# The $16 million role Billy Crystal will never forgive himself for rejecting: “I hate that this comes up”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-16-million-role-billy-crystal-will-never-forgive-himself-for-rejecting-i-hate-that-this-comes-up/
- Published: 2026-10-30T00:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T01:35:50+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-16-million-role-billy-crystal-will-never-forgive-himself-for-rejecting/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Billy Crystal regrets passing on Buzz Lightyear.
- He doubted his voice suited the role.
- He later voiced Mike in *Monsters, Inc.*

## Summary

Billy Crystal says he still regrets turning down the role of Buzz Lightyear in *Toy Story*, calling it the only career decision he wishes he could reverse. The film became a landmark in animation and a major hit, though Crystal says he did not think his voice suited the part at the time.

When offered the role, Crystal saw an early pencil test at Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg’s home, but says Buzz had not yet been fully developed and only Woody had a name. He ultimately felt Tim Allen’s resonant voice was a better fit, while Crystal later voiced Mike Wazowski in *Monsters, Inc.* The article reports that the original *Toy Story* grossed $401.2 million and refers to a reported $1.149 billion for *Toy Story 5*.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.