ORLANDO, Fla. — Toy Story 4 marks the return of beloved characters like Woody and Buzz – and the introduction of a new toy named Forky.
Hand-crafted out of a spork, Forky is a nervous, uncertain toy who doesn’t feel like he fits in.
Emmy-award winner Tony Hale – known for his roles as Buster on Arrested Development and Gary on Veep - voiced the character. He talked to entertainment reporter Kim Holcomb at Toy Story Land in Disney World.
HOLCOMB: "You were cast in this role because of your uncanny physical resemblance to Forky?”
HALE: “(laughing) Thank you, thank you. We're both completely washed-out, and shell-shocked. When they asked if I'd be interested, they some of the characters I'd played - Buster from Arrested (Development) and on Veep - to his animation. And so they were like, ‘He's kind of nervous.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I can relate to that.’ He's kind of gullible to a fault, I was like, ‘Yep, I can do that.’”
HOLCOMB: "But you're telling me there is animation of Buster and Gary, but with Forky's face?”
HALE: “Yeah.”
HOLCOMB: “Amazing, hopefully Disney will release that somewhere, somehow.”
HALE: “Yes, yes, yes."
HOLCOMB: "There's a lovely scene in the movie where Forky and Woody are getting to know each other.”
HALE: “Yeah."
HOLCOMB: "If you were walking down the road holding hands with Tom Hanks, what would you guys talk about?”
HALE: “What do you mean ‘if,’ we did that last night. I mean, he's been in the business for so long... I don't know, just that kind of a perspective. I would just love to ask those questions about the kind of insight and wisdom he's gained from being in the position he's been in."
HOLCOMB: "The one guarantee I can now say runs through all of the Toy Story movies is: it's going to make you laugh and it's going to make you cry."
HALE: "Yep."
HOLCOMB: "What guarantees you that in your life?"
HALE: "I always laugh really hard when Ellen (DeGeneres) takes people through haunted houses. That makes me cackle. Crying - soldiers coming home to their families, those videos. I mean, it's an immediate flood of tears.”
HOLCOMB: "What was the most mind-blowing part of being in a Toy Story film for you?"
HALE: "If I'm honest, it still hasn't hit me. It kind of comes in waves, even talking to you now I'm like, ‘Oh maybe they didn't make a mistake, maybe I am in this movie.’ All the artistry and creators and all the lighting, everything they've done to this movie - hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people worked on this. So I'm so grateful to be a part of it, but I'm part of a massive, massive team behind it.”
HOLCOMB: “But now you're part of something that lasts forever.”
HALE: “Right? And there's so many beautiful messages. Like for my story, what I love is he sees himself as just made for trash. But Woody comes along and says, 'No - you have a bigger purpose than that. You have value beyond that.' And I just think God, what a great message."
Toy Story 4 is now available on digital, DVD and Blu-ray.
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