There were moments in the movie where I thought, ‘Buzz is a good actor!’
Chris Evans travels to infinity and beyond in Pixar’s much-anticipated animation Lightyear. GEMMA DUNN finds out more about the mission
EVER wondered how Buzz Lightyear came to be? Disney and Pixar’s latest feature film, aptly named Lightyear, aims to find out as it embarks on a quest to uncover the origin story behind the big-screen hero fans came to love in 1995 cult hit Toy Story.
Just what movie inspired Andy to beg for a fancy toy with lasers, karate-chop action and aerodynamic space wings? wondered award-winning director and veteran Pixar animator, Angus MacLane.
“Lightyear is the movie that Andy, his friends and probably most of the rest of the world saw,” he muses. “I wanted to make something that felt true to those fun, bigbudget popcorn films.”
The sci-fi action-adventure – delivered by Angus and Ratatouille producer Galyn Susman – follows the iconic space ranger on an intergalactic adventure after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light years from Earth with his commander and crew.
As Buzz (voiced by Chris Evans) tries to find a way back home, he’s joined by a ambitious recruits (voiced by Keke Palmer, Dale Soules and Taika Waititi), plus his robot companion Sox (Peter Sohn). Only to find matters complicated by Zurg, an imposing presence with a mysterious agenda.
For Evans, 41, the chance to lead the studio animation was “a dream come true”.
“That phrase gets thrown around a lot, but I’ve never meant it more in my life,” says the Captain America star. “I love space. And anyone who knows me knows my love for animated films runs deep. I can’t believe I get to be a part of the Pixar family and work with these truly brilliant artists.
“Watching them work is nothing short of magic. One of the elements of Pixar that kind of breeds an allegiance in confidence is knowing they’re gonna take what you do, this small piece of the pie with your voice, and apply it to a character that has so much more depth and nuance than you could probably ever have.
“There were moments in this movie where I thought, ‘Buzz is a good actor!”’ adds the Bostonian. “His posture, his eye movement, everything about him just has an authenticity that the voice alone can never convey.”
“Ever since we met the character, Buzz has had this tendency to view the world in a unique way,” agrees Galyn, stating that Buzz offered a rich opportunity for exploration.
“His version of reality is never quite the same as everybody else’s, and there’s something super entertaining about that. He’s an aspirational character – and the world needs more aspirational characters right now.”
Still it was a “difficult balancing act” to retain the Buzz fans love from the Toy Story franchise and that of the lead we meet in
2022, says Angus, who co-directed Finding Dory. “We need to recognise him from the previous films, but this isn’t the toy; this is the character. And (previously) he’s a side character, so by making him a main character, there are certain things you have to add.
“One that was very important to me, in addition to keeping the humour and making sure it didn’t undercut the drama, was to comment on the lone hero and how that ultimately doesn’t serve him well...” he adds.
“It’s set up like, ‘Oh yeah, this is gonna be this kind of story.’ And it doesn’t end up being that.”
The movie shines a light on what it means to be a ‘hero,’ and the idea that the best heroes – the ones who live on long after their films hit the big screen – are, at heart, human. They have flaws and fears; they’re utterly relatable, even as they soar to greatness.
And the key to Buzz and co reaching infinity... and beyond? Teamwork, say the filmmakers.
“The lone hero isn’t going to solve it all; you need to be able to ask for help and to turn to the people that are around you,” offers Galyn. “Yes, it’s important to acknowledge your mistakes, and have goals, but not at the expense of engaging with your life in the here and now and really appreciating and loving what you have right in front of you.”
“One of the things we found in doing research, when we spoke to NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, is that he was a really gracious team player,” recalls Angus.
“And it didn’t line up with the maverick key character; so I thought there was something interesting about taking an individualist and turning them into somebody who recognises it takes a whole team, because there’s so much of that in our experiences – filmmaking is a collaborative process.
“It takes the collaboration of many individuals to achieve big things,” he adds. “As much as we focus on the individual in our culture, there is tremendous value in a group. Lightyear is one character’s recognition of that.”
Chris agrees: “One of Buzz’s main arcs is also about recognising that mistakes don’t have to define who you are. And we, as people, tend to dwell on the past a lot, and that can certainly rob you of the present.
“I’ve been known to do that at times. And so his arc certainly addresses that.”
As for representation, it’s pioneering in that the film offers up Pixar’s first same-sex couple in space ranger Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) and her partner. The creators are grateful to have such a powerful platform to reach younger audiences
“It’s a mixed bag, as far as the pride of it,” Angus says candidly. “I mean, it’s odd that it’s groundbreaking, I wish that it wasn’t in that way. That it was more commonplace.
“But I’m proud that it is, for our film, in a meaningful way that’s narratively connected, and prominent enough to be part of the story and not a window dressing.”
“We hope it’s so organic, that for children, they see it, and this is what it is,” finishes Galyn.
Lightyear lands in cinemas on Friday