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For decades, audiences around the world have associated the lovable cowboy Woody from Pixar’s Toy Story franchise with the unmistakable voice of Tom Hanks. However, many fans are only now discovering that another member of the Hanks family has quietly helped keep the character alive behind the scenes for years.
Tom Hanks’ younger brother, Jim Hanks, recently opened up about his surprising contributions to the Toy Story universe during an appearance on the Love It podcast released on May 15. Jim explained that although Tom handled Woody’s voice in the blockbuster films, he often stepped in for projects outside the movies whenever his older brother was unavailable.
According to Jim, one of his earliest contributions to the franchise came through the famous Woody pull string toys inspired by the first Toy Story film. He explained that the original audio from Tom’s performances had been processed heavily, making it difficult to use cleanly for the toys. As a result, Jim was brought in to recreate classic Woody lines such as “You’re my favorite deputy” and “There’s a snake in my boot.”
Over the years, Jim continued voicing Woody in several projects including video games, talking toys, and theme park attractions. Despite stepping into such an iconic role, he said he always tries to remain faithful to the way Tom portrays the beloved cowboy character.
Jim admitted that he feels “immensely grateful” every time he gets the opportunity to voice Woody. He explained that his goal has always been to stay as true to the character as possible so audiences would still recognize the familiar warmth and energy associated with Woody.
One of the few times Jim was able to add more of his own personality to the character was while working on the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction at Disney California Adventure Park. During the project, Jim suggested that Woody should sound more like a favorite teacher talking to children. He joked that his version of Woody is essentially his impression of Tom Hanks yelling at his kids.
Beyond Toy Story, Jim also revealed that he played another important role in one of his brother’s most famous films, Forrest Gump. Jim served as Tom’s body double during several scenes in which Forrest runs across the country. According to him, nearly every running scene where Forrest’s face cannot clearly be seen actually features Jim instead of Tom.
Jim reflected fondly on the experience, saying he feels fortunate to have been part of such a legendary movie. Filming took him across several states including Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Vermont.
One memorable moment happened while filming a running scene in Vermont. Jim recalled that cows in a nearby field kept staring directly at the cameras instead of toward him. Crew members then asked him to yell and make noise while running so the animals would look in his direction. Jim humorously remembered sprinting down the road shouting at cows while trying to maintain Forrest Gump’s iconic running style.
While Tom Hanks went on to win his second Academy Award for Best Actor for Forrest Gump in 1995, Jim continued building his own career in entertainment. In addition to acting roles, he also runs a production company called Feet First Films.
The Hanks family includes two other siblings, Larry and Sandra. Larry Hanks has worked as an entomology professor at the University of Illinois since 1996, while Sandra Hanks has worked in radio and writing and reportedly lived in Italy as of 2020.
Although Tom Hanks remains the public face and voice of Woody, Jim Hanks’ behind the scenes contributions reveal an unexpected family connection that has quietly helped shape one of animation’s most beloved characters for years.
