An AFL football with arms and a face could become the unexpected star of a potential Toy Story 6, after Sunrise host Matt Shirvington pitched the character to the stars of the film franchise. With Toy Story 5 hitting cinemas on Thursday, Shirvington used an interview with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen to unveil his latest creation: an Australian Rules football named Sherry, complete with tiny arms, black hair, and a plastic face.
Hanks and Allen React to Sherry
The pitch quickly won over Hanks, who immediately recognised the AFL inspiration after spending considerable time in Australia. “I like it. I like it a lot,” Hanks said. Unlike Woody’s pull-string or Buzz Lightyear’s wings, Hanks noted Sherry would come with a unique set of features and skills. “You gotta bounce it, you gotta punch it, you gotta kick it, you gotta catch it,” he said.
Allen was less concerned with Sherry’s abilities and more focused on how the character would fit into the Toy Story universe. “I’m only thinking about how would an Australian toy all of a sudden get there, which means they’ve had a relative that showed up or they got sent there,” he said. While he didn’t dismiss the idea, Allen suggested the AFL playing recruit might have to wait for another sequel.
Sherry’s Publicity Tour
Sherry appears to be taking the Hollywood interest in stride. The would-be Pixar star has already begun a publicity tour, making appearances at the SCG and spending time with Sydney Swans players Isaac Heeney and Brodie Grundy.
Toy Story 5 Tackles Screen Time
The light-hearted exchange came as the Toy Story cast promoted the highly anticipated fifth instalment of the beloved franchise, which tackles a surprisingly modern dilemma: whether toys can still compete for children’s attention in an age of iPads and endless screen time. Shirvington, who has already seen the film, said the early buzz is justified. “Outside of the first one, I think I’ve bawled my eyes out in all of them,” he said. He did confess, however, that as a parent, he felt quite a bit of “guilt” watching the film when it comes to devices and screen time.
The cast reflected on the pressures facing modern parents, with new cast addition Greta Lee encouraging “self-forgiveness” when it comes to children’s screen use. “As a parent I can say that I have so much empathy for all of us in what we’re facing,” she said. “We all have the best intentions ... but it’s a no-contest scenario when we’re up against tech.” Toy Story 5 opens in cinemas this Thursday.
