Conan O'Brien Is Joining Pixar’s ‘Toy Story 5’
After conquering the world of late-night television, the podcast universe, awards show host, and the quirky travelogue niche, Conan O’Brien is ready to take his career to a place it has never been before: Infinity and beyond.
The beloved comedian has been cast alongside Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in the next chapter of Pixar’s Toy Story franchise.
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Disney announced O’Brien as the latest addition to the cast of Toy Story 5 on Monday. The Harvard alum, who graduated magna cum laude with a double major in literature and American history, will play a brand-new character in the franchise, quite appropriately named Smarty Pants.
O’Brien announced the news himself as well via Instagram in a video he captioned “You’ve got a friend… in Conan.”
“Isn’t that crazy?” the former Tonight Show host asked after delivering the news bomb, adding: “Legendary franchise. These films are amazing. I can’t believe this!”
The host’s excitement then turned a bit more (mock) serious as he explained that, “Initially, I wanted the role of Woody, and they told me that they already promised that to Tom Hanks. And I was like, uhhh, you’ve kind of been there, done that. You know, you’re in a bit of a rut, don’t you think? And they said, ‘No, it’s Tom Hanks. It’s his role.’”
O’Brien seemed to understand, and then asked about playing Buzz Lightyear. “And then I said, ‘Let me guess: Tim Allen.’” Though the comedian assured fans that he encouraged the studio to “think outside the box” for this next chapter in the Toy Story saga, they would not relent.
“So then they showed me this new character, Smarty Pants,” O’Brien continued. “It’s the best character of them all. I far prefer this character. I don’t even want to play Woody or Buzz anymore. Even if they beg me. I’m Smarty Pants.”
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Disney has not released any details about the character beyond its name and its voice, but something tells us he will have a decidedly sarcastic edge.
O’Brien isn’t the only new name joining the franchise. Ghostbusters star Ernie Hudson will also be joining the cast, taking over the role of Combat Carl, which was previously voiced by the late Carl Weathers, who passed away last year.
Andrew Stanton is returning to direct Toy Story 5, which will arrive in theaters on June 19, 2026.