One of the coolest blogging experiences –ever– has been the opportunity to meet and interview Kermit and Miss Piggy from The Muppets at Jim Henson Studios.
I still get giddy thinking about it.
Miss Piggy is a spitfire who knows what she wants, and Kermit is as laid back and “green” as you’d imagine. They are just the perfect pair and I can’t wait to see them together again in The Muppets, opening in theatres November 23!
Here’s an excerpt of our interview– my favorite part being how Kermit and Miss Piggy met 😉
Q: How was it working at the French Vogue?
MISS PIGGY: I did not really work there. This is a movie we’re talking about. You all know that, right? It was, it was lovely. It was lovely. I wish we’d actually shot on location. Paris, — we shot here in the back lot.
Q: How was it wearing all those designers’ clothes?
MISS PIGGY: Those are real and it’s wonderful, it’s fabulous. I love to do free clothes from, from fashion designers.
KERMIT: How do you get free clothes? I don’t have a lot of experience with clothes.
MISS PIGGY: You know, it’s, it’s all about showing up and making appearances and you’re seen out with the fashion designers, you wear the clothes.
Q: Who’s your favorite designer?
MISS PIGGY: Oh, I don’t want to answer that. Uh, but when people ask me who I’m wearing I normally say [LAUGHTER]. It’s Kermit’s. Yes, he’s the one I love to wear the most.
KERMIT: I’m not sure I understand what that means but okay.
Q: I think we’re noticing a big diamond ring on your finger. Is there any announcements or anything?
MISS PIGGY: No.
KERMIT: It just means she’s been eating more cracker jacks.
MISS PIGGY: I’ve been wearing this for a long time. This is more wishful thinking.
KERMIT : I’m sorry I didn’t hear that, what? I did hear that, but.
MISS PIGGY: One day I’ll replace this with the real deal.
KERMIT: Yeah, but it’ll be a little smaller I’m afraid.
MISS PIGGY: That’s all right. As long as it comes from you and it cost a lot.
KERMIT: Oh, believe me the price will be very high.
Q: So what were you doing all these years before you started production on this last movie?
KERMIT: Oh, lots of stuff. You know, it’s been, it’s been quite a few years since we’ve done a big movie. You know, we haven’t done that in a long time but, uh, we’ve done lots of other stuff that we can talk about. We just thought we were trying to come back to the big screen.
MISS PIGGY: Yes, we’ve done a lot for the small screen.
KERMIT: Yes, yes and even smaller.
MISS PIGGY: And even the smaller screen, on the internet.
KERMIT: Yeah, we’ve done a lot of that.
MISS PIGGY: You know the internet?
KERMIT: We did a bunch of viral videos over the last couple of years. We did the Bohemian Rhapsody so we’ve been together.
MISS PIGGY: We launched us into the stratosphere.
KERMIT: Yes, into the ether net.
Q: Do you find it’s easier to be green, now?
KERMIT: I think so. It’s taken on all these new meanings. When I said that originally, when I sang that song it was about being accepted in the world and these days it’s a lot more about the environment I think, you know. People are kind of taking it to mean that. But, uh, I think it’s just about being comfortable in your own skin.
MISS PIGGY: I love that so much. When you sing that. It makes me a tear up a little bit because I know it must have been hard for you being accepted in the world as a frog.
KERMIT: It can be tough especially in Hollywood so you have to make your place in the film industry.
MISS PIGGY: But you did that.
KERMIT: I did.
MISS PIGGY: Yes.
KERMIT:Â Â Is this going somewhere?
MISS PIGGY : I’m just in awe of you.
Q: How did you like your new costars?
KERMIT: Oh, wonderful. It was wonderful working with Jason. You know, Jason actually wrote this thing to begin with and it went through about 17 thousand rewrites but he’s the guy who wanted to make this movie with us.
MISS PIGGY: Yeah, I don’t really the script. I just count lines.
KERMIT: Counts her lines.
Q: What’s your favorite part of the movie making experience?
KERMIT: I like lunch. No, the pace is good for a frog. I’m a pretty laidback guy so you have plenty of time to sit around and learn your lines. You don’t gotta hurry up and wait. I don’t really have a trailer to myself. We’re already calling security I think. I just have a small, like a child’s that I stay in, you know. I don’t take up a lot of space. Saves on hotel costs, you know.
MISS PIGGY: I usually make him come to my trailer.
Q: [Miss Piggy] What’s your favorite part of the movie making experience?
MISS PIGGY: I think it’s, uh, a lot of the same. The trailer, my trailer.
KERMIT: Of course you really enjoy that closing scene out on the sidewalk on Hollywood Blvd.
MISS PIGGY :Â Yes, I did.
KERMIT :Â Your fans were everywhere.
MISS PIGGY : I know, I know. I’m so, you know, I have such adoring fans and it was wonderful to, uh, to get up close and personal with them even if they were actors pretending to be my fans. I knew that deep down underneath they did love me.
KERMIT :Â Okay, well, interesting.
Q:Â [Miss Piggy] How do you stay so beautiful after all these years in Hollywood?
KERMIT:Â You just made a new friend.
MISS PIGGY: Well, uh, I think, uh, I think it all can be accounted to love. I have so much love in my life. Yes, it just washes away.
Q : When did you know it was love at first sight?
MISS PIGGY : I think you kind of answered the question. I think it was at first sight. You know, but, uh, in the Muppet movie that is just a reenactment thing, dramatization of how we first met. We actually met on the Muppet Show.
KERMIT : That’s true. Piggy was a, was a chorus bit. She was a singing, dancing chorus bit and she sort of stood out from the rest, you know.
MISS PIGGY : I was just a chorus girl for, uh, for about half of the number. I was leading, I was leading.
KERMIT :Â The song, the show and me.
MISS PIGGY:Â And his heart.
Special thanks to Disney Pictures for inviting me out to LA for The Muppets Press Event. All opinions are my own.
