Tom Hanks believes Oscars don't require dedicated Voice Acting Award category

Tom Hanks believes voice actors deserve recognition for their performances but does not think the Academy Awards needs a separate category to honour them.

The two-time Oscar winner shared his views while discussing voice acting ahead of the release of Toy Story 5, in which he reprises his role as Woody more than three decades after the original film debuted in 1995.

Tom Hanks Says Existing Oscar Categories Are Enough

Speaking to Gold Derby, Hanks argued that voice actors should be eligible to compete alongside on-screen performers rather than receiving their own dedicated award category.

"I think they have enough categories," Hanks said. "The truth is, a voice actor can win Best Actor. The judgment is, 'any performance that moved you.'"

His comments come as discussions continue within the film industry about expanding Academy Awards categories to recognise different areas of filmmaking.

Andy Serkis Example Shows Voice Actors Can Deliver Award-Worthy Performances

Hanks pointed to actor Andy Serkis as an example of a performer whose work demonstrates the artistic value of voice and motion-capture acting.

Known for roles such as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings franchise and Caesar in Planet of the Apes, Serkis has frequently been praised for performances that rely heavily on digital technology.

"Even though he does not appear as Andy Serkis, he gives all the raw material for it," Hanks said. "There's been people who have been close to being nominated that do not appear on camera. That could happen to a pure-vocal actor."

No Voice Actor Has Ever Won an Oscar Acting Award

Since the first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929, no voice actor has won in any of the acting categories.

The Academy introduced the Best Animated Feature category in 2002, while Best Animated Short Film has existed in various forms since 1932.

In recent years, the organisation has expanded its awards lineup with new categories recognising different aspects of filmmaking. The Achievement in Stunt Design category will debut in 2027, while Best Casting was introduced at this year's ceremony, with Cassandra Kulukundis becoming the first recipient for One Battle After Another.

Hanks Returns as Woody in 'Toy Story 5'

Hanks' comments arrive as he returns to one of his most iconic roles in Toy Story 5, which is scheduled to premiere on June 19.

The actor has voiced Woody throughout Pixar's blockbuster franchise since the original Toy Story was released in 1995, helping establish voice acting as one of the most celebrated elements of modern animated filmmaking.