The Agency's Posts

Tom Hanks says he felt burden making 'Captain Phillips': NEW YORK --Tom Hankshas played a lot of real people lately. In the spring he took to Broadway....
Read More>

Review And Box Office Outlook: 'Gravity' Is The Movie Experience Of The Year: Alfonso Cuarón’sGravityis incontestable evidence for the worth if not outright....
Read More>

Review: Joseph Gordon-Levitt's 'Don Jon' is a smart R-rated comedy: 'Don Jon' lays bare a naked truth: A romantic comedy built around porn can be insightful,....
Read More>

Dumb and Dumber To' begins production, but will audiences care?: It's been almost 20 years sinceJim Carreyand Jeff Daniels took their ill-fated road trip to....
Read More>

'Gravity' takes Alfonso Cuaron and crew on a tricky joy ride: The Filmmakers: Simulating space conditions in the Sandra Bullock-George Clooney drama 'Gravity'....
Read More>

'Fatal Attraction' to become a stage play, will debut in London: It is the West End play that will not beignored. A stage version of the 1987 movie "Fatal
Read More>

Breaking Bad' tops Emmys amid many upsets: The AMC series about a teacher-turned-meth dealer wins best drama series prize, and Anna Gunn won....
Read More>

Auto-racing film 'Rush' takes another route with Niki Lauda's help: Unlike other films in the genre, the auto-racing film about Niki Lauda and James Hunt is as....
Read More>

Review: 'Enough Said' says just enough: Nicole Holofcener has done it again. She's made a funny, honest film about everyday, fallible....
Read More>

Pharrell says 'Blurred Lines' 'different' from Marvin Gaye song: Does Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" sound too much like one of its disco-funk....
Read More>

Katherine Heigl: Is new NBC show her last chance to stay a star?: In Hollywood, if your career cools but the insiders like you, you wind up doing the cha-cha on&q
Read More>

Andy Samberg adds the goofiness to his detective role on 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine': Andy Sambergis having trouble keeping his toothy grin in check. There's no studio....
Read More>
Frank Oz speak, but not as Yoda or Miss Piggy
Posted on: 07/26/12
Share/Save/Bookmark
 

A word to the wise, Frank Oz fans: He won't do that Yoda impression.

The 68-year-old Hollywood Renaissance man — Muppet puppeteer, movie director and the voice behind the pint-sized Jedi master — holds his characters too sacred for such tripe.

"You wouldn't parade your kids around like that, would you?" he said. "They're part of me. I won't use them as a party favor to impress people."

Oz, who currently resides in Manhattan, will return to Los Angeles on Thursday to accept a lifetime achievement honor at the 38th Saturn Awards (which, for the sci-fi un-savvy, is a sort of Oscars for the horror and fantasy genre, presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films).

He'll don a crisp black suit, walk down a red carpet with his wife, Victoria Labalme, visit his three sons (who live in and near Hollywood) and stay at the Four Seasons — the same L.A. hotel he has booked for decades, his "second home."

Still, this trip west is a little uncomfortable for Oz. He is honored, delighted even, to be recognized for a well-known and highly acclaimed body of work spanning five decades. But, he explains: "When I first found out, I said, I'm too young for this. It's strange to accept an award for a 'lifetime' of work. I'm too young to have had a lifetime. I feel like I have so much more to do."

Oz launched his career as a teenager, working at a puppetry theater in Oakland after his parents, Isidore and Frances Oznowicz, relocated from England. At 17, he met his greatest mentor, Jim Henson, who hired him two years later.

The rest is Muppet history.

"I learned a huge, huge amount from Jim," Oz said, recalling his years on the sets of "Sesame Street"and "The Muppet Show." "I learned how to film from him, how to direct. We were like brothers working with each other."

After nearly 10 years, Oz started "owning" principal characters, crafting distinct personalities for America's most beloved fuzzy figures. Miss Piggy, Bert (of "Bert and Ernie" fame), Animal and the Cookie Monster top his all-star roster.

"I can't tell you where I got Miss Piggy," he said. "She's so incredibly layered. It's an organic process, I think. Experiences from my own life filtered into my comedic vision. Animal came from mud in my soul."

Henson, who died in 1990, was always supportive, Oz said. "My fondest memories are the hundreds and hundreds of Bert and Ernies with Jim. Years of joy."

When Oz took on the role of Yoda in "The Empire Strikes Back,"Henson offered advice. He shared puppet technology with George Lucas and weighed in on the sage creature's inverted speech.

The"Star Wars"set, the creative chemistry, bred magic. "With Yoda, it was right away — I picked him up and immediately knew who he was," Oz said. "I have no idea why."

Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, found the perfect costar in Yoda.

"Frank is an absolute genius," said Hamill, adding that he'd received "encouraging telegrams" from Oz on movie sets. "At first, I was intimidated to act with a puppet. I wasn't sure how it would work. But Frank made me so comfortable. He really brought Yoda to life. It was much more impressive than any computer-generated effect."

Hamill, eight years Oz's junior, said he looked up to the puppeteer: "He has a great heart and is, obviously, hysterically funny. I learned a lot from Frank."

Most recently, Oz veered into the digital realm, lending vocals to the bright red, bean-shaped Mr. Fungus in Pixar's upcoming film "Monsters University." The sequel to the mega-hit"Monsters, Inc."will hit theaters next summer.

danielle.paquette@latimes.com

COMMENTS
Be the first to post a comment!


Post A Comment:




  • It's 2020! Start booking roles in commercials, fashion, films, theater and more with The Agency Online!

  • NEW WORKSHOP with Barbara Barna & Sean De Simone!

    Hi Everyone and Happy Summer! Sean at Sean De Simone casting and Barbara Barna are teaming up for a super informative and fun Hosting for Home Shopping workshop. A great opportunity for established or experienced TV Hosts and Experts interested in learning how to get noticed and how to get in....
  • MASTERCLASS W. Robin Carus & David John Madore

    A Special Offer for the Agency Community, from one of our favorite NYC Casting Directors! EMAIL FacetheMusicWithUs@gmail.com Or Eventbrite To Sign Up! Class Size is Limited.
  • Don't Fall Into The Comparison Trap

    Hi Everyone! As the second installment in an ongoing series of features by the Agency's amazing community, here's some sage advice from our own Regina Rockensies; a humble (& awesome)veteran we've had the pleasure of working with for a long time. Have an excellent week! : ) - The Agency....
  • One Model's Agreement

    Hi Everyone! As the first piece in an ongoing series of original articles by the Agency community, here's a short reflection on some of the values of professional acting & modeling that we can all keep in mind for our next casting. Good luck on your castings &shoots this week! : ) -....




 
home       castings&news       privacy policy       terms and conditions      contact us      browser tips
Official PayPal Seal