Kermit the Frog is getting a new performer and voice actor for the first time since 1990.
According to ABC News, Steve Whitmire, the longtime performer behind the famous green puppet will leave the Muppets after nearly 30 years. Matt Vogel, who voiced and operated Kermit’s doppelganger Constantine in the 2014 film “Muppets Most Wanted,” will take over the role.
Vogel becomes just the third actor to perform Kermit since the characters inception in 1955. The character was originated by Muppets creator Jim Henson, with Whitmire taking over following Henson’s death in 1990. Vogel’s first appearance as the character will come in the “Muppets Thought of the Week” video next week.
No reason has been given for Whitmire’s departure, and no announcements have been made about who will replace him performing his other characters, which include Rizzo and Beaker.
The Muppets fan site Tough Pigs was the first to report the news.