Tim Allen has opened up about the unique public challenge his voice continues to pose for him, more than three decades after bringing Buzz Lightyear to life.

The 72-year-old actor recently confessed that he never really wanted to be a dad and said his effort at parenting has been “a work in progress.”

Allen has been open about his sobriety in the past, but shared that he was not sober during some of his oldest daughter’s younger years.

Tim Allen Says Buzz Lightyear Still Follows Him Everywhere

Allen first recorded “Toy Story” lead Buzz Lightyear in 1995, and since then, his voice has remained synonymous with the galaxy’s most famous Space Ranger.

However, the role has brought a real-life challenge for him, as he revealed that he can no longer speak freely in public without blowing his cover.

Speaking during a recent SiriusXM interview to promote “Toy Story 5,” in which he reprises his role alongside co-stars Tom Hanks, Greta Lee, and Conan O’Brien, Allen said his wife, Jane Hajduk, often asks him to be quiet when they go out to sporting events or plays together.

“My wife loves going to football games, and I love it, but I cannot speak in public because of Buzz Lightyear,” he said, per PEOPLE. “I’m a very private guy, but if I’m in the stands — she likes sitting in the stands to see her Steelers play, so we gotta go to these games. And she’ll go, ‘Shut up. If you want something to eat, whisper to me. I’ll go get it.'”

Allen Recalls A Funny ‘Toy Story’ Mix-Up

Even when Allen tries to stay under the radar at public events, his efforts often prove unsuccessful.

In the SiriusXM interview, he recalled one instance when he was recognized because of “Toy Story.” Allen explained that he and his family once went to see a performance of “The Wiz” in Chicago, and his wife warned him, “Don’t talk.” However, other patrons appeared to confuse him with his longtime co-star and Woody voice actor, Hanks.

“So, we’re sitting there, and there’s a really good play, and I get up and walk away, and three of the ladies behind me go, ‘Tom, we just love you in Toy Story,'” Allen said. “I went, ‘Oh, no.'”

“Toy Story 5” is set to hit theaters on June 19 and will see Allen star alongside familiar cast members Hanks and Joan Cusack, who voices Jessie. Meanwhile, O’Brien and Lee join the cast for the new entry, with O’Brien voicing a potty-training-themed toy named Smarty Pants and Lee playing Lilypad, a tech-savvy, frog-shaped smart tablet that pulls children away from older toys.

Tim Allen Gets Candid About Fatherhood

Allen is the father of two daughters: Katherine Allen, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Laura Deibel, and Elizabeth Allen-Dick, whom he shares with his current wife of 20 years, Hajduk.

Over the years, both daughters have supported him at several movie premieres, including “The Santa Clause 3” and “Toy Story 4,” with Elizabeth now following in his footsteps.

However, during an interview with  Us Weekly, Allen opened up about his initial thoughts on fatherhood, saying he “never really wanted” to be a father and that his journey has been a “work in progress.”

“I never really wanted to be a dad. I joke about it on stage; I’ve just never been a real fan of children. As people have said many times about parenting, you go through all this [stuff] to get a driver’s license or a passport, but there’s nothing about [raising] children,” he said. “It was a work in progress.”

Allen Reveals His Wife Had A Different View On Kids

Allen went further in the interview, revealing that his stance was a far cry from Hajduk’s, as she wanted at least five children “because you learn on the first two.”

“With Kate, I was gone a lot, so her mom did most of the raising. I come from [a family of] seven boys and two girls, and it’s a very different world to me with girls. I have a different view of what will make a strong woman,” he explained.

“The girl stuff I have little interest in — clothing, looks, gossip, and all that — [I focused on] learning finances, learning how to take care of yourself, and that works for boys and girls,” Allen said.

However, the experience appears to have been richly rewarding for him, as he also noted that he has come to understand the depth of a father-daughter bond over the years.

Tim Allen Reflects On Past Mistakes

Ahead of the release of “Toy Story 5,” Allen took a trip down memory lane and recalled getting off on the wrong foot during his early years, when he made some mistakes he is not proud of.

“I’d lost focus after college, where I got into criminal stuff,” he said, referencing his two-year prison stint.

The “Home Improvement” alum then made efforts to get back on track by drawing inspiration from those who had gone ahead of him.

“When I was incarcerated, I started reading books [about] men and women who had been successful out of nowhere, and I started focusing on where I wanted to be,” the actor continued. “I did not want to do that ever again. I humiliated my family and friends, and myself. I did not want to make that mistake [again].”