MARION MCMULLEN LOOKS AT THE VOCAL TALENTS OF THE STARS AS KERMIT LOSES HIS VOICE
1 DO YOU HAVE A FROG IN YOUR THROAT? THE voice of Muppets favourite Kermit the Frog has departed after nearly 30 years. Puppeteer Steve Whitmire has been the man behind the green character since 1990 following the death of Muppet creator Jim Henson. Matt Vogel will be the new voice of Kermit. He previously took on the role of Kermit imitator Constantine in 2014 film Muppets Most Wanted. 2 WHO WAS BEHIND THE DRIVING WHEEL? DISNEY film Cars was Paul Newman’s last film before his death from lung cancer in 2008. He played four-wheeler Doc Hudson and the role turned out to be the highest-grossing movie of his career. Doc Hudson can also be seen in the latest movie Cars 3.
3 WHO IS KEEPING MUM?
FILMS like The Sound Of Music and Mary Poppins showcased the singing talents of Dame Julie Andrews, but her voice can also be heard as Gru’s mum in the Despicable Me films and she is Princess Fiona’s mum in the Shrek films. 4 ARE YOU HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO? BRAD Pitt was the voice of smooth superhero phoney Metro Man in 2010 animated movie Megamind. He was the nemesis of the title character voiced by Will Ferrell. The following year Brad was also heard as Will The Krill in Happy Feet Two.
5 WAS SHE CRAZY IN LOVE?
MUSIC star Beyoncé was the voice of forest fairy Queen Tara in 2013 movie Epic and she also performed and co-wrote the film’s song Rise Up. Colin Farrell was warrior Ronin and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler was a character called Nim Galuu.
6 WHAT’S BUGGING YOU?
WOODY Allen was the voice of neurotic worker ant Z in the Dreamworks Animation film Antz in 1998 film with Sylvester Stallone as his colony mate Weaver. Christopher Walken’s distinctive tones provided the voice of the evil Colonel Cutter with Gene Hackman as General Mandible.
7 WAS IT A MONSTER ROLE?
BENEDICT Cumberbatch was the voice of dragon Smaug in the Hobbit movies and did his best to roast his Sherlock co-star Martin Freeman who played Bilbo Baggins. Benedict studied iguanas and Komodo dragons at the reptile house at London Zoo to prepare for the role. 8 WHAT WAS THE CATCH OF THE DAY? MOVIE hit Finding Nemo was packed with star voices including Dame Edna Everage creator Barry Humphies as Bruce the friendly shark and Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush as the stork Nigel.
9 TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER?
DAME Helen Mirren has played the Queen and Shakespeare heroines, but her voice role in Monsters University saw her transformed into the multi-legged insect-like Dean Hardscrabble – the stern leader of the institution.
10 ARE YOU TALKIN’ TO ME?
CHEERS star John Ratzenberger is the only actor to have voiced characters in every Pixar animated movie. His roles include Hamm the piggy bank in the Toy Story movies, the Fish School in Finding Nemo, Underminer in The Incredibles, Mustafa in Ratatouille, Construction Foreman Tom in Up and PT Flea in A Bug’s Life.