--- description: Longtime puppeteer Steve Whitmire has left his role as the voice of classic character Kermit the Frog, and is being replaced by Matt Vogel. title: The Voice of Kermit the Frog Is About to Change image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc47596e1903922fd/6988d520196cf432d8040f7b/kermit-steve-whitmire.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Puppeteer Behind Kermit the Frog Has Left His Role With The Muppets  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 10, 2017 9:17 PM CUT  Muppet Kermit the Frog and his operator Steve Whitmire take questions from the audience November 14, 2003, at Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City. - Muppet Kermit the Frog and his operator Steve Whitmire take questions from the audience November 14, 2003, at Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City. -Lawrence Lucier—2003 Getty Images  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 10, 2017 9:17 PM CUT Muppets fans, prepare for a change: the puppeteer who voices legendary green amphibian [Kermit the Frog](http://time.com/4761322/kermit-the-frog-solange-cranes-in-the-sky/ "undefined") has swapped over. In the beloved character’s illustrious [62-year history](http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Kermit%5Fthe%5FFrog "undefined"), only two actors have delivered Kermit’s delightful lines, creator [Jim Henson](http://time.com/4626229/why-heroes-matter/ "undefined") and Muppets mainstay Steve Whitmire, who took over Kermit and Ernie duties on [_Sesame Street_](http://time.com/4706631/sesame-street-julia-autism-diversity/ "undefined") in 1990 after Henson passed away. But now, performer Matt Vogel will take the helm as the man behind the banjo-strumming [green felt puppet. ](http://time.com/4575608/evil-kermit-the-frog-memes/ "undefined") After sharp-eyed viewers of recent Muppet Studios productions noted that characters usually voiced by Whitmire seemed to be missing from the latest lineup of Muppets content, fan blog [Tough Pigs](http://www.toughpigs.com/steve-whitmire-news/ "undefined") confirmed with Disney that Whitmire had departed from his longtime role, and that Vogel will be taking over as the Kermit performer. They did not provide a reason for the change, and Whitmire has not stated anything publicly as of yet. Previously, Vogel — who joined _Sesame Street_ [in 1996](http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Matt%5FVogel "undefined") — has voiced Kermit’s evil doppelgänger [Constantine](http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Constantine "undefined") in the 2014 [_Muppets Most Wanted_](http://time.com/670/watch-muppets-most-wanted-golden-globes-ad-may-have-been-even-funnier-than-the-golden-globes/ "undefined") film, so he clearly has some practice at the iconic role, although that outing required a Russian accent. He’s also performed dozens of other Muppets characters and puppets, including Baby Big Bird. He will feature as the new Kermit on next week’s installment of the Muppets Thought of the Week, Disney further noted. Whitmire, who’s 57, has been a much-loved staple of the Muppets franchise over the years, having started with the company back in 1978 and even originated popular characters like Rizzo the Rat. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4852111/kermit-frog-whitmire/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4852111/kermit-frog-whitmire/"},"headline":"The Puppeteer Behind Kermit the Frog Has Left His Role With The Muppets","datePublished":"2017-07-10T21:17:23.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:45:15.491Z","description":"Longtime puppeteer Steve Whitmire has left his role as the voice of classic character Kermit the Frog, and is being replaced by Matt Vogel.","url":"https://time.com/4852111/kermit-frog-whitmire/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Television","The Muppets","entertainment"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc47596e1903922fd/6988d520196cf432d8040f7b/kermit-steve-whitmire.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc47596e1903922fd/6988d520196cf432d8040f7b/kermit-steve-whitmire.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"kermit-steve-whitmire","caption":"NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 14: Muppet Kermit the Frog and his operator Steve Whitmire take questions from the audience November 14, 2003, at Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City. 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