Billy Crystal on 'Toy Story' role: 'I turned it down'

Billy Crystal, who played Mike Wazowski in Monsters, Inc. would have been Buzz Lightyear had he not rejected the role offered to him.

Dishing on the matter, he told The Graham Norton Show, "I was the dope that turned it down, but it wasn't about the character, it was a business thing, and my agent said not to do it, so I passed. Then it comes out and it is genius."

However, the story of him and Buzz Lightyear did not end there. The comedian said the Toy Story makers have done a screen test of him as the character from an act he does in When Harry Met Sally.

"They convinced me by showing me a screen test they had done of me as Buzz Lightyear in the scene from When Harry Met Sally where I am yelling about a wagon wheel coffee table," the 76-year-old continued.

"They even had a little Buzz under the table. It was astonishing and if I had seen that I would definitely have done Toy Story."

After the role he passed on became a super-hit, Bill said he learned from the decision and instantly agreed to do Monsters when it was offered years later.

"Two years later when the producers of Toy Story first mentioned Monsters, Inc, I said 'whatever it is, say yes,'" he recalled.