Tony Hale Opens Up About ‘Toy Story 5’ and His Dream Collaboration With Nancy Meyers

Emmy-winning actor Tony Hale is having quite the moment. Between promoting Toy Story 5 and gearing up for an upcoming collaboration with legendary filmmaker Nancy Meyers, the actor’s plate is full—and he couldn’t be happier about it.

Seven years after Forky first appeared in Toy Story 4, Hale is back voicing the anxious spork, and he says the character hasn’t lost any of its magic. In fact, stepping back into Forky felt natural because the character’s constant questioning and curiosity hit close to home.

“I see a lot of myself in Forky,” Hale explained. He opens up about feeling overwhelmed at times and still marveling at how he ended up working in entertainment. That deep connection to the character’s emotional authenticity made returning to the role feel less like work and more like coming home.

The new Pixar sequel tackles the push-and-pull between traditional toys and modern tech—a timely conversation, according to Hale. But rather than bashing screens and gadgets, he says the film makes a more nuanced point: nothing beats genuine human connection and the real emotions you can’t get from a device.

Off the Pixar lot, Hale is equally thrilled about his Nancy Meyers project at Warner Bros. A longtime admirer of Meyers’ films like Something’s Gotta Give and The Holiday, the actor calls joining her production a dream realized. Working directly with Meyers, he notes, has already proven even better than he imagined, with the filmmaker’s meticulous attention to detail and collaborative approach setting the tone.

Hale is also starring opposite Jennifer Lopez in Netflix’s Office Romance, a rom-com where his past experiences—including odd jobs at places like Vogue before his big break—lend authenticity to the workplace setting.

Looking back at a career spent playing awkward, endearing characters in shows like Arrested Development and Veep, Hale admits he never saw this trajectory coming. But he credits his own anxiety and uncertainty with giving him the empathy needed to bring these roles to life.

With Toy Story 5 in theaters now and Meyers’ untitled film still in production, Hale’s keeping busy. Yet he remains grounded by the same humility and inquisitiveness that made Forky so beloved in the first place.