Toy Story fans are furious at Disney/Pixar over what they see as a snub of famed conservative actor Tim Allen.
Allen, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in the original “Toy Story” movie, has been replaced by Chris Evans in Pixar’s spinoff film.
“Saw the trailer for Buzz Lightyear and all I can say is Disney/Pixar made a HUGE mistake in not casting my pal Tim Allen in the role that he originated, the role that he owns,” Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton tweeted Tuesday. “Tim IS Buzz! Why would they completely castrate this iconic, beloved character?”
Technically, the new movie centers on a different character than the one Allen voiced in the original “Toy Story.”
Director Angus MacLane previously told EW, “In the Toy Story universe, [Lightyear] would be like a movie that maybe Andy would have seen, that would have made him want a Buzz Lightyear figure.”
As for the differences between Evans’ and Allen’s characters, MacLane recently told Vanity Fair, “Tim’s version of Buzz is a little goofier and is a little dumber, and so he is the comic relief. In this film, Buzz is the action hero. He’s serious and ambitious and funny, but not in a goofy way that would undercut the drama.” He added, “Chris Evans has the gravitas and that movie-star quality that our character needed to separate him and the movie from Tim’s version of the toy in Toy Story.”
Fans are still not convinced and some wonder if Allen’s conservative politics might have played a role in Disney’s decision to revoice the character.
“Ok so the current Buzz Lightyear movie is an origin story – but the reason the character became so beloved is because of what Tim Allen created,” Heaton wrote. “Why remove the one element that makes us want to see it?” She added the hashtag “#stupidhollywooddecisions.”
Ok so the current Buzz Lightyear movie is an origin story – but the reason the character became so beloved is because of what @ofctimallen created. Why remove the one element that makes us want to see it?#stupidHollywooddecisions https://t.co/bRn1lZgkac
— Patricia Heaton (@PatriciaHeaton) June 14, 2022