Overview
- Hanks made the comments while promoting Toy Story 5 in a Gold Derby interview and said the Academy already has enough categories.
- He argued a voice-only performance is eligible for Best Actor or Best Supporting Oscars when it convinces a sufficient number of Academy voters.
- Academy voting history shows no nomination for a wholly vocal, non-physical film performance, with Scarlett Johansson’s role in Her often cited as the closest example.
- Some in the industry call for new categories or clearer recognition for work like motion capture and narration while others, including Andy Serkis, want voters to broaden what they consider acting.
- There is no indication the Academy will change rules now and Hanks’ stance—backed by his Oscar wins and recent Emmy narrator nomination—adds weight to the argument that voter practices, not new categories, should shift.