'The Muppets' Puppeteer Frank Oz Not Welcome To Work With Disney Anymore, Heartbreaking Reason Revealed
Frank Oz, the puppeteer behind numerous iconic characters from "The Muppets," and "Sesame Street," recently revealed that Disney doesn't want to work with him anymore.
In an interview with The Guardian, as reported by Deadline, Oz shared shocking news to fans of the beloved children's TV show.
He mentioned that Disney "doesn't want" him because he doesn't follow orders, and he "won't do the kind of Muppets they believe in."
In addition, the renowned puppeteer says it's not as authentic as it was before because there's "no soul there," and the soul is what makes things interesting.
In 2004, Disney bought "The Muppets" characters created by Jim Henson. Oz stated that there's a vast difference between the media giant's version and the original one.
He believes that everything revolves around the corporate world, and big companies don't see "the value of something they bought."
Oz explained that their work is not just about the puppets because it's also about the performers, including him, who managed to bond and work together for years.
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Did Disney Kill Jim Henson?
Furthermore, Oz believes that Henson's death in 1990 was in relation to his dealings with former Disney CEO Michael Eisner.
Oz stated that the deal is "probably what killed" the show's creator because it "made him sick."
Aside from "The Muppets," Oz revealed that Henson is also trying to get "Sesame Street", but Henson doesn't want to let go of the show.
"Jim was not a dealer, he was an artist, and it was destroying him, it really was," Oz, who's also a famous filmmaker, told the outlet.
Frank Oz ended his statement emotionally, saying that he misses the characters and loves them.
Frank Oz's Works
The 77-year-old film icon is known as the puppeteer behind iconic childhood characters such as Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam Eagle, Cookie Monster, Bert, and more.
He began working with the Vagabond Puppets in Oakland, where he met Jim Henson; he began working with the creator as a teenager.
He also took on the role of Yoda in "Star Wars" in several films and TV series.
Aside from being a master puppeteer, Oz is also a film director with numerous movies credited his name like "The Dark Crystal" (1982), "The Muppets Take Manhattan" (1984), "The Stepford Wives" (2001), "Death at a Funeral" (2007), and many more.
