Woody’s Surname 'Pride' Reignited by BBC Moment with Tom Hanks
Disney archival materials record the surname 'Pride' and the detail drew broad attention as Toy Story 5 opened to $312 million worldwide.
Overview
- Tom Hanks said he first learned that Woody has a surname during a BBC Radio 1 interview on Sunday, when film critic Ali Plumb named the character as Woody Pride.
- Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich publicly confirmed the name in 2009 and the surname also appears in official Disney/Pixar merchandise and home-video commentary.
- Plumb named Jessie as 'Jessica Jane Pride' in the same interview, prompting on-air reactions from Hanks and Tim Allen but no official statement that the two characters are related.
- Toy Story 5 opened with $160 million domestic and $152 million overseas for a $312 million global debut, and the film has earned strong reviews and an A grade from CinemaScore.
- The resurfaced 'Pride' detail has driven renewed fan interest and merchandising checks and could prompt further clarification from Pixar, though creators have not explained any intended family link between Woody and Jessie.