Walter (Muppet) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walter
The Muppets character
First appearance	The Muppets (2011)
Created by	Jason Segel Nicholas Stoller
Performed by	Peter Linz
Portrayed by	Jim Parsons (human form)
Information
Species	Muppet human
Gender	Male
Family	Gary (brother) Mary (sister-in-law)
Nationality	American

Walter is a Muppet character that first appeared in the 2011 film The Muppets. Performed by Peter Linz, he is one of the central protagonists introduced in the film, and one of the film's main characters, along with Kermit the Frog and the rest of the Muppets. Walter also appears in the 2014 sequel film, Muppets Most Wanted; though still a major character, he plays a smaller role than he does in the previous film.

The character was received positively by most critics and fans, praising his storyline in The Muppets. Screen Rant's Ben Kendrick wrote, "Even Walter, despite being the new Muppet on the block, holds his own alongside his non-human friends, and will no doubt be a fan-favorite for years to come." E! referred to the addition of Walter as "an inspired choice". Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times said that Walter "is adorably insecure and a good addition to the house that Jim Henson built, which included so many iconic characters."

Biography

During his adolescence in Smalltown, Walter frequently watched The Muppet Show, collecting memorabilia and finding the cast as a source of inspiration during his upbringing—which is why he often refers to himself as the "world’s biggest Muppet fan". While on vacation in Los Angeles, Walter assists the Muppets in regaining both their popularity with the public and control of their acquired studios from oil baron Tex Richman.

Later in the film, Walter starts to question whether he is man, which he was believed to be his entire life, or actually a Muppet, which was why he always felt a strong connection towards them. This emotion eventually leads him to sing the Academy Award-winning song, "Man or Muppet", where the human version of Walter is portrayed by actor Jim Parsons. The scene is pivotal to the character's arc as it resolves Walter's internal issues with himself. The character's solo act of whistling in the telethon's finale was performed by musician Andrew Bird. At the conclusion of the film, Walter deduces that he is a Muppet, adopts whistling as his sole talent and joins the group as their newest member.

A 2010 article from Entertainment Weekly described Walter by writing;

Meet the newest member of the Muppet repertory company: Walter, a sweet, slightly naive twenty-something every-puppet who, in the movie, is the best friend and roommate of Jason Segel's character, Gary. Both Gary and Walter are die-hard Muppet fans. "Walter is the kind of guy who faints when he sees Kermit," [James] Bobin says. Of course, Walter's Muppet fandom is complicated by the fact that he is a Muppet himself. "Walter has a bit of a self-confidence issue because he's the only person like him that he's seen aside from the Muppets," Segel explains. "His dream is to meet the Muppets and be around people who are like him." When Gary and Walter learn that the Muppet Theater is in danger of being torn down, they set out to save it by reuniting Kermit, Piggy and the entire troupe to stage an old-fashioned extravaganza.

—Entertainment Weekly

Appearances

Walter also appeared with the rest of the Muppets on several promotional posters and images. He also appeared several times to promote the film, including appearing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, along with Jason Segel. Walter appeared as part of the Muppets ensemble in Cee Lo Green's "All I Need Is Love" in 2012. He also appeared in Kirk Scroggs’ “Tales Of A Sixth-Grade Muppet” book series.

Filmography

• The Muppets (2011)
• Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular (2013) (TV)
• Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
• Disney Drive-On with The Muppets (2014) (Web)
• The Muppets (2015) (TV) (Presentation Pilot Only)
• The Muppets Take the Bowl (2017)
• The Muppets Take the O2 (2018)
• Muppets Now (2020)

at Disney.com