It is actually kind of a miracle that we’re even talking about the Toy Story 2 cast today. Back in the late nineties, this movie wasn’t even supposed to be a theatrical release. Disney originally wanted a direct-to-video sequel. Cheap. Fast. Forgettable. But then Pixar—led by the late Steve Jobs and the creative powerhouse of John Lasseter—realized they had something special on their hands. They tore up the script, reworked the whole thing in a frantic, coffee-fueled crunch, and somehow convinced the original A-list voice talent to return for what became a masterclass in sequels.
Tom Hanks and Tim Allen weren't just "the voices." They were the soul of the project. If they hadn't come back, the movie would have felt like a hollow shell, much like those weird "Return of Jafar" style sequels that haunted the nineties.
The returning Toy Story 2 cast members who defined the duo
When you think about the Toy Story 2 cast, your brain immediately goes to the chemistry between Woody and Buzz. It’s iconic. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else as Woody besides Tom Hanks. He brings this frantic, high-pitched neurotic energy that makes a plastic cowboy feel like a real man going through a mid-life crisis. Then you have Tim Allen. His Boomer-dad energy fits Buzz Lightyear perfectly, especially in this sequel where he has to play "sane Buzz" against a "delusional Buzz" who still thinks he’s a real Space Ranger.
That’s the genius of the casting. It wasn't just about famous names. It was about specific textures of voice.
The legendary Don Rickles and the supporting squad
Don Rickles brought that classic "insult comic" vibe to Mr. Potato Head. It’s legendary. He was basically playing himself, but as a tuber. Then you’ve got Wallace Shawn as Rex. Wallace Shawn is a brilliant playwright and actor in his own right, but most kids just know him as the neurotic dinosaur who’s afraid of everything. Jim Varney returned as Sledge, providing that raspy, loyal Southern drawl. Sadly, this was one of Varney's final roles before he passed away, making his performance in the sequel a bit of a bittersweet time capsule.
John Ratzenberger, the "Pixar lucky charm," returned as Hamm. It’s funny—Ratzenberger has been in almost every Pixar movie, but Hamm is arguably his most defined character. He’s the cynical realist of the group.
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Fresh faces: The Roundup Gang and the new emotional core
The Toy Story 2 cast expanded in a way that didn't just add fluff; it added weight. Real emotional stakes. Enter Joan Cusack as Jessie.
Cusack didn't just voice a cowgirl. She voiced trauma. If you don't get a little misty-eyed when "When She Loved Me" starts playing, check your pulse. Her performance is erratic, energetic, and deeply vulnerable. She had to match Tom Hanks' intensity, and she absolutely nailed it. Joining her was Kelsey Grammer as Stinky Pete the Prospector. Grammer, fresh off his massive success with Frasier, brought a sophisticated, Shakespearean gravitas to a guy who lives in a cardboard box. He’s not a "mustache-twirling" villain at first. He’s a mentor. A father figure. That makes his eventual betrayal hurt way more.
Wayne Knight—Newman from Seinfeld—was the perfect choice for Al McWhiggin. He’s the human antagonist. He’s sweaty. He’s greedy. He wears a chicken suit. Knight is a master of playing the "lovable loser you actually hate," and he brings that "Chicken Man" energy to life with just the right amount of grease.
The unsung heroes of the voice booth
We have to talk about Estelle Harris as Mrs. Potato Head. She brought the exact same "shrill but loving" energy she used on Seinfeld to the toy world. Her chemistry with Don Rickles is hilarious because they sound like a couple that’s been married for 40 years and is currently arguing about where the car keys are.
And then there's Andrew Stanton as Evil Emperor Zurg. Stanton was one of the lead creatives at Pixar, and his booming, "I am your father" parody voice is a highlight of the elevator action sequence. It's a nice nod to Star Wars, obviously, but Stanton gives it enough personality that it stands on its own.
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Why this specific ensemble worked so well
A lot of animated movies today just throw "whoever is trending on TikTok" into a booth and hope for the best. It doesn’t work. The Toy Story 2 cast succeeded because they were treated like a live-action ensemble. Pixar famously has their actors record together when possible, which is rare in animation. Usually, you’re in a dark room by yourself talking to a wall. But when Hanks and Allen can riff off each other, you get those little stammers, the overlaps, and the genuine laughter that makes the friendship feel lived-in.
Think about the scene where Woody is being repaired by Geri the Cleaner. Jonathan Harris voiced Geri. Harris was a veteran actor, best known for Lost in Space. He brought this meticulous, breathing-through-the-nose precision to a character who doesn't even say that much. It’s a quiet, ASMR-heavy scene that everyone remembers. That’s the power of good casting.
The movie deals with heavy stuff. Abandonment. Mortality. The idea that eventually, the person who loves you will move on.
The actors had to carry that. If Joan Cusack had played Jessie as just "the loud girl," the flashback scene wouldn't have worked. But because she brought that crackle in her voice, that slight hesitation, she made an entire generation of kids realize that their toys might be lonely. That’s heavy.
The legacy of the Toy Story 2 cast in the Pixar era
Looking back, this movie set the template for how Pixar would handle sequels. They didn't just repeat the first movie. They challenged the characters. They forced the Toy Story 2 cast to explore the darker side of being a toy—the museum, the collector's shelf, the "mint in box" purgatory.
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Joe Ranft, who voiced Wheezy the penguin (and was a massive creative force at Pixar), provided that squeaky, asthmatic charm. Ranft was the heart of the studio, and his performance as the forgotten toy in the back of the shelf provided the catalyst for the entire plot. It’s a small role, but it’s the domino that knocks everything else down.
Technical brilliance behind the voices
It’s worth noting that the sound design team, led by Gary Rydstrom at Skywalker Sound, worked hand-in-hand with the actors' performances. When Woody's arm rips, the sound is visceral. When Buzz's wings pop out, it's triumphant. But it’s the vocal performances that give those sounds meaning. Without the cast's commitment to the "life or death" stakes of a toy's existence, the movie would have been just a tech demo.
Actionable ways to experience the cast's work today
If you’re a fan or a student of voice acting, there is so much to learn from this specific group. They didn't "act for kids." They just acted.
- Watch the "When She Loved Me" sequence with the sound off. Notice the animation. Then watch it with only the audio. Joan Cusack’s breathing and phrasing do 90% of the emotional heavy lifting.
- Listen to the "Double Buzz" scenes. Tim Allen has to distinguish between the Buzz we know and the "New Buzz." He does it through slight changes in pomposity and rigidity. It’s a subtle masterclass in character differentiation.
- Check out the outtakes. Pixar started the trend of "fake bloopers" during the credits. This allowed the Toy Story 2 cast to break character and show off their comedic timing. It’s some of the funniest work in the franchise.
- Compare Kelsey Grammer's Prospector to his Frasier character. You’ll see how he uses that same "refined intellectual" cadence to mask a character who is actually deeply bitter and resentful.
The reality is that Toy Story 2 is often cited as the rare sequel that surpasses the original. A huge chunk of that praise belongs to the people in the recording booth. They took plastic characters and made them feel like family.
For your next rewatch, try to focus on the secondary characters like Slinky or Hamm. Notice how they react to the chaos. The chemistry isn't just in the big speeches; it's in the background chatter and the way this ensemble supports one another. That's why the movie still holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes years later. It’s not just the pixels; it’s the people.