It is official, the new incarnation of Kermit the Frog has arrived.
Muppeteer Matt Vogel made his debut as the beloved character Monday in a new “Muppets Thought of the Week” video published to YouTube.
Vogel becomes only the third person to voice the iconic character; his appointment made national headlines when the former actor, longtime puppeteer Steve Whitmire, had a bitter break with Disney.
Whitmire said he was pushed out over his concerns the character was being altered too much from creator Jim Henson’s original inception. Disney said he was let go due to his long track record of unprofessional behavior.
Brian Henson, chairman of the Jim Henson Company and son of the late legendary Muppets creator, previously told The Hollywood Reporter he sided with Disney over the split and agreed he found Whitmire too difficult to work with on projects.
Hear the new voice of Kermit below.
