THE MUPPETS are back!
The Muppets opens in theatres November 23 from Disney
Spoken like the sex symbol she purports to be, Miss Piggy, the maven of movie melodrama is once again breaking hearts saying of her affect on men, “People just instantly fall in love with me when they see me. I just want to apologize to all of the women who have lost their husbands and boyfriends because they’ve fallen in love with me.”
Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog bringing their high jinks and hilarity-- along with new friends and a new storyline, just in time for holidays-- are back on the big screen to lead the Muppets gang.
Synopsis:
On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, his brother Gary (Jason Segel) and Gary’s girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), from Smalltown, USA, discover the evil plan of oilman Tex Richman (Oscar winner Chris Cooper) to raze Muppet Studios and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds. They decide to stage a telethon and raise the $10 million needed to save the studio. Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Frozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.
During a press conference in Los Angeles to discuss THE MUPPETS movie, cast members talked about the film, about love, and their plans for the holidays.
On their enduring love affair --
Miss Piggy said of her beloved Kermit (Kermie) and their return to the big screen, “I haven’t seen him in such a long time, I’ve been so busy on the road promoting this movie. I just want to say how much I love him. Kermit wasted no time in responding with, “I just want to say that I’m thrilled always to perform with Miss Piggy. I think it’s wonderful to be here together today and at pretty much any time we’re together and that’s all I’m going to say.”
Jason Segel with the Muppets
On working with the Muppets--
Jason Segel confessed, “I grew up with the Muppets. When you’re a kid, the Muppets are sort of the entry way into comedy; they lead into harder comedy, Monty Python, Saturday Night Live, but the Muppets defined who I wanted to be as a comedian, when I was a kid. Kermit really was my idol. Kermit to me is the original Tom Hanks so I sort of modeled my career after Kermit and the rest of the Muppets.”
Amy Adams commented on one of the big dance scenes with the Muppets adding, “I really needed Jason. We actually learned that dance in about an hour on the same day that we shot it. I’m telling you, Jason is actually much more talented than he gives himself credit for. He’s actually a very, very good dancer. I mean, he was quite a natural I have to say. He only broke a couple ribs and he didn’t drop me but he did flip my skirt on accident once.” (laughter)
On the concept of the new storyline --
It was explained that it has been 12 years since the Muppets were last on the big screen and the filmmakers wanted to acknowledge that this movie was bringing the characters back to the forefront of comedy where they felt they belonged. Further, they shared that they thought the Muppets should have been making movies all the while much like the grand, big dance movies, song and dance numbers, like the old MGM style musicals. Overall, they felt that this new movie should be about getting the Muppets back together as a metaphor of getting them back on to the big screen where they belonged. Of course, it was pointed out that Miss Piggy wanted a bigger part in the film (laughter). To that Miss Piggy replied, “What’s wrong with that? Well you know what, I did not demand any re-writes so I want to go on record with that but that’s probably because I didn’t read the script. I just showed up at the set, people said their lines and… I think it turned out good.”
On their holiday plans --
“One great thing about a Thanksgiving film release is it is a great place to go with your entire family, where you don’t have to speak to each other,” joked Jason Segel.
“And I always go back to the swamp…,” commented Kermit the Frog. And, before he could finish, Miss Piggy quipped, “Go back to the swamp? So who is that who is filled with helium and sent down the street in New York on Thanksgiving for the big parade?” Tongue in cheek Kermit replied, “Yeah, well, that’s a big rubber version of me and I don’t think we should go any further with the big rubber explanation.”
As for the ever-busy Miss Piggy, she lamented, “I have to keep promoting this thing. I’m going to be on a plane.”
The Muppets opens in theatres on November 23 from Disney and is suitable for all audiences.
