The Surprising Buzz Lightyear Casting Twist That Could’ve Changed Toy Story Forever

Buzz Lightyear could’ve sounded like Billy Crystal, and we’re still not over it.

Jesse

• Published in News
• September 19, 2024

Have you ever heard a piece of information so unexpected, so delightfully absurd, that it makes you pause and wonder how the universe functions? Well, buckle up because this story is one of those moments.

Buzz Lightyear, the legendary space ranger from Toy Story, was brought to life by the unmistakable voice of Tim Allen. His bold and slightly cocky delivery of “To infinity and beyond!” became instantly iconic, cementing Buzz in the hearts of kids and adults alike. 

But what if you found out that the beloved line could have sounded completely different, with a different tone and delivered by a different actor?

The role of Buzz Lightyear was originally offered to none other than Billy Crystal. That’s right—the Monsters, Inc. star and all-around comedy legend was originally tapped to voice Buzz Lightyear. Let that sink in for a second.

Can you imagine Billy’s voice booming out of Buzz's helmet? Now, if your first reaction is, “Wait, what? Why didn’t it happen?” you’re not alone. 

Billy Crystal as Buzz would have been an entirely different vibe. Think of the quips! The rapid-fire one-liners! The unmistakable nasal drawl! 

But that casting switcheroo never came to pass, and honestly, it’s a tale that changes everything we thought we knew about Pixar’s beloved franchise. However, Tim Allen absolutely nailed it—his booming, larger-than-life voice that perfectly captures a character so full of himself was a masterstroke for the franchise.

So, why did Billy Crystal pass on the role of Buzz Lightyear? Well, let’s dive into the regret-filled backstory of how one of Hollywood’s most famous actors said no to one of the biggest animated roles of all time.

The galaxy's favorite space ranger... but imagine if he had a different voice guiding him to infinity

Billy Crystal had his reasons for declining the part, but none of them were career-related. In an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Billy explained, “I didn’t think I was the right voice for that [character]. And Tim Allen is great. He has this resonant, big voice of this character who’s full of himself."

That’s right—Billy didn’t think his voice fit the heroic persona of Buzz Lightyear. Instead, he graciously passed the torch (or the laser gun) to Tim Allen, who made the role iconic. 

But here's where it gets interesting: John Lasseter, the director of Toy Story, was so convinced Billy was perfect for the part that he even created a screen test, animating Buzz with lines from "When Harry Met Sally."

Imagine Billy's Buzz Lightyear talking about wagon-wheel coffee tables—wild, right?

Here’s a clip of Billy Crystal's test screen for Toy Story (1995)

Unfortunately, by the time Billy got to see this masterpiece of Pixar animation, he had already turned down the role — and regretted it. Yes, even legends get it wrong sometimes.

Fast forward a few years, and when John Lasseter came calling again — this time offering him the role of Mike Wazowski in Monsters Inc., Billy didn’t hesitate.

“I said, ‘All right, listen: Whatever it is, yes!’” And thus, one of the most beloved characters in animation was born.

Billy Crystal didn’t get to take Buzz Lightyear to infinity and beyond, but he did eventually find his place in the Pixar universe.

Still, it’s fun to imagine what might’ve been if Billy had taken that original offer. While we’ll never know, it's safe to say he landed where he was meant to be.

Jesse