The First Purge" (2008)

The prequel showing how America turned into the "murder is legal once a year" authoritarian dystopia has only become more relevant and timely in the 3 years since it came out. Especially after 2020.

Come for the extremely unambiguous politics, stay for the franchise's hands-down best action scenes.

A nation reborn!
1. "Mad Max Fury Road" (2015)

George Miller's "Mad Max: Fury Road" managed to reboot a dead franchise, making it explosively modern and fresh, and it stands as one of the best action movies of the 21st Century. It lives. It dies. It lives again. Shiny and chrome.
Warner Bros.

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From ”Men in Black: International“ to ”Mad Max: Fury Road,“ ring in Independence Day with the best (and worst) fourth installments

Happy 4th of July holiday! There are few things more patriotic than pairing grilled food and movie franchises with at least four installments. But where to start? Find out with us as we celebrate Independence Day by counting down the worst and best "fourth" franchise films.

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Happy 4th of July: 4th Franchise Movies Ranked From Worst to Best, From 'Jaws IV' to 'The First Purge' (Photos)

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