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Why did Tim Allen NOT voice Buzz Lightyear? Patricia Heaton slams Disney for 'castrating' character

The 'Everybody Loves Raymond' actress felt that it was 'a HUGE mistake' to not cast Tim Allen in 'Lightyear'

Buzz Lightyear is one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. There's not even a morsel of doubt when we make this statement. Voiced by Tim Allen, the beloved toy was seen for the first time in 1995 and continues to be a household name for many. Banking on the place that it holds in the homes and hearts of millions, Disney and Pixar along with Angus MacLane, came up with 'Lightyear,' an origin story that follows the hero who inspired the toy. 

However, Tim Allen wasn't cast to reprise Buzz Lightyear again and this seems to have upset those close to him, especially his friend and 'Everybody Loves Raymond' costar, Patricia Heaton. But before we get to it, here's the official synopsis of the 'Toy Story' spinoff that has Chris Evans voicing Lightyear: "The definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy, Lightyear follows the legendary Space Ranger after he’s marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he’s joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. Complicating matters and threatening the mission is the arrival of Zurg, an imposing presence with an army of ruthless robots and a mysterious agenda." 

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Patricia Heaton took to social media to voice her disconcert, tweeting that it was "a HUGE mistake in not casting my pal Tim Allen in the role that he originated." "Why would they completely castrate this iconic, beloved character?" Heaton tweeted, adding that it was a "role that he (Tim Allen) owns."

'Lightyear' director Angus MacLane, during an interaction with Vanity Fair, touched on the reason for Tim Allen not being cast as the titular character. "Tim's version of Buzz is a little goofier and is a little dumber, and so he is the comic relief," MacLane said. He went on to say that Buzz Lightyear is an action hero in his film and that "Chris Evans has the gravitas and that movie-star quality of the character needed to separate him and the movie from Tim's version of the toy in Toy Story."

When the above-mentioned distinction was pointed to Heaton by fans, she kicked it back with a tweet that read "Ok so the current Buzz Lightyear movie is an origin story - but the reason the character became so beloved is because of what @ofctimallen created. Why remove the one element that makes us want to see it? #stupidHollywooddecisions"

Tim Allen and Disney are yet to comment on Heaton's remarks.

'Lightyear' is slated to release exclusively in theaters on Friday, June 17, 2022