Beloved actor Billy Crystal reflects on his biggest career regret

Billy Crystal may have secured his place as one of Hollywood’s favourite funnymen, but even he has a career decision he wishes he could take back.

While Crystal, who starred alongside Meg Ryan in 1989’s When Harry Met Sally, has enjoyed considerable success in his career he still regrets rejecting a role in the highly popular 1995 animated comedy Toy Story.

“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,” Crystal said during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

“Then it comes out and it is genius.”

Toy Story remains one of the most popular animated films of all time, something Crystal said later influenced his decision to join the Monsters, Inc. franchise.

“Two years later when the producers of Toy Story first mentioned Monsters Inc., I said ‘whatever it is, say yes’,” he said.

“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.

“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.”

In addition to reflecting on his career misstep, Crystal recently shared the secret to his happy marriage which he states is down to three things: humour, respect and trust.

Crystal admitted it was love at first sight when he met his now wife, Janice, while working at a summer camp in Long Beach, New York in 1966.

They tied the knot four years later and went on to have Jennifer, 51, as well as 47-year-old Lindsay who are both mothers themselves.

Speaking to Fox News Digital the City Slickers star revealed it was the “respect” he and his wife have given each other over the years that kept the couple together more than half a century later.

“Humour and trust and constantly be interested in what each of us are doing and respecting our separate lives and who we are,” Crystal said.

“But our common goal was always just to raise a beautiful family, which we have and continue to do.

“And just respect each other. And she’s an extraordinary person.”

-with BANG.