Former Atlantan Peter Linz is not an Oscar nominee, he's quick to clarify, even if that is indeed his voice as Walter the Muppet in a duet with star Jason Segel on the song "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets."
But the best original song nomination announced Tuesday officially went to Bret McKenzie, who wrote the music and lyrics. Still, Linz admitted by phone, "I'm very, very excited for Brett McKenzie and for my nomination by association."
He was taking the commuter train from his home in Katonah, N.Y., to New York City for work Tuesday when the surprise call came from a friend who had worked on "The Muppets" with him.
"He said, ‘Congratulations!' And I said, ‘For what?'" recounted the still-flabbergasted actor-puppeteer, 44. "It was fun because he was calling me from ‘Sesame Street,' and I had a bunch of friends and colleagues in the room and he put them on speakerphone and they were all congratulating me. It was so nice!"
The whole experience of appearing in "The Muppets" has been a sweet ride for Linz, who became infatuated with "The Muppet Show" when it launched in 1976, and started working at the Center for Puppetry Arts after graduating from the University of Georgia in 1989. His first audition for the Muppets was at the Atlanta puppetry center in 1990, and he left a year later to work on "Sesame Street."
When he auditioned to play new Muppet Walter for the movie relaunch, he surmised the part might include singing.
"Because for my call-back audition, I had to do a karaoke song with Jason Segel, and we had a bunch of wonderfully cheesy duets to choose from. I think I ended up choosing ‘Love Will Keep Us Together' by the Captain and Tennille."
While he doesn't consider himself a professional singer, Linz has plenty of vocal experience, starting with the choirs at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church and the long-closed Briarcliff High School in DeKalb County. Later, he took voice lessons during a two-year Broadway run with "Avenue Q."
"Even then I never really considered myself a Broadway-caliber singer, and I still don't, but I think the evidence is starting to point against me at this point," he said. Or perhaps it's pointing toward him.
Either way, nominated songs typically are performed live during the Academy Awards telecast, begging the question of if Linz will get to walk the red carpet during Hollywood's biggest night. He said he has not been contacted yet about the Feb. 26 ceremony, but is hopeful.
"Wow, that would be so much fun," he said, sounding like the ever-enthusiastic Walter, "and so exciting."
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