Frank Oz: I can't bear to watch The Muppets
Frank Oz "can’t bear" to watch 'The Muppets'.
The 77-year-old actor previously performed the characters of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and Animal in the iconic TV series, but he can't watch them anymore after being overlooked by Disney because he "won’t follow orders".
Frank - who also performed the characters of Cookie Monster, Bert, and Grover in 'Sesame Street' - shared: "I’d love to do 'The Muppets' again but Disney doesn’t want me, and 'Sesame Street' hasn’t asked me for 10 years. They don’t want me because I won’t follow orders and I won’t do the kind of 'Muppets' they believe in."
Frank thinks the franchises have both lost some of their "soul" over recent years.
Despite this, he still has a deep-rooted affection for the characters.
He told the Guardian newspaper: "The soul’s not there. The soul is what makes things grow and be funny. But I miss them and love them."
Asked if his Muppets experience gives him the most pride, he replied: "Pride gets into hubris and I’ve learned to avoid that. Maybe satisfied is a better word.
"I’m satisfied with some of the movies I’ve done, but I can’t say I ‘did’ the Muppets, because it was always a combination of the writers, the other performers, Jim [Henson, the puppeteer] and me."
Frank previously admitted that his involvement in puppetry has made him feel insecure.
He also observed that there's a "pejorative attitude towards puppeteering".
Frank - who is also known for the role of Yoda in the money-spinning 'Star Wars' franchise - said: "There is always a pejorative attitude towards puppeteering and I became identified with being a puppeteer, but I wanted to be a full human being."
