“We’re here to sing, dance, make people laugh and somehow, just maybe, make the world a little bit better place. That may sound silly, especially coming from a frog. But the Muppets have always tried to inspire the world with

silliness and to show folks that no matter who you are or how weird you seem to others, there’s a place for you and people who care about you. And when you find that place and meet those people, wonderful things happen.”

—Kermit the Frog

He’s green. He has crazy friends, flippers, a penchant for pigs…and one of the most recognizable singing voices since the King. And he’s coming to neighborhoods everywhere for the holidays.

Kermit the Frog is back on the big screen, and this time, he’s teaming up with Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and newcomer Walter, plus the whole Muppet gang, for a brand-new, big-screen adventure in Disney’s “The Muppets.”

“It’s funny, upbeat and full of laughs for everyone…frogs, pigs, bears…even people,” says Kermit. “For new fans, it’s a chance to see the Muppets in action on the big screen. And for old fans it’s a chance to get together with old friends…and get a little crazy together.”

On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, his brother Gary (Jason Segel) and Gary’s girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze Muppet Studios and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds. To stage a telethon and raise the $10 million needed to save the studio, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.

Disney’s “The Muppets” is directed by James Bobin (“Flight of the Conchords,” “The Ali G Show”) and produced by the Academy Award®-nominated team David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman (“The Fighter,” “The Proposal”) with a screenplay written by Segel & Nicholas Stoller (“Get Him

— 1 —

to the Greek”), who also serve as executive producers along with John G. Scotti and “The Muppet Show” veteran Martin G. Baker. Bret McKenzie, who created, co-wrote, executive-produced and starred in the hit HBO television series “Flight of the Conchords,” is the music supervisor as well as the writer/producer of three original songs. Original score is by Christophe Beck, Michael Rooney is the choreographer, Rahel Afiley is the costume designer, and James Thomas is the editor. Steve Saklad is the production designer, and Don Burgess, ASC, is the director of photography.

The cast, which includes Kermit the Frog (“The Muppet Movie,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”), Miss Piggy (“The Muppet Christmas Carol”), Segel (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Bad Teacher”), three-time Academy Award® nominee Adams (“The Fighter,” “Doubt”), Fozzie Bear (“The Muppets Take Manhattan”), Gonzo (“The Great Muppet Caper”), Walter and Academy Award winner Cooper (“The Town,” “Adaptation.”), also features Rashida Jones (“Parks and Recreation,” “The Social Network”). Honoring the Muppet tradition, celebrity cameos include Donald Glover, Leslie Feist, Alan Arkin, Kristen Schaal, Eddie “Piolín” Sotelo, Ken Jeong, James Carville, Rico Rodriguez and Judd Hirsch. “There are more cameos, but I can’t talk about them,” says Kermit. “One of the ways the Muppets get big stars to be in our movies is by promising not to tell anyone about it—besides, it’s more fun when you’re watching the movie and are surprised by who shows up.”

Rated PG by the MPAA, Disney’s “The Muppets” hits the big screen Nov. 23, 2011.

MUPPET FANS UNITELifelong Love of Kermit and the Gang Leads to Newest Big-Screen Adventure

Ranging in age from 8 to 80, Muppet fans span the globe. So it makes sense that Disney’s “The Muppets” was ignited by a Muppet fan. “It started when I was a kid,” says Jason Segel. “The Muppets were my first comic influence and I was in love with puppetry. I just thought it was an amazing art form.”

“All comedy writers are Muppet fans,” adds Nicholas Stoller. “It’s the gateway to comedy. It’s like the first thing you try and then you slowly fall down the rabbit hole of comedy.”

A film Segel and Stoller previously collaborated on actually set things in motion, says Segel. “We ended ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ with a lavish puppet musical, and The Jim Henson Company designed the puppets. Something started growing in my belly, and Nick and I came up with this idea and pitched it to Disney. Disney liked the idea so we wrote the script.”

Enter producers David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman—each with their own affinity to all things Muppets. “I think there’s always been a timeless quality to the Muppets,” says Hoberman, who cites the Muppets’ recent online smash viral video “Bohemian Rhapsody.” “These characters are as contemporary today as they were when Henson first brought them to life. I think people of all ages will

— 2 —

respond to them on the big screen.”

While president of the motion picture group at The Walt Disney Studios, Hoberman was behind releases like “The Muppet Christmas Carol” and “Muppet Treasure Island.” Meanwhile, Lieberman’s appreciation for the franchise grew from personal experience. “I have always been a big Muppet fan,” says Lieberman. “There’s clearly a nostalgic love. The characters are just inherently lovable and I’m thrilled that we’re bringing them together again in this movie. It’s been beautiful introducing them to my own children.”

And that’s a good thing, says director James Bobin. Disney’s “The Muppets” will welcome a whole new generation into the world of the Muppets, and Bobin can attest to the positive influence these characters can have on young audiences. “I watched the Muppets at a very early age in England, and they have significantly influenced my sense of humor and what I find funny.”

Segel says it’s the Muppets’ sense of humor that differentiates them. “Modern comedy makes jokes at other people’s expense,” says the actor, writer and executive producer. “The Muppets never make fun of anybody. They’re all about being good and nice and trying to make the world a better place. It’s easy to get a laugh out of making fun of somebody, but the Muppets never relied on that.”

INTRODUCING WALTERLoyal Fan and Newest Member of Muppet Family Sparks Story

Influenced by their affinity for Muppet mayhem, filmmakers introduced a central character who’s driven by his lifelong love of the Muppets. According to Jason Segel, Walter’s wildest fantasy is to meet the Muppets. “Walter is naive, sweet, innocent, wide-eyed—he’s very much like Kermit before Kermit became famous,” says Segel. “But he just wants to belong. He’s looking for a family, really. The Muppets are the only people he’s ever seen who were like him, so his quest is to become one of the Muppets.”

Adds Walter, who is as big a Muppet fan in real life as his character is, “I start out just wanting to meet the Muppets but then have to help Kermit get the gang back together to save Muppet Studios. It’s the role of my lifetime. In fact, it is my life.”

The movie opens in Smalltown, USA, home to Walter, brother Gary and his girlfriend, Mary. It’s the kind of town where people smile a lot, give apples to teachers and break into song—just because. But the trio leaves the safety of Smalltown behind for a long-awaited trip to Hollywood—and an opportunity to visit Muppet Studios at last.

While there Walter overhears the evil plan of nefarious oil baron Tex Richman and finds himself navigating a long-awaited, never-imagined, can’t-believe-it’s-really-happening-to-me Muppet reunion. It’s not long before the world’s biggest Muppet fan is face to face with the heart of the Muppets—Kermit the Frog. “Kermit is my all-time hero,” says Walter. “I have his poster in my room, I’ve seen everything he has ever done and meeting him was the greatest moment of my life.”

Says Kermit, “Walter gets so excited being around the Muppets. I’ve never met anyone like him…except maybe Jason Segel.”

— 3 —

Segel can certainly relate to Walter’s enthusiasm, but his character, Gary, shows a little too much interest in his brother’s Muppet dreams. His girlfriend Mary has her own California dreams, it turns out, and is secretly hoping for a marriage proposal during their vacation. But she is a team player and willingly jumps on board to help reunite the Muppets and save the studio.

They track down Kermit and learn that he’s lived a quiet life since the Muppets last performed together. It takes some convincing to get the now low-key frog to agree to the plan, but once Kermit realizes just how much he misses his friends, it’s “go” time.

“They embark on a huge journey around the world to find the rest of the Muppets who have gone their separate ways,” says Bobin. “The first Muppet they find is Fozzie, who’s performing with a Muppet tribute band called the Moopets. The Moopets are cynical characters who are taking advantage of the Muppets’ legacy. They sing tacky versions of their songs and sadly, Fozzie is the only real Muppet who joined up with them. He’s in a tribute band of his own group. It doesn’t take too much persuading to get Fozzie to come along for the ride.”

Next up is Gonzo, who has left show business behind in favor of his first career choice: plumbing. He is to plumbing what Tex Richman is to oil—minus the evil-villain part. But Gonzo’s plumbing empire is no match for the lure of the stage, and he soon agrees to return to Muppet Studios and his daredevil act.

Perhaps the trickiest piece to the Muppet reunion is Miss Piggy, who’s landed a posh gig in France as plus-size editor of Vogue Paris. She’s enjoying the big life and doesn’t exactly dream of reuniting with the Muppets—unless, of course, it’s Kermie who’s asking. But it’s not all romance between them, says Miss Piggy. “The scene where Kermie begs me to come back to Hollywood with him is the funniest scene in the movie,” she says. “I’m hilarious, and the frog isn’t half bad either.”

Back together at last, the Muppets must put together the best show of their lives—no small feat considering their past efforts. And it’s been years since they last performed—rusty doesn’t begin to describe their acts. Can they break through the obstacles and create a show of a lifetime? Can they convince a network to broadcast the show? Will they raise enough money to silence Tex Richman once and for all—or will he foil their efforts and destroy the studio despite everything?

“Well, see the movie and find out for yourself!” says Miss Piggy. “Moi can’t do everything.”

WHO’S WHO IN DISNEY’S “THE MUPPETS”Muppets, Men, Women (and Everything in Between)

GARY (Jason Segel) is loyal to his brother, Walter—the two do everything together. “Gary is from Smalltown, USA,” says Jason Segel (TV’s “How I Met Your Mother,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”), a longtime Muppet fan who created

— 4 —

the role with himself in mind. “He’s very naive, sweet and innocent, and he’s very much in love with his girlfriend, Mary. He’s torn between his brother and growing into a new phase of maturation where it’s time to be with his girlfriend. He’s lived with his brother forever, so that is his big struggle.”

The plot thickens when the trio decide to take a vacation. Says Segel, “The movie starts out with me and my brother, Walter, whose wildest fantasy is to meet the Muppets. My goal is to take a vacation to L.A. with my girlfriend, Mary. So we all come to L.A., and while taking a tour of Muppet Studios, which is now decrepit, we find out that they’re going to be torn down to drill for oil. So we have to find Kermit, reunite the Muppets—who have disbanded because of professional rivalries—and put on a show to raise enough money to save the studio.”

Gary throws himself into the effort, putting his relationship with Mary on the back burner—again. Will he ever be able to grow up and embrace true love?

With his Kermit tee-shirt and watch, WALTER (Walter) is a devoted fan of the Muppets. The lifelong resident of Smalltown, USA, dreams of meeting his heroes one day and feels that—just maybe—he belongs with them. So when brother Gary and his girlfriend, Mary, plan a trip to Los Angeles, Walter joins them with hopes of realizing his dream once and for all.

The role marks the big-screen debut for Walter, and one seemingly written for him. “I play Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan,” says the star, “which is a real coincidence, since I happen to be the world’s biggest Muppet fan and my name is Walter. It’s like I was made to play this part.”

Walter finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time—or is it the right time?—when he overhears evil oil baron Tex Richman discussing a plot to destroy Muppet Studios. With the help of Gary and Mary, it’s Walter who sets the plan in motion to reunite the Muppets and save the studio. His pure-hearted enthusiasm for all things Muppets just might save more than the studio too.

MARY (Amy Adams) is a valued shop teacher in Smalltown, USA—at least if the number of apples on her desk are any indication. She is Gary’s longtime girlfriend who often finds herself playing third wheel to Gary and his brother, Walter.

Mary shares Gary and Walter’s sweet, innocent disposition, but she’s growing weary of sharing her boyfriend with Walter. She can’t help but hope for a magical proposal during their Los Angeles vacation, but her plans are derailed when news of Muppet Studios’ pending demise spur the trio into expressly non-marriage-proposal action.

Amy Adams (“The Fighter,” “Julie & Julia”) was called on for the role—in a way that was impossible to miss, says the actress. “Jason and Kermit sent me an invitation to be in Disney’s “The Muppets”—they asked if I’d read the script and consider the role of Mary. Kermit was a big part of my decision. I don’t like to tell Jason that ’cause he’s a little sensitive that I might be partial to Kermit, but I am.”

— 5 —

In Disney’s “The Muppets,” KERMIT THE FROG (Kermit the Frog) lives a quiet, solitary life. It’s been a few years since the Muppets last performed together, and Kermit doesn’t realize how much he misses his friends until he’s tracked down by Walter, Gary and Mary from Smalltown, and convinced to reunite with the rest of the Muppets to save Muppet Studios.

Returning to the role he made famous in six previous Muppet movies, “The Muppet Show” and countless TV specials and Internet videos is Kermit the Frog. “I’ve played other parts, like Bob Crachit in ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’ and Captain Smollett in ‘Muppet Treasure Island,’ says Kermit, “but I think me is my favorite part.”

The role is a bit of a departure for the frog known for his unifying spirit and award-winning songs like “The Rainbow Connection.” “The movie is filled with comedy, music and adventure—like all the Muppet movies,” says Kermit. “But

I play quite a dramatic role. You see a side of me that maybe you haven’t seen before—and I’m not just talking about new camera angles. I really stretch to play me. One of my favorite moments is singing a brand-new original song called ‘Pictures In My Head.’ I walk through the halls of a big mansion, looking at portraits of my Muppet friends and missing those guys. It was very emotional…and I think it will disprove critics who’ve said, ‘The frog can’t emote.’”

Kermit, who’s always the glue that holds the Muppets together, has a big job in this movie, going head to head with Tex Richman—a guy who’s lost his laugh—to save the studio.

TEX RICHMAN (Chris Cooper) is a rich oil baron who’s concocted a devious plan to destroy Muppet Studios, presumably to dig for the oil he claims is underneath.

But the truth, says Chris Cooper (“Adaptation.,” “The Bourne Identity”), who portrays the villain, is that Tex has a personal vendetta against the Muppets. “He blames the Muppets for a terrible event that happened to him at his 10th birthday party,” says Cooper. “He is unable to laugh and has vowed to destroy the Muppets.”

But Tex Richman’s inability to laugh doesn’t stop him from taking part in other Muppet antics. He may be coldhearted and conniving, but this oil magnate has a few secrets up his sleeve that are more fun than fiendish.

MISS PIGGY (Miss Piggy) showcases her diva attitude and big personality in a new made-to-order gig in Disney’s “The Muppets.” As plus-size editor of Vogue Paris, she shares her sublime fashion sensibilities with readers worldwide…at least until Kermit shows up.

The frog is there, of course, as part of his mission to reunite all the Muppets to save Muppet Studios from Tex Richman. But Miss Piggy can read between the lines: she knows an invitation for love when she sees it. And really—how could she say no to Kermie?

— 6 —

Playing the role of Miss Piggy is none other than Miss Piggy (“Muppets From Space,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”). “It’s the role I was born to play,” says the internationally famous star. “Moi plays a high-powered, confident, charismatic, gorgeous, scene-stealing star who saves the day and wins her frog’s heart.”

Her fans would expect nothing less.

FOZZIE BEAR (Fozzie Bear) lives to make people laugh. So during the Muppets’ extended hiatus depicted in Disney’s “The Muppets,” the stand-up comic bear was determined to keep his act and the spirit of the Muppets alive—even if it meant joining up with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the Moopets may be sincere, but they’re also a little creepy.

“The Moopets recreate great Muppet moments,” says Fozzie Bear (“The Great Muppet Caper,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”), who is back on the big screen as his namesake, “at least that’s what they told me we were doing. Could’ve fooled me.”

Regardless of whom he shares the stage with, Fozzie will try anything to tickle the audience’s funny bones: gags, novelties, whoopee cushions, banana peels, custard pies and recycled jokes that earn more winces than laughs—particularly from his in-house hecklers, Statler and Waldorf (aka “those two old guys in the balcony”). In truth Statler and Waldorf just might be the bear’s biggest fans. Though they’d never admit it, they may actually be happy to see Fozzie and the Muppets reunited—and they might have to throw the bear a laugh or two this time if it means saving Muppet Studios.

VERONICA (Rashida Jones) is a network executive called on by the Muppets to air their studio-saving telethon. She’s not easily swayed, and it’ll take a big-name star to seal the deal.

Actress Rashida Jones (“The Social Network,” TV’s “The Office”) portrays the tough-as-nails woman to impress. “I play a hard-nosed, stressed-out TV executive,” says Jones, “but I am the only one who gives the Muppets the chance to air their fundraising telethon. I definitely crack the whip, though, because I’m scared of losing my job and I’m scared it’s not going to be successful—I yell at Kermit a lot.”

It won’t be easy, but hopefully, Kermit can charm Veronica like he charms every woman, network exec and diva pig he encounters.

GONZO THE GREAT (The Great Gonzo) has been very busy since the Muppets last performed. In Disney’s “The Muppets,” Kermit, Walter and the gang find that Gonzo’s career is down the drain—literally. “I play a plumbing

— 7 —

magnate,” says the daredevil, who returns to the role he singlehandedly made famous. “In this movie we see what happens when I pursue plumbing—my original career choice. Actually, show business and plumbing have a lot in common—especially when it comes to clogs and snakes.”

It takes some convincing—and an increase in health insurance coverage—to get Gonzo back on stage. Fortunately, Gonzo (“The Muppets Take Manhattan,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”), a pioneer of all things weird, can’t resist the temptation of the wild and wacky stunts he performs to earn the eternal admiration (not to mention shock and awe) of his audience—and one very special chicken named Camilla.

Gonzo’s stage act, which includes shooting himself from a cannon, balancing a piano on his nose or eating radial tires to classical music, will likely always end in disaster—but that’s the whole point!

ANIMAL (Animal), the ultimate rock ’n’ roll survivor, finally addresses a troublesome personality trait and finds himself in an anger management program in Disney’s “The Muppets.” He’s traded in his drums for a flute and is struggling to redefine his identity. As if…

But fear not, fans of the over-the-top, monosyllabic, appetite-with-legs drummer from Dr. Teeth’s Electric Mayhem Band. Once reunited with the Muppets, Animal’s incessant (yet innocent) pursuit of rock ’n’ roll, food and women (not necessarily in that order) returns. “Me like,” says Animal (“Muppet Treasure Island,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”). “Movie good.”

STATLER AND WALDORF (Statler and Waldorf) return to the balcony in Disney’s “The Muppets” as feisty and curmudgeonly as ever. These two old hecklers let the insults fly—as well as serve an important public service. “We didn’t want to be in the movie,” explains Statler, “but we felt it was our duty.” Adds Waldorf, “Yeah, somebody’s got to warn the rest of the audience what they’re in for.”

This time, the duo takes center stage, sharing the fine print of the Muppet contract with villain Tex Richman. Of course, Statler and Waldorf (“The Muppet Movie,” “Great Muppet Caper,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”) don’t realize that Tex plans to raze Muppet Studios and drill for oil, which would mean the end of their balcony—and their heckling.

One thing is certain. Statler and Waldorf think everyone should see this movie. “We had to sit through it,” says Statler. “The least folks could do is share our pain.”

SWEDISH CHEF (Swedish Chef) is behind some rather combustible culinary creations in Disney’s “The Muppets,” especially after he discovers a long-forgotten refrigerator in the run-down Muppet Studios.

— 8 —

Swedish Chef (TV’s “The Muppet Show”) is equally at home in the kitchen and on set. Wherever he goes, he’s fighting a never-ending battle against food and ingredients; a battle he rarely, if ever, wins. It didn’t take much convincing to get him to return to Muppet Studios when production kicked off. “Zikkledeffer gøøbee der smidleflingen,” says the Chef. “Vooshkee høøksker mit gingen agloofe majuskee! Børk! Børk! Børk!” (Roughly translated: “It’s not every day you get offered to play the role of Chef from Sweden. Besides, I had a soufflé in the oven and an afternoon free, so why not?! Børk! Børk! Børk!”)

DR. BUNSEN HONEYDEW AND BEAKER (Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker) are still hard at work in Muppet Labs—where their latest invention shrinks poor Beaker (TV’s “The Muppet Show”) to pocket size. Undeterred by this diminutive debacle, Beaker fortunately returns to normal size to complete his latest big-screen appearance, all with the help of his mentor and boss, the legendary Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (TV’s “The Muppet Show”).

“We are scientific consultants on the movie as well as scientific consultants in the movie,” says Honeydew. “Very meta, don’t you agree?”

“Meep meep meep,” adds Beaker, who—in addition to his scientific contributions—was also tapped for an all-Muppet barbershop quartet rendition of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

SAM EAGLE (Sam Eagle) lends his patriotic disdain to Disney’s “The Muppets” in a heroic effort to add dignity to the telethon’s opening musical number and spirit to the barbershop quartet.

Sam Eagle (TV’s “The Muppet Show”), who has always looked askance at the Muppets’ supposedly entertaining efforts, explains his reason for being part of Disney’s “The Muppets.” “I play an American eagle who stands for all that is good and decent in the world, thus standing in sharp contrast to the rest of the weirdos in this movie.”

ROWLF THE DOG (Rowlf) isn’t exactly tough to track down in Disney’s “The Muppets.” Kermit and the gang fetch the piano-playing dog from a cozy hammock and convince him to return to the stage. And, it turns out, Rowlf’s (“The Muppet Movie,” TV’s “The Muppet Show”) unique canine musical sensibilities prove perfect for the all-Muppet barbershop quartet.

“You could say that this is Rowlf unleashed,” says Rowlf, who has been with the Muppets since the early days. “In this movie I really get to do what I like best—play piano, sing, tell jokes and take myself for long walks around the neighborhood.”

SCOOTER (Scooter) takes the threat to Muppet Studios in Disney’s “The Muppets” to heart. “I’m stage manager of the Muppet Theater,” explains Scooter. “I try to help Kermit save the studio, ’cause without a theater and stage, there’s really not much for a stage manager to do.”

Scooter (TV’s “The Muppet Show”) gets to play a new role in the movie—as host—when, in a pinch, Kermit calls on Scooter to fill in for him on stage. Unfortunately, the classic advice Scooter gets to calm his nerves—“Pretend that the audience is naked”—doesn’t necessarily work for him.

— 9 —

DR. TEETH AND THE ELECTRIC MAYHEM BAND (Dr. Teeth, Floyd Pepper, Janice, Zoot and Animal) rock the house, shake the foundations and do both major and minor structural damage with their funky, heavy rockin’ musical sounds. And even though Animal has allegedly sworn off drumming in exchange for a more peaceful existence, Dr. Teeth, Floyd, Janice and Zoot have other ideas in mind for their legendary drummer—all of which lead to a seriously rockin’ rendition of “Rainbow Connection.”

Dr. Teeth highly recommends Disney’s “The Muppets.” “If you see only one movie,” he says, “this is absotively,

possolutely the one to see! And if you see two movies this year, I’d recommend goin’ to see this one twice. We need the gig, you dig?”

Janice agrees. “It will, like, help you achieve total inner grooviosity, fer sure.” To which saxophonist Zoot adds, “Huh?”

Floyd Pepper was chasing Animal and could not be reached for comment.

ACTION!Filmmakers Call on Hollywood Stars to Complement Muppet Cast

There are many advantages to shooting a movie in Southern California. “Horray for Hollywood,” says Kermit. “It was great to shoot so close to home. We saw so many friends…and put most of them in the movie.”

“The actors and celebrities who wanted to be a part of this experience were tremendous,” says producer Todd Lieberman. “There are going to be great surprises and many recognizable faces with really funny roles.”

Jason Segel topped the list of stars who wanted to work with the Muppets. Says Lieberman, “Jason was super passionate about the Muppets and a massive fan. He was the spark.”

The star was so passionate about the project, he not only helped write the script, he wrote a part for himself—a part that required him to sing, dance and act opposite some of the most iconic characters in the world. “In the finale of the movie there are 200 extras, 100 dancers and 50 Muppets,” says Segel. “It was very surreal and it happened to take place on my birthday. I walked out from my trailer thinking I was coming to film, and everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday,’ including the Muppets. I kept thinking, ‘I’ve tricked everyone. Somehow I’ve made this weird childhood dream come true.’ It was the craziest thing ever.”

— 10 —

Filmmakers called on Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and Rashida Jones to round out the main human cast. “Amy Adams plays Mary, Gary’s love interest,” says producer David Hoberman. “She’s a school shop teacher in Smalltown. We thought Amy was just a perfect Smalltown girl. She is also a Muppet fan.”

“I was really into the Muppet movies, the TV shows, the songs,” says Adams. “It’s like every kid’s dream—when you’re playing with your stuffed animals, you wish they’d come to life and talk to you. And now, the Muppets are real. It’s so great to have that physical presence in front of you.”

Cooper’s portrayal of villain Tex Richman will surprise audiences, say filmmakers. “Chris is a fantastic Oscar®-winning actor,” says director James Bobin. “He brings a great level of weight to the role and I really wanted the villain in this movie to feel like a genuine threat to the Muppets. It’s a difficult balance for Chris because he has to be the villain and have fun with it at the same time. He has moments of levity and moments of being serious.”

Cooper says he wanted to be in the film to showcase his hidden talents—and his affinity for his co-stars. “I wanted

to sing and dance in a film! And, of course, to act with the Muppets.”

Jones feels the same way. “I feel like I’m in really good company—I really do think the Muppets are timeless. And besides being with the Muppets, it’s just cool to be in a movie with Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Chris Cooper. Give me a break. That’s so cool!”

NO SMALL ‘FEET’Disney’s “The Muppets” Embraces Big-Music Roots

It’s time to play the music…it’s time to light the lights…

The Muppets have long been known for their big musical numbers, so filmmakers made sure that Disney’s “The Muppets” not only maintained the tradition but hit it out of the park. Both original songs and classic audience favorites are featured in the film, designed to maximize the fun and envelop audiences in the best of Muppet mayhem.

Bret McKenzie serves as music supervisor for Disney’s “The Muppets.” “I know Bret from ‘Flight of the Conchords,’ says director James Bobin. “We used to watch ‘The Muppet Show’ quite a lot when we were writing ‘The Conchords’ together. We’d watch ‘Mah Na Mah Na’ and ‘Hugga Wugga’ during breaks. In one of our ‘Conchords’ episodes, we even included a Muppets tribute. So we love the Muppets. We thought about songs from the previous movies and how that would feel now. We thought about Jason and Amy—Jason’s a good singer and has some moves, and Amy’s obviously a fantastic singer and dancer. The music is incredibly important because of the rich tradition of Muppet music.”

“Music was always an integral part of the original Muppet show and Muppet films,” adds McKenzie. “It’s hard to — 11 —

think of the Muppets without thinking of songs like ‘Rainbow Connection’ or ‘Mah Na Mah Na,’ or Animal smashing a drum. Kermit is probably the world’s most famous banjo player. I loved the original Muppets sound and I wanted this film to stay in that world. I tried to use as much banjo as possible.”

SCOREChristophe Beck was called on to create the score for Disney’s “The Muppets.” “My job is to help tell the story musically, providing a sort of emotional glue,” says Beck. “I had to pay special attention to blending the many styles of music so that it felt cohesive.”

Like McKenzie, Beck recognized the importance of music in Muppet history. “‘Rainbow Connection’ has essentially been synonymous with the Muppets since the first movie in 1979,” says the composer. “But there is a rich tradition of scores there too: Hans Zimmer and Michael Giacchino have scored Muppets movies. Part of the tradition is that the music takes the Muppet characters seriously, treating them like real people with real emotions and conflicts.”

Beck utilized a full orchestra to express the breadth of emotion on screen. “To give things more character, I featured some solo orchestra instruments I feel are typically underused—tuba, cimbasso, timpani and bass clarinet, among others. I also found spots to use nonorchestral instruments—Kermit plays the banjo, after all—to bring more personality into the music and make it feel more tailored to the Muppets.”

SONG AND DANCEMcKenzie penned the opening and finale song titled “Life’s a Happy Song,” performed by Jason Segel, Walter and Amy Adams. “I wrote this in New Zealand when I was in a particularly good mood,” says McKenzie. “I sat down at the piano and it came out very quickly. It’s a simple little song and James Bobin really liked it. He then asked me to make it into a gigantic musical number involving an entire town singing and dancing. That took the rest of the year. One of the highlights of the job was watching an orchestra play this song for the final score. I had, only a few months earlier, been sitting at home playing it on my piano and suddenly there was an entire orchestra playing my song. That was a magical moment.”

“‘Life’s a Happy Song’ starts off with Gary and Walter while they’re brushing their teeth,” says producer David Hoberman. “They make their way outside and into Smalltown, USA, along the way picking up people who sing and dance along with them—the butcher, the baker, the milkman, the flower-shop keeper—everybody gets involved. It’s one of those musical numbers that hearkens back to the old movie musicals of the ’50s.”

The film tapped 60 dancers for the opening musical performance, and veteran choreographer Michael Rooney, son of Hollywood film legend Mickey Rooney (who performs a cameo in the film), stepped in to work his magic. “Michael choreographed all the dance numbers,” says Hoberman. “He has amazing energy; he’s really creative and very nimble.”

Rooney says that the choreography came with its challenges as Muppets are typically shot from the waist up. “All my choreography had to be for them—Miss Piggy, Kermit, Walter and the rest—incorporating more of the hand [movements] above their waists because most of the footwork would not be seen.”

— 12 —

McKenzie also wrote a song called “Man or Muppet.” “It’s a power ballad that deals with a man/Muppet identity crisis,” he says. “We’ve all been there. I hammered it out on the piano, imagining I was Harry Nilsson or Eric Carmen.”

The music supervisor says the song required strong vocal performances from both Jason Segel and Walter. “Luckily, they did an amazing job,” says McKenzie, who also wrote a song with Ali Dee called “Let’s Talk About Me” for Chris Cooper. “Turns out he’s dangerous on the mic,” says McKenzie of the actor.

Not to be outdone, Amy Adams and Miss Piggy teamed up for a duet created by McKenzie called “Me Party.” “It needed to be sad but also up-tempo, so I came up with a party track for the lonely. I wrote this song sitting in a cafe, drinking iced teas and getting weird looks from the waitress when I did Miss Piggy impressions. Amy Adams did a great job of channeling her inner disco diva. Miss Piggy was predictably difficult to work with; I think she was dealing with some personal issues.”

Also featured in the film is the original song “Pictures In My Head,” performed by Kermit the Frog, Fozzie, Gonzo, Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and written by Jeannie Lurie, Aris Archontis and Chen Neeman. Andrew Bird is the writer/artist behind the song “The Whistling Caruso,” a song performed by newcomer Walter in the movie.

While the new songs are sure to please, no Muppet movie would be complete without some signature songs. Disney’s “The Muppets” features “Rainbow Connection,” written by Paul Williams and Kenny Asher, performed by Kermit the Frog and The Muppets, and, of course, “Mah Na Mah Na,” featuring Mahna Mahna and The Snowths. And, of course, a Muppet movie wouldn’t be complete without covering classic rock songs and contemporary favorites. The Muppet Barbershop Quartet has taken on Nirvana’s classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” while Camilla and the Chickens cluck their way through Cee Lo Green’s hit “Forget You.”

“The Muppets don’t sound like anyone else,” says McKenzie, “and that’s what’s great about them. It was a huge honor to work on the [film] and I took the job very seriously, even when I was recording a man pretending to be a penguin.”

“Life’s a Happy Song” returns for the film’s finale scene, which shut down Hollywood Boulevard for two evenings. “We had 80 dancers and 300 extras,” says Rooney. “It was huge, amazing and fabulous. I think the audience is really going to be blown away once they see it.”

Kermit agrees. “I love the finale,” he says. “It’s got everyone in it—Jason, Amy, Walter and all the Muppets. I don’t want to spoil the movie, but I think it’s a very happy ending.”

From Walt Disney Records, the soundtrack for Disney’s “The Muppets” hits stores and at online retailers Nov. 21, 2011, including:

• “The Muppet Show Theme”—The Muppets• “Life’s a Happy Song”—Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Walter• “Pictures in My Head”—Kermit, The Muppets• “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”—Paul Simon• “Rainbow Connection (Moopets Version)”—The Moopets

— 13 —

• “We Built This City”—Starship• “Me Party”—Miss Piggy, Amy Adams• “Let’s Talk About Me”—Chris Cooper, Nathan Pacheco• “Man or Muppet”—Jason Segel, Walter• ”Smells Like Teen Spirit”—The Muppet Barbershop Quartet: Rowlf, Beaker, Link Hogthrob and Sam Eagle• “Forget You”—Camilla and the Chickens• “Rainbow Connection”—The Muppets• “The Whistling Caruso”—Andrew Bird• “Life’s a Happy Song Finale”—Entire Cast• “Mah Na Mah Na”—Mahna Mahna and The Snowths

MAKING MAYHEMFilmmakers Tap Production Designer Steve Saklad to Create Muppet World

When A-listers Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest of the Muppets decided to return to the big screen after 12 years—much to the delight of their fans—filmmakers knew that the glitz and glamour of Hollywood would be the perfect setting for the film. Disney’s “The Muppets” shot on location in and around Los Angeles as well as at some legendary Hollywood landmarks, including Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Canter’s Deli, Greystone Mansion and Pink’s Hotdogs.

It’s not easy being green and it’s not easy creating the world of the Muppets either. Just ask production designer Steve Saklad. “We found that Muppets come to life in certain kinds of worlds and go flat in other kinds of worlds.”

Saklad did extensive research into the original set and props from “The Muppet Show.” “We arrived at an aesthetic that had a period sense to it even when we’re doing contemporary work,” he says. “We have this great sense of history in every scene.”

And when it comes to creating the backdrop for Muppets, color is key, says the production designer. “We have main actors who are green and blue and pink and orange, so we were able to step things up to a richer red, a richer gold, a richer lavender.”

The film begins at the home of Gary and Walter in Smalltown, USA. According to Saklad, their house has a retro feel to it but nothing era-specific was used to convey the idea that the film could be taking place at any point in time. Since the story revolves around a trip to Los Angeles, Saklad decorated Gary and Walter’s home with travel-themed rooms. There was airplane wallpaper in the bedroom, sailboat wallpaper in the bathroom, and a wide assortment of model airplanes, trains and rocket ships throughout their home. There were also several pictures on the walls dating back to their early childhood.

Saklad themed Smalltown with 1950s Norman Rockwell in mind, lining the streets with mom-and-pop shops, like a butcher shop, a flower shop, a drug store, plus a host of American flags. The old-school Americana theme extends to the props on shop teacher Mary’s desk. “When we first meet Mary in her school, there’s a row of 18 apples marching across her school desk—one for each of her students.”

Hollywood’s grittier surroundings are a far cry from Smalltown, but Saklad found the perfect location for Muppet — 14 —

Studios. “We actually shot at the Jim Henson Company headquarters on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, so it has this great history to it.”

The story called for a run-down look for Muppet Studios, so the set design incorporated rust, cobwebs and a lot of wear and tear. A sign at the entrance proclaims a series of tour attractions and their sad fates: Fozzie’s Joke Room, “Closed”; Gonzo’s Cannonade, “Closed for Repair”; Rowlf’s Music Parlor, “Under Renovation”; Dr. Honeydew’s Laboratory of Fun, “Out of Order.”

According to Saklad, Kermit’s office offers a glimpse back in time to his heyday. “It’s inspired by Brian Henson’s office,” says Saklad. “We also incorporated the 1915 Charlie Chaplin–era architecture.”

Saklad’s team mounted a collection of Kermit-inspired banjos on the wall as well as a treasure trove of Muppetabilia. A small exit door is seen within the desk alcove, modeled after the one actually found in Jim Henson’s office. A leaded monogram in the stained glass bay window reads “K F” for Kermit the Frog. Decorating the office are two well-worn megaphones from the Cecil B. DeMille era, a mini-tuxedo on a silent butler, Underwood typewriters, Rolodexes and a framed blowup of an antique postcard to remind Kermit of his swamp from the first Muppets movie.

The exterior of Kermit’s mansion was filmed at a private residence in Encino, while the interior of the mansion was filmed at the famous Greystone Mansion. Greystone, which is now in operation as a park in Beverly Hills, was once the home to the Doheny family, who coincidentally made their fortune in oil.

Miss Piggy’s Vogue Paris office was shot inside the Pink Palace mansion in Bel Air. Saklad’s team incorporated elaborate draperies and ornate furnishings.

One of the biggest and most important undertakings of the set design was recreating the Muppet Theater. Saklad studied images from “The Muppet Show” as well as iconic theaters on Broadway. The Muppet Theater was built into the original “Phantom of the Opera” theater set from the 1920s film, located on the Universal Studios lot. The set is now on the National Historic Register, so Saklad and his

team had to get approval to turn it into the Muppet Theater set.

The film’s big finale performance was shot on Hollywood Boulevard, just outside of the famous El Capitan Theatre. Coincidentally, part of the scene was shot under a lamppost banner with a picture of a grinning Jim Henson looking down onto the street below. Says executive producer Martin G. Baker, “I feel there’s a little bit of Jim in a lot of us, and somehow collectively, we’re able to keep the spirit of what the Muppets are all about.”.

MUPPET COUTURECostume Designer Rahel Afiley Dresses Muppets, Men (and Everything in Between)

When it came to costumes for the Muppets, costume designer Rahel Afiley had her work cut out for her. “The biggest challenge was proportion of the Muppet body,” says Afiley. “Even if you design something that looks good on a person, it doesn’t mean it will look good on a Muppet. You have to keep in mind how much detail there is in the outfit, because if you have too much, it just takes over. If you have too little or if it’s below the waist, the detail is lost since the Muppets are only shown from the waist up.”

— 15 —

According to Afiley, fabric selection is critical in designing costumes for the Muppets. Lightweight fabrics aid in the ease of maneuverability of the Muppets. The costume designer also considered how each fabric would lay on the Muppet’s felt “skin.” And though cost was certainly a consideration, the needs of the scene were always top of mind. “We didn’t skimp on the quality of the fabric,” she says. “Miss Piggy has a jacket made of cashmere that cost 300 dollars a yard.”

True to her character, Miss Piggy was the biggest wardrobe challenge due to the quantity of costumes she required as well as her role as editor of Vogue Paris. Says Afiley, “James [Bobin] and I are not really into trends. We both love classic looks, and it was really important to us to bring Piggy back to how she was in the early Muppets.

“If you watch old movies,” Afiley continues, “you can take an outfit worn by someone like Audrey Hepburn that could easily be worn on the red carpet today. That was my inspiration for Miss Piggy’s fashions.”

To dress a fashionista like Miss Piggy, Afiley called on notable designers like Christian Louboutin, who designed a pair of glitter platform stiletto heels complete with the Louboutin signature red bottom. “We sent him a picture of the potential outfit the shoes would be worn with and he designed a custom creation based on that,” says Afiley.

Zac Posen was also tapped, designing a signature dress for the diva. Says Afiley, “I felt it should be a vintage-inspired gown.” The result? A spectacular Posen-designed gown in lavender that was used in the film’s finale.

Miss Piggy wasn’t the only Muppet who captured the attention of the fashion world. Kermit was dressed by the high-class men’s fashion house Brooks Brothers, which was already involved in the film—providing much of Chris Cooper’s wardrobe as well as tuxedos for other cast members. The Brooks Brothers design was worn by Kermit in the scene when he and Piggy walk the streets of Paris together.

Walter proved a fun challenge for the costume designer. The first task was to establish the newest Muppet’s character, and Bobin was convinced a powder-blue suit would do the trick, says Afiley. “Walter is like a proper little man, and James felt that the powder-blue suit represented this manly personality.” Brother Gary donned a similar suit for the film’s early travel scene, which helped showcase their attachment to each other.

Afiley had a clear vision for costumes for both Amy Adams and Jason Segel: timeless and classic. Because Segel is so tall, vintage clothes were hard to find for him because they tend to run small. “We literally went from thrift store to thrift store looking for his clothes,” says Afiley. While Gary’s character goes through an evolution in film, so did his

— 16 —

attire. “He kind of grows up and evolves,” says the costume designer. “He transforms into a more mature person and we tried to reflect that in his wardrobe.”

According to Afiley, small-town girl Mary had to have clothing that wasn’t too trendy. “In the opening number, I wanted Amy to stand out and, because it was such a happy number, I wanted her outfit to reflect that. The yellow skirt was definitely a strategic choice to represent the happy world she came from.”

Mary’s wardrobe was to reflect her positive attitude across the board. The catch? Afiley was assembling the wardrobe during autumn months. “Everything in the stores was black, brown and gray,” says Afiley, “so we decided to go the vintage route. I designed all of her dresses with a vintage inspiration and then we found vintage fabric.” And like Gary, Mary’s character evolution inspired her wardrobe, says Afiley, who dressed the actress in a sophisticated look for the finale.

MUPPETS THEN AND NOWThe History Behind the Mayhem

Since “The Muppet Show” began in 1976, the Muppets have been embraced by audiences worldwide. What began with a single appearance from an unknown frog puppet became a global phenomenon that is still going strong 35 years later.

Early Muppet appearances date back to the mid-1950s, when a primitive version of Kermit the Frog began the American sensation by appearing on “Afternoon, Footlight Theater” and “Sam and Friends” in 1955. A year later, a revised version of Kermit appeared on national television on “The Steve Allen Show.”

Later, Rowlf the Dog was created for a Purina Dog Chow ad in 1962 and then began making regular appearances on “The Jimmy Dean Show” in 1963. Gonzo was next with his first appearance in “The Great Santa Claus Switch” as the “Cigar Box Frackle” in 1970, later appearing as the Gonzo we know today on “The Muppet Show” in 1976.

Throughout the 1960s, Muppets also made appearances on dozens of nationally broadcast variety shows including “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Their first international exposure came on Canadian television with the airing of the special “Hey Cinderella!” in 1970. By 1971, the Muppets could be seen on U.K. variety shows, such as those hosted by Tom Jones and Julie Andrews, before making their way to Germany for “The Peter Alexander Show” in 1975.

The first pilot of what would become “The Muppet Show” aired on January 30,1974, and was titled “The Muppets Valentine Show.” After that the characters of Fozzie Bear, Statler & Waldorf, Sam Eagle, Swedish Chef and The Electric Mayhem Band (featuring Dr. Teeth, Animal, Janice, Floyd and Zoot) were created for the second original pilot titled “The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence.” The show aired on March 19, 1975, and contrary to the scandalous name, the premise of “The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence” was to parody the rise of sex and violence on television with the Muppets performing a pageant based on the seven deadly sins. “The Muppet Show” as we know it officially began in

1976 and was well-received internationally, going on to broadcast in more than 100 countries. The show was in first-run syndication from 1976-1981 on CBS affiliates domestically as well as numerous outlets globally. At its peak “The

— 17 —

Muppet Show” was seen by more than 235 million people.

During its run “The Muppet Show” received countless awards, including three Emmys®, and featured guest appearances from the most prominent actors, musicians and public figures of its time. “To me, ‘The Muppet Show’ in that era was a little bit like ‘American Idol’ of the current era,” says executive producer Martin G. Baker. “The day after a new episode, everyone was talking about ‘The Muppet Show.’ It was front-page news: Who was the guest star this week? Who’s coming up next week? It was one of those things everybody talked about.”

After 1981, “The Muppet Show” was repackaged for syndication, airing on various networks, including TNT from 1988-1992, Nickelodeon from 1994-1999 and Odyssey from 1999-2000. With the success of “The Muppet Show,” the Muppets branched out to the big screen, releasing their first feature film, “The Muppet Movie,” in 1979. The film starred a myriad of actors, including Bob Hope, Cloris Leachman, Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Richard Pryor and Paul Williams. This impressive list of celebrity cast and cameos became the hallmark of all Muppet films, five of which followed, including “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981), “The Muppets Take Manhattan” (1984), “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992), “Muppet Treasure Island” (1996) and “Muppets From Space” (1999). All six films have signature soundtracks that received countless awards, including an Academy Award® nomination for Best Song for “Rainbow Connection” and Best Original Score for “The Muppet Movie.”

In addition to feature films, Muppet mania continued long after “The Muppet Show” went off the air. Many television specials and documentaries featuring the classic Muppet characters have been produced, as well as arena shows of both “The Muppet Show” and “Muppet Babies,” which toured domestically from 1984-1989. Muppet Magazine was published from 1983-1988 and “The Muppets” comic strip was syndicated in U.S. newspapers from the early to mid 1980s. Museum exhibits (“The Art of The Muppets,” “The World of Jim Henson: Muppets, Monsters & Magic,” “The Vision of Jim Henson” and others) featuring Muppet characters toured domestically and internationally from 1980-2001.

Multiple record albums for “The Muppet Show,” “Muppet Babies” and all of the Muppet movies have been released worldwide. Hundreds of Muppet books have also been published around the world since 1976.

Throughout the years the Muppets have also produced numerous public service announcements and have acted as spokespeople for many causes both domestically and internationally, ranging from The National Wildlife Federation, UNICEF and the American Film Institute, to the University of Maryland, the American Library Association and the Better World Society. Kermit regularly appears as a giant balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City.

The Muppets once again reinvented themselves by creating viral videos of the gang performing popular songs. Their first video for “Ode to Joy,” performed by Beaker, appeared on various video-sharing websites in 2008 and received more than 14 million views on YouTube. Their second video, for Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” came out Thanksgiving week in 2009 and received more than 23 million views on YouTube. The video also garnered a People’s Choice Webby Award.

— 18 —

“The Muppets are just your average, everyday dysfunctional family: loud, crazy, odd, silly…total chaos all the time. But that’s okay, because when you get right down to it, we really do care about each other. We believe in each other, and we help make all our dreams come true. And that’s what really matters. Besides, I kinda like weird.”

—Kermit the Frog

ABOUT THE TALENT

JASON SEGEL (Gary/Written by/Executive Producer) first gained wide attention for his role as Jason in Judd Apatow’s hit comedy “Knocked Up.” He subsequently wrote the screenplay, and starred as Peter, for director Nicholas Stoller’s “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” He also served as co-producer and received a writing credit on that film’s sequel, “Get Him to the Greek.”

Segel’s other feature-film acting credits include “Bad Teacher,” “Gulliver’s Travels” and “I Love You, Man.” In addition he provided the voice for Vector in the animated hit “Despicable Me.”

He will soon be seen in “Jeff Who Lives at Home” as well as “The Five-Year Engagement” (for which he and Nicholas Stoller also wrote the screenplay), opposite Emily Blunt.

On television Segel currently stars as Marshall opposite Alyson Hannigan, Josh Radnor and Neil Patrick Harris, on the hit CBS comedy series “How I Met Your Mother.” He had a recurring role as Eric on the Fox series “Undeclared,” produced by Judd Apatow. He also portrayed Nick Andopolis, a lanky, fun-loving freak dreaming of stardom as a rock-and-roll drummer on Apatow’s Emmy® Award–nominated NBC series “Freaks and Geeks.”

Segel was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he continues to reside.

WALTER (Walter) makes his big-screen debut in Disney’s “The Muppets” as the world’s biggest Muppet fan, a role befitting the world’s… biggest… Muppet… fan. Previous entertainment experience includes, well, nothing—but Walter feels that Disney’s “The Muppets” is his launching pad to fame and fortune… or at least free popcorn at the premiere.

AMY ADAMS (Mary) has been nominated three times for the Academy Award®. Recently, she was seen in David O. Russell’s “The Fighter” opposite Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, in which she plays Charlene, a tough bartender from Massachusetts who begins dating boxer “Irish” Micky Ward (Wahlberg). The film revolves around Ward and trainer-brother Dicky Eklund (Bale), chronicling their early days in Massachusetts, through Eklund’s battle with drugs and Ward’s eventual world championship in London. Adams’ role garnered her a Golden Globe®, SAG and BAFTA nominations as well as her third Oscar® nomination in five years.

Adams will next be seen in “On the Road” opposite Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Stewart. Walter Salles is directing the adaptation of the novel by Jack Kerouac.

Adams recently wrapped production on Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix. She plays Mary Sue Dodd, the wife of Hoffman’s character, a man who returns from witnessing the horror of World War II and, in an attempt to find himself, forms a belief system that catches on in the 1950s. The film is scheduled to be released in 2012.

— 19 —

Adams will soon begin production on Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel,” the “Superman” reboot for Warner Bros., in which she will play Lois Lane. The film also stars Henry Cavill as Superman and Diane Lane, Kevin Costner and Michael Shannon.

Adams starred in Nora Ephron’s “Julie & Julia,” reuniting with co-star Meryl Streep, having previously starred opposite Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman in John Patrick Shanley’s Oscar®-nominated film “Doubt,” which earned Adams her second Academy Award® nomination.

Adams starred in Kevin Lima’s “Enchanted” opposite Patrick Dempsey and Susan Sarandon. “Enchanted” is a romantic fable that mixes live action with CG animation for Disney. The film earned her a Golden Globe® nomination for Best Actress.

For her role in Phil Morrison’s “Junebug” in 2005, Adams earned her first Academy Award® and SAG Award® nominations. She won an Independent Spirit Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, National Society of Film Critics Award, a San Francisco Film Critics Society Award, and the Breakthrough Gotham Award. Adams also won the Special Jury Prize for Acting at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival for her role as the pregnant, childlike Ashley, who is awestruck by the arrival of her glamorous sister-in-law.

Adams’ other film credits include Shawn Levy’s “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” opposite Ben Stiller; Christine Jeffs and Karen Moncrieff’s critically acclaimed “Sunshine Cleaning” opposite Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin; Mike Nichols’ “Charlie Wilson’s War” opposite Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman; Bharat Nalluri’s “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” opposite Frances McDormand; and Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me if You Can” with Leonardo DiCaprio.

KERMIT THE FROG (Kermit the Frog) returns to the big screen in 2011 in Disney’s “The Muppets.” With 56 years in show business he boasts countless credits in television, in film, on stage and online, including the recent hit viral videos featuring the Muppets’ take on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2009) and “Ode to Joy” (2008)—both Webby winners (an award very dear to Kermit’s heart and feet). He has been honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2002), and his song “Rainbow Connection” was nominated for an Academy Award® and a Golden Globe® in 1979. Kermit has appeared many times in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. He received the Key to the City from Kermit, Texas, in 2005 and holds an honorary Doctorate of Amphibious Letters from the Southampton College at Long Island University. He was the first amphibian to address the prestigious Oxford Union at Oxford University.

Kermit’s film credits include “The Muppet Movie” (1979), “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981), “The Muppets Take Manhattan” (1984), “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992), “Muppet Treasure Island” (1996) and “Muppets From Space” (1999). He’s also had starring roles in the TV films “Muppets’ Wizard of Oz” (2005) and “A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa.” In addition to hosting and starring in the international hit phenomenon “The Muppet Show,” which ran from 1976-1981, Kermit’s small-screen credits include “Muppets Tonight.” He has appeared on a host of variety shows, including “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” “The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson,” “Today” and “Late Night With Conan O’Brien.” Kermit has also been a guest on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and “Saturday Night Live,” among many others. Kermit’s memoirs—“Look Before You Leap: A Frog’s Eye View of Life’s Greatest Lessons”—were published in 2006.

Kermit resides in a swamp, where he maintains a bachelor pad.

— 20 —

CHRIS COOPER (Tex Richman) received an Academy Award® and a Golden Globe® for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of John Laroche in “Adaptation.” He also received awards from the Broadcast Film Critics, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and Toronto Film Critics Association for this performance.

Most recently, Cooper was seen in “The Company Men,” “The Tempest,” “The Town,” “Remember Me” and “New York, I Love You.” He also voiced the role of Douglas in the big-screen adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story “Where the Wild Things Are.”

Among Cooper’s other feature-film credits are “The Kingdom,” “Married Life,” “Breach,” “Capote,” “Jarhead,” “Syriana,” “Silver City,” “Seabiscuit” (for which he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award®), “The Bourne Identity,” “The Bourne Supremacy,” “The Patriot” and the comedy “Me, Myself and Irene.” Cooper received a Screen Actors Guild Award for his supporting performance alongside Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening in DreamWorks Pictures’ Academy Award®–winning film “American Beauty.” He also starred in “October Sky,” “The Horse Whisperer,” “Great Expectations,” “A Time to Kill,” “Money Train,” “This Boy’s Life,” “Guilty by Suspicion” and “City of Hope.” He earned a Best Actor nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards for his work in John Sayles’ “Lone Star.” He made his feature-film debut in Sayles’ “Matewan.”

On television Cooper has had roles in a number of long-form projects, including the miniseries “Lonesome Dove” and “Return to Lonesome Dove.” He starred in HBO’s “Breast Men” and includes among his other credits “Alone,” “One More Mountain,” “Ned Blessing,” “Bed of Lies,” “Darrow,” “In Broad Daylight,” “A Little Piece of Sunshine,” “Law and Order” and “Journey to Genius.” He was nominated for an Emmy® Award for his supporting performance in the HBO film “My House in Umbria,” starring Maggie Smith.

Born in Kansas City, Mo., Cooper attended the University of Missouri School of Drama and started his professional career on the New York stage. His theater credits include “Of the Fields Lately” on Broadway and “The Ballad of Soapy Smith” and “A Different Moon” off-Broadway.

Cooper resides in Massachusetts with his wife.

MISS PIGGY (Miss Piggy) makes her long-awaited and much-sought-after return to the big screen in 2011 in Disney’s “The Muppets.” The larger-than-life star of television, film, stage, the Web and all media known and unknown throughout the universe has been dominating show business since her initial public appearance in the chorus on “The Herb Alpert Special” in 1974.

She appeared as 1st Sow in the “Return to the Planet of the Pigs” sketch on “The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence” in 1975 (which was, in effect, the pilot for “The Muppet Show”). But her unforgettable breakout performance came during the musical number “Temptation” on the very first episode of “The Muppet Show.” Miss Piggy started as a chorus pig and came back a star…who wouldn’t let go of Kermit. The rest is history.

Miss Piggy’s film credits include “The Muppet Movie” (1979), “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981), “The Muppets Take Manhattan” (1984), “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992), “Muppet Treasure Island” (1996) and “Muppets From Space” (1999). She’s also had starring roles in the TV films “Muppets’ Wizard of Oz” (2005) and “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa.” In addition to her star-making turn in “The Muppet Show,” which ran from 1976-1981, Miss Piggy’s television credits include “Muppets Tonight” as well as the blockbuster TV specials “Miss Piggy’s Hollywood” and “The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show.” She has appeared on every talk show worth talking about, including “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” “Live With Regis and Kelly,” “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” “The View” and “Today,” among others. Piggy has also been featured on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Dancing With the Stars” and “America’s

— 21 —

Got Talent,” among other notable programs lucky enough to land her talents. She stars in a veritable cornucopia of videos and captivated audiences worldwide with her appearance in the recent Webby-winning Muppet viral-video performance of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2009). She has graced the covers of magazines around the world and appeared on the 68th Annual Academy Awards® as a presenter. She is still (impatiently) awaiting her first nomination.

Piggy’s book “Miss Piggy’s Guide to Life” was a national best-seller. And she recently followed up this success with her wildly popular book “The Diva Code: Miss Piggy on Life, Love, and the 10,000 Idiotic Things Men Frogs Do.”

FOZZIE BEAR (Fozzie Bear) is baaaack! The world’s funniest bear lands a starring role in this year’s Disney’s “The Muppets.” Known for his uproarious comedy routine (Wocka Wocka!) and admired for his fashionably rumpled pork pie hat and trusty rubber chicken, Fozzie made his first appearance on “The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence” in 1975 and went on to star in “The Muppet Show” TV series, which ran for five seasons. As Kermit’s best buddy and second banana, Fozzie Bear keeps the show going with his anything-goes, “a-little-song, a-little-dance, a-little-seltzer-down-your-pants” comedy stylings. And while his jokes may be un-bear-able, this bear is all heart.

Fozzie’s film credits include “The Muppet Movie” (1979), “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981), “The Muppets Take Manhattan” (1984), “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992), “Muppet Treasure Island” (1996) and “Muppets from Space” (1999). He appeared in the Emmy® Award–winning TV series “Muppets Tonight” and in the TV films “Muppets’ Wizard of Oz” (2005) and “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa.” His television credits also include appearances on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “The View,” “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Studio DC: Almost Live” and “Saturday Night Live.”

Fozzie Bear’s longtime writer is the obscure yet legendary Gags Beasley. Fozzie continues to fight a never-ending battle for laughs, chuckles and guffaws with his two most ardent and unruly critics, Statler and Waldorf—better known as those two old guys in the balcony.

RASHIDA JONES (CDE Executive) has two additional films opening this year: “Our Idiot Brother” with Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks and Zooey Deschanel, and “The Big Year,” with Owen Wilson, Steve Martin and Jack Black. In addition she recently appeared in a cameo in the hit comedy “Friends With Benefits,” with Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.

Last year, she starred with Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake in Columbia Pictures’ critically acclaimed and award-winning film “The Social Network.” Jones also starred in Adam Shapiro’s relationship drama “Monogamy” opposite Chris Messina, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it won Best New York Narrative. Her other film credits include “I Love You, Man” and “Little Black Book.”

Recently recognized as one of Variety’s Screenwriters to Watch, Jones starred in “Celeste and Jesse Forever,” which was filmed from her own original screenplay with writing partner Will McCormack. The film focuses on a young couple in the midst of a divorce who attempt to maintain their friendship while pursuing new relationships. In addition Jones recently sold “Frenemy of the State” to Universal Pictures, a script from a comic book that she created and wrote.

On television Jones can currently be seen on NBC’s Emmy® Award–nominated “Parks and Recreation.” She caught the attention of audiences and the industry alike when she portrayed the ambitious saleswoman Karen Filippelli in NBC’s Emmy® Award–winning comedy “The Office.” She also starred on “Unhitched,” “Boston Public,” “Wanted,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “If These Walls Could Talk II,” “The Chappelle Show” and the British television series “NY-LON.”

— 22 —

Jones was also a weekly correspondent on the talk show “Vibe TV.”

A graduate from Harvard University, Jones appeared in several plays there, including “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf,” “Dancing at Lughnasa,” “The Odd Couple (Female Version)” and “H.M.S. Pinafore.” She also appeared in “Pitching to the Star” with Peggy Lipton at the Lee Strasberg Theatre. Jones currently resides in Los Angeles.

GONZO THE GREAT (The Great Gonzo) hits the big screen (literally and figuratively) again in 2011 in Disney’s “The Muppets.” Gonzo first exploded onto the show-business scene in 1970 as Cigar Box Frackle in “The Great Santa Claus Switch.” He also made a 1974 appearance on “The Herb Alpert Special.” But the Gonzo whom today’s audiences know and love first appeared in 1976 on “The Muppet Show,” the highly lauded series that ran for five seasons. Gonzo’s striking good looks—his bluish hue, his purple feathered head and his distinctive nose—landed him the long-running gag that capped the show’s opening song, in which Gonzo and his trumpet did any number of things (besides hitting the right note).

As a daredevil who defies gravity—and the odds—Gonzo shot to stardom, thanks to his fearless, reckless, senseless stunts. An experienced catapulter, a skilled jouster, a bowling-ball technician, a motorcycle maven and a world-record-setting bog-snorkeler, Gonzo is without peers…thank goodness.

Gonzo’s big-screen credits include “The Muppet Movie” (1979), “The Great Muppet Caper” (1981), “The Muppets Take Manhattan” (1984), “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992) as Charles Dickens, “Muppet Treasure Island” (1996) and “Muppets From Space” (1999). He also appeared in the Emmy® Award–winning TV series “Muppets Tonight” and in TV films “Muppets’ Wizard of Oz” (2005) and “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa.” His television credits also include a host of appearances, including “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” “Studio DC: Almost Live” and “Saturday Night Live.”

On a personal note Gonzo is a lover of all things chicken—especially a particularly pretty poultry named Camilla. The two have been romantically linked for many years.

ABOUT THE CAMEOS

ALAN ARKIN’s many credits on stage, screen and TV include “Little Miss Sunshine,” for which he won the Academy Award®, “Catch 22” and the upcoming “Argo.”

JAMES CARVILLE, a prominent liberal pundit and frequent TV commentator, served as lead strategist for Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign.

DONALD GLOVER’s recent credits include TV’s “Community” and “30 Rock,” for which he also served as a writer.

LESLIE FEIST is a Canadian singer/songwriter whose multi-platinum album “The Reminder” earned four Grammy® nominations. Her latest critically acclaimed album, “Metals,” was released October 4, 2011.

KEN JEONG stars in TV’s “Community” and has a host of film credits, including “The Hangover,” “The Hangover Part II” and “Transformers: Dark of the Moon.”

— 23 —

JUDD HIRSCH is the star of TV series such as the recent “Damages” as well as “Numb3rs” and the iconic “Taxi.” Recent features include “This Must Be the Place,” which starred Sean Penn and played at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and “Tower Heist” (October 2011).

RICO RODRIGUEZ stars in the hit ABC TV series “Modern Family.”

KRISTEN SCHAAL provides the voice of Trixie the dinosaur in “Toy Story 3.” Other voice credits include “Shrek 3” and the TV series “Bob’s Burgers.” She has also appeared in numerous features and TV series including “Dinner for Schmucks,” “Flight of the Conchords” and the upcoming feature “Butter.” She is a frequent contributor on “The Daily Show.”

EDDIE “PIOLÍN” SOTELO is the host of the popular Spanish morning show “Piolín por la Mañana,” which is syndicated on 57 stations from coast to coast in the U.S.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

JAMES BOBIN (Director) is a British director and producer and one of the most inventive comedic writers in television. He created, wrote and executive-produced the hit series “Flight of the Conchords” for HBO and played a key role in making it one of Time magazine’s top five new television series in 2007. The show garnered seven Emmy® nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series. For his work on “Flight of the Conchords,” Bobin received back-to-back nominations for Outstanding Directing and Writing as well as a Writers Guild Award nomination.

In 2000, Bobin created, wrote and directed “Da Ali G Show” for Channel 4 in England and devised the show’s iconic characterizations Ali G, Borat Sagdiyev and Bruno (all played by Sacha Baron Cohen). He was the driving force in bringing the critically acclaimed series to the United States and was nominated twice by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for both Outstanding Directing and Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program.

Born in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, Bobin graduated from Oxford University and went on to work at the BBC series “Fantasy Football League,” where he directed two seasons of the hit program. He then went on to produce and direct two seasons of “The 11 O’Clock Show” for Channel 4 in England, which is where he met Cohen and was nominated for a BAFTA Television Award. In 2000, he wrote and directed “Thumb Candy,” the first-ever documentary for Channel 4 in England about the history of video games.

Bobin currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Francesca; daughter, Madelaine; and son, Jack.

DAVID HOBERMAN (Producer) is the founder and partner of Mandeville Films and Television. He is one of the leading producers in the entertainment industry today, having made his mark on more than 100 movies.

Since its founding in 1995, Mandeville Films has produced feature films that have grossed well over $1 billion in domestic box office receipts. Most recently, Mandeville partners David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman produced the critically hailed Academy Award®–nominated feature “The Fighter,” starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams, directed by David O. Russell. Produced for $25 million, the film has grossed over $125 million worldwide and earned a host of awards, including Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Bale and Leo.

Mandeville also produced the hit romantic comedy “The Proposal,” starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. “The — 24 —

Proposal” was the highest-grossing romantic comedy of 2009, earning over $317 million worldwide. The company also produced the acclaimed and gritty network-television series “Detroit 1-8-7,” starring Michael Imperioli, set in and filmed in Detroit. These and many other popular films and television shows make Mandeville Films among the most profitable and respected production labels in the entertainment industry. Mandeville has over 20 projects in various stages of development or production. Mandeville is going into its ninth year of its first-look deal with Disney.

Upcoming for Mandeville is “Jungle Cruise,” based on the iconic Disney ride, to star Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in their first live-action pairing since the “Toy Story” movies. Roger Schulman (“Shrek”) is writing the script and Disney will distribute. Also in the works are feature films based on the Top Cow comic books “Crosshair” and “Alibi,” to be released by Summit Entertainment, and “21 and Over,” a broad comedy to be written and directed by “The Hangover” screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. Relativity Media will produce along with Mandeville and will release the picture.

Hoberman founded Mandeville Films in 1995 and signed a five-year first-look pact with the Walt Disney Studios. Under the aegis of this Mandeville/Disney relationship, Hoberman produced “The Negotiator,” “George of the Jungle,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Senseless,” “The Other Sister,” “Mr. Wrong” and “The Sixth Man.”

In 1999, Hoberman utilized Hyde Park Entertainment’s financing capabilities and co-financed and produced “Anti-Trust,” “What’s the Worse That Could Happen?” and “Bandits,” all for MGM. During this time Hoberman also began working with Todd Lieberman, who was senior vice president of international finance and production for Hyde Park Entertainment.

In 2002, Hoberman signed a first-look deal for Mandeville at the Walt Disney Studios with Lieberman. Two years later, Lieberman became a co-partner in the company.

In 2003, Mandeville produced the box-office hits “Bringing Down the House,” starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah, “Raising Helen,” starring Kate Hudson and directed by Garry Marshall, and “Walking Tall,” starring Dwayne Johnson, at MGM. In 2005, Mandeville released “Beauty Shop,” starring Queen Latifah, Djimon Hounsou, Kevin Bacon and Alicia Silverstone.

In 2006, Mandeville produced the arctic adventure “Eight Below,” starring Paul Walker and “The Shaggy Dog,” starring Tim Allen, Robert Downey Jr. and Kristin Davis and directed by Brian Robbins. “Kill Point,” a TV series starring John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg, premiered in summer 2007 for Spike TV. In 2008, Mandeville released the popular family adventure film “Beverly Hills Chihuahua,” directed by Raja Gosnell and starring Piper Perabo and the voices of Drew Barrymore, Andy Garcia and George Lopez, and the international spy thriller “Traitor,” starring Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce. Mandeville also produced the sci-fi thriller “Surrogates,” starring Bruce Willis.

The company also created the award-winning “Monk,” a one-hour series for USA Network. Executive-produced by Mandeville, “Monk” aired for eight seasons.

Prior to forming Mandeville Films, Hoberman served as president of the Motion Picture Group of the Walt Disney Studios, where he was responsible for overseeing development and production for all feature films for Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures. During Hoberman’s tenure Disney was often the No. 1 studio in domestic box office grosses. In 1990, “Pretty Woman,” supervised by Hoberman, was the No. 1–grossing film of the year, and its soundtrack was the top-selling soundtrack of the year. Hoberman was also behind the releasing of major blockbusters, including “Father of the Bride,” “What About Bob?” “Dead Poets Society,” “Crimson Tide,” “The Jungle Book,” “Ed Wood,” “Dangerous Minds,” “Ruthless People,” “Beaches,” “The Rocketeer,” “The Doctor,” “Sister Act,” “Alive,” “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “Cool Runnings,” “The Three Musketeers,” “Tin Men,” “Stakeout,” “When

— 25 —

a Man Loves a Woman,” “Three Men and a Baby” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.” While an executive at Disney, Hoberman championed the first-ever full-length stop-motion animation feature, Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Hoberman started his career working in the mailroom at ABC and quickly ascended in the entertainment business, working for Norman Lear’s Tandem/T.A.T. in television and film. He worked as a talent agent at ICM before joining Disney in 1985.

Today, Hoberman is an associate professor at UCLA’s Graduate School in the Producers Program. He sat on the board of the Starlight Starbright Foundation for more than 10 years, is a member of the Board of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America and sat on the Board of the Los Angeles Free Clinic for six years.

Hoberman is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

TODD LIEBERMAN (Producer) is a partner at Mandeville Films and Television where he is one of the leading producers in the entertainment industry today.

Since its founding in 1995, Mandeville Films has produced feature films that have grossed more than $1 billion in domestic box office receipts. Most recently, Mandeville partners David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman produced the critically hailed Academy Award®–nominated feature “The Fighter,” starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams, directed by David O. Russell. Produced for $25 million, the film has grossed over $125 million worldwide and earned a host of awards, including Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Actress Awards for Bale and Leo.

Mandeville also produced the hit romantic comedy “The Proposal,” starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. “The Proposal” was the highest-grossing romantic comedy of 2009, earning more than $317 million worldwide. It was the People’s Choice Award winner for Best Comedy of the year. The company also produced the acclaimed and gritty network-television series “Detroit 1-8-7,” starring Michael Imperioli, set in and filmed in Detroit. These and many other popular films and television shows make Mandeville Films among the most profitable and respected production labels in the entertainment industry. Mandeville has more than 20 projects in various stages of development or production. Mandeville is going into its ninth year of its first-look deal with Disney.

Upcoming for Mandeville is “Jungle Cruise,” based on the iconic Disney ride, to star Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in their first live-action pairing since the “Toy Story” movies. Roger Schulman (“Shrek”) is writing the script and Disney will distribute. Also in the works are feature films based on the Top Cow comic books “Crosshair” and “Alibi,” to be released by Summit Entertainment, and “21 and Over,” a broad comedy to be written and directed by “The Hangover” screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. Relativity Media will produce along with Mandeville and will release the picture.

Also produced by Lieberman are “Wild Hogs,” starring Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy (the film generated more than $168 million in domestic box office); “Surrogates,” starring Bruce Willis; “Traitor,” starring Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce; “The Lazarus Project,” starring Paul Walker; and Spike TV’s hit show “The Kill Point,” starring John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg.

Lieberman also executive-produced “The Shaggy Dog,” with Tim Allen, Robert Downey Jr. and Kristin Davis, directed by Brian Robbins; “Eight Below,” starring Paul Walker and directed by Frank Marshall; and the independent political

— 26 —

thriller “Five Fingers,” written by Laurence Malkin and Chad Thumann, directed by Malkin and starring Laurence Fishburne and Ryan Phillippe.

Additionally, Lieberman executive-produced “Beauty Shop,” starring Queen Latifah, Djimon Hounsou, Kevin Bacon and Alicia Silverstone, and Jeff Nathanson’s directorial debut “The Last Shot,” starring Matthew Broderick and Alec Baldwin. He co-produced “Bringing Down the House,” starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah (which grossed $135 million in domestic box office) and “Raising Helen,” starring Kate Hudson and directed by Garry Marshall.

Lieberman joined David Hoberman at Mandeville in 1999 and became a co-partner in the company in 2004.

Prior to joining Mandeville, Lieberman acted as senior vice president for the international finance and production company Hyde Park Entertainment, which produced and co-financed such films as “Anti-Trust,” “Bandits” and “Moonlight Mile.”

Lieberman established himself at international sales and distribution giant Summit Entertainment, where he moved quickly up the ranks after pushing indie sensation “Memento” into production and acquiring the Universal box-office smash “American Pie.”

In 2001, Lieberman was named one of the “35 under 35” people to watch in the business by The Hollywood Reporter. He holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.

NICHOLAS STOLLER (Written by/Executive Producer) recently wrapped production on “The Five-Year Engagement,” which he wrote with Jason Segel. Apatow Productions produced the picture, which is about the ups and downs of a man’s five-year engagement with his fiancée. Stoller has also been signed to write the film “Stretch Armstrong” for Universal. The film, to be directed by Rob Letterman and be produced by and star Taylor Lautner, is based on the popular Hasbro toy.

Stoller most recently released his second feature, “Get Him to the Greek,” which he both wrote and directed. Jonah Hill and Russell Brand reprised their “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” roles (which Stoller also directed). In addition he wrote the screenplay for the modern reimagining of “Gulliver’s Travels,” starring Jack Black and Emily Blunt. His other feature writing credits include the smash hit “Yes Man,” starring Jim Carrey as a man who turns his life around by saying “yes” to every opportunity.

For television Stoller wrote for Judd Apatow’s celebrated Fox television comedy series “Undeclared.” He made the transition to screenwriting doing rewrites on numerous projects and co-writing, with Apatow, the Jim Carrey feature “Fun With Dick and Jane.”

A Harvard alumnus who wrote for the Harvard Lampoon, Stoller was born in London, England, and raised in Miami. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Francesca, and their daughter, Penelope.

After graduating with an MBA degree from Pepperdine University, JOHN G. SCOTTI (Executive Producer) began his career in production at NBC Studios as a production assistant and continued to work his way up the ranks. Currently, he is member of the Directors Guild of America and a founding member of the DGA’s Political Action Committee.

Throughout his career he has worked on numerous television shows, most notably “The Fugitive,” “Without a Trace” and “Supernatural,” on which he worked as first assistant director.

— 27 —

Scotti also has an impressive film roster working as second assistant director, then first assistant director, unit production manager and, now, producer. He has worked on numerous blockbuster hits, including “Bad Boys II,” “The Rock,” “Wayne’s World” and “Maverick,” among many others. In addition to Disney’s “The Muppets,” Scotti’s producing credits include “The Incredible Hulk,” “Wild Hogs,” “Herbie Fully Loaded” and “The Country Bears.”

To date, Scotti has 38 film and seven television titles under his belt. A Los Angeles native, he still resides there with his wife and children.

MARTIN G. BAKER (Executive Producer) is an Emmy® Award–winning producer. He began his career in Lord Lew Grade’s ATV company where he moved through the ranks from the post room to floor manager and worked on a wealth of major entertainment series and specials for U.S. and U.K. audiences before joining the Jim Henson Company. A 20-year veteran with the Henson Company, he served, most recently, as executive vice president of production where he oversaw worldwide production of TV, movie and home-video projects, together with theme-park attractions and special events.

After leaving the Jim Henson Company, Baker became deputy controller of entertainment and comedy at Granada/LWT. During this time he produced the Royal Variety Performance, the BAFTA Television Awards and was executive producer on Light Entertainment Series’ “Tonight at the London Palladium.”

Baker is currently involved in the development of a diverse range of productions in many genres, both in the U.K. with his business partner Pete Coogan at their Elstree Studios–based company, Baker Coogan Productions, and also in the United States with producer Rita Peruggi through their Los Angeles–based company, American English Entertainment. Both indies were set up in 2006 in order to create the freedom to diversify in many artistic directions.

Baker also fulfills a continuing role with the Walt Disney Company as consultant for The Muppet Studios.

DON BURGESS, ASC (Director of Photography), most recently lensed “Source Code” and “Priest.” Prior to that he completed Albert and Allen Hughes’ post-apocalyptic drama, “The Book of Eli,” starring Denzel Washington. Burgess was honored with an Academy Award® nomination for his cinematography on Robert Zemeckis’ Oscar®-winning hit “Forrest Gump.” Burgess also received BAFTA and American Society of Cinematographers award nominations for his work on that film. He has enjoyed a long association with Zemeckis, having also served as cinematographer on the director’s films “The Polar Express,” “Cast Away,” “What Lies Beneath” and “Contact.” He earlier won a CableACE Award for his work on a Zemeckis-directed episode of “Tales From the Crypt.”

Burgess’ diverse feature-film credits also include the smash-hit comedy “Enchanted,” the blockbuster action hits “Spider-Man” and “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” the adventure film “Eight Below” and the comedies “Fool’s Gold,” “My Super Ex-Girlfriend,” “13 Going on 30,” “Christmas With the Kranks” and “Forget Paris.”

BRET MCKENZIE (Music Supervisor) is an accomplished musician, actor, writer and comedian. He is perhaps most widely known for his work with Jemaine Clement as half of the popular musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. The team toured extensively and released four hit CDs, including “The Distant Future,” which won the Grammy® for Best Comedy Album and “Flight of the Conchords,” which received a Grammy nomination.

A native of Wellington, New Zealand, McKenzie appeared on film in the Academy Award®– winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” as well as the horror comedy

— 28 —

“Diagnosis Death,” the comedy romance “Futile Attraction” and the action/comedy musical “Tongan Ninja.” He will soon be seen in director Robert Sarkies’ comedy “Two Little Boys” as well as Oscar®-winning director Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again.” McKenzie recently completed roles in “The Outback” and “Austenland.”

In addition to his feature-film work McKenzie created, co-wrote, executive-produced and starred in the hit HBO television series “Flight of the Conchords.” He also appeared on television in “The Drinky Crow Show” and “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” and voiced the role of Kurt Hardwick, the camp counselor on the “Elementary School Musical” episode of “The Simpsons.”

McKenzie also composed the music for the short film “Sheep Man” and was a member of the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra. He also performed with Jemaine Clement in the Australian comedy troupe “So You’re a Man.”

CHRISTOPHE BECK (Composer) has scored numerous films in virtually every genre. His talent is evident in a wide range of features, from the classic teen comedy “Bring It On” to “Under the Tuscan Sun” and the comedy “The Hangover.” Beck’s recent credits include “Burlesque,” “Waiting for Superman,” “Red,” “Due Date,” “Date Night,” “What Happens in Vegas,” “Fred Claus,” “Charlie Bartlett,” “The Seeker,” “Year of the Dog,” “We Are Marshall,” “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” and the soon-to-be-released Brett Ratner film “Tower Heist,” starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy.

Beck’s road to film scoring was circuitous. The Montreal native started piano lessons at age 5, and by 11, he was writing music for his first band, Chris and The Cupcakes. During high school he studied flute, saxophone, trombone and drums and performed in rock bands.

While studying music at Yale, Beck wrote two musicals with his brother Jason (aka Chilly Gonzales, the Berlin-based hip-hop recording artist) as well as an opera based on “The Tell-Tale Heart,” by Edgar Allan Poe.

Upon graduation from Yale in 1992, he moved to Los Angeles to attend USC’s prestigious film-scoring program, where he studied with Jerry Goldsmith. Beck was immediately attracted to the creative challenges unique to the marriage of music and motion pictures. A personal recommendation from the legendary Buddy Baker, head of the USC Music Department, led to his first assignment for a Canadian TV series called “White Fang.” Soon thereafter, he was asked to score a new TV series for Joss Whedon, based on the movie “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Beck received the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Music Composition for his work on that series, after which he decided to leave television to pursue film work.

MICHAEL ROONEY (Choreographer) is one of the most innovative choreographers of our time. Always on the cutting edge, Rooney takes each project and twirls it into the best of the best. Rooney approaches each job like a tailor, designing the choreography to suit the project. He is a contemporary visionary with the creative genius to transcend time, moving from one era to another with ease and perfection, giving each project award-winning style. Rooney is currently working on ABC Family’s upcoming movie “Elixir” (working title).

Lauded by critics and viewers alike, Rooney’s work with directors has been turning heads and moving feet over the past decade. He is the only choreographer in history to have won five MTV Awards for Best Choreography. Rooney has assembled some of the most original staging and conceptualization for the entertainment industry and its major celebrities. Rooney’s “come to life” dance sequence in the smash-hit film “500 Days of Summer” kept the film fresh and alive; his hard work behind the scenes with the animators of “Shrek 4” helped bring the film to greater heights.

— 29 —

Rooney continues to be successful because he has the artistic ability to see the script and design the choreography bringing the story alive, as seen in his most memorable videos for “Fatboy Slim” (starring Christopher Walken), Gnarls Barkley’s “Run” (for which he won his fifth MTV Award for Best Choreography) and Kylie Minogue’s sexy and controversial piece “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.”

Rooney worked with Spike Jonze on numerous MTV award-winning music videos that have been seen by millions of viewers. Rooney/Jonze have also worked together for the funny dance sequence in the feature film “Jackass 2.” Rooney and Jonze first teamed up for the now infamous Björk video “It’s Oh So Quiet.”

In addition to his film and video work Rooney has acquired a long list of commercial credits, including his work with Queen Latifah and Taylor Swift for CoverGirl, Target commercials featuring John Legend and a huge campaign for Nike featuring Charles Barkley. Other commercial work includes GE, Ford, Old Navy and McDonald’s.

The son of Mickey Rooney, Rooney inherited his father’s genius for musical comedy.

JAMES THOMAS (Edited By) previously edited director James Bobin’s acclaimed Emmy® Award–winning HBO television series “Flight of the Conchords” as well as “Da Ali G Show.” He also served as editor on two hit films starring Sacha Baron Cohen, “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” and “Bruno.” In addition he edited Cohen’s “Ali G” video. His other feature-film credits include “Hot Tub Time Machine.”

In addition to his work in motion pictures Thomas has edited many television series in both the U.S. and the U.K. including the comedies “Dog Bites Man,” starring Matt Walsh and Zach Galifianakis, “The Richard Tayor Interviews,” “The Keith Barret Show,” “Comedy Lab,” “My New Best Friend,” “Ed Stone Is Dead,” “The Kumars at No. 42,” “Perfect World,” Daisy, Daisy,” “Fun at the Funeral Parlour,” “Rock Profile” and “The 11 O’Clock Show.”

Thomas was born and raised in London, England.

STEVE SAKLAD (Production Designer) is perhaps best known for his work on “Up in the Air,” starring George Clooney, and “Juno,” starring Ellen Page and Jason Bateman. Among his recent feature films are the recently completed “The Apparition for Dark Castle” and “Drag Me to Hell” as well as additional photography on “Twilight” for director Catherine Hardwicke. Other feature-film credits include “Swing Vote,” starring Kevin Costner and Kelsey Grammer, “Thank You for Smoking,” starring Aaron Eckhart, “Pride,” starring Terence Howard, and “Shadowboxer,” starring Helen Mirren and Cuba Gooding Jr.

Saklad has designed more than 250 commercials for Harvest Films, Tate USA, Tool of North America and Ant Farm. His extensive credits as an art director include “Red Dragon” and “Spider-Man 2.”

RAHEL AFILEY (Costume Designer) was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and first took an interest in design when she began sewing clothes with her mother. When she was young her family fled to Sudan and Saudi Arabia as refugees, eventually settling in Norway, where Afiley is a citizen. At an early age Afiley preferred shopping at thrift stores, finding interesting clothing and developing her own style. Her style continues to be influenced by her diverse background and world experience.

Afiley’s first jobs styling were in Atlanta, where she attended the Fashion School at the Art Institute of Atlanta. In 2001, she moved to New York, where she began styling for print ads, commercials and celebrities. Since then, she

— 30 —

has established clients in both New York and Los Angeles and expanded her résumé to include television and feature films.

Afiley has worked with Academy Award®–winning director Michel Gondry several times on commercials and music videos. Recognized for her extraordinary talent, strong work ethic and ability to think outside the box, Afiley was chosen by Gondry to design his 2008 feature film “Be Kind Rewind.”

Afiley’s television credits include “La La Land” for Showtime and both seasons of HBO’s Emmy®-nominated series “Flight of the Conchords,” where she first worked with director James Bobin.

Afiley has worked with a long list of acclaimed directors, including Jake Nava, Pierluca De Carlo and Peter Care. The list of celebrities she has styled is extensive, including Will Ferrell, Kevin Spacey, Björk, Janet Jackson, Mia Farrow and Danny Glover. She is a member of the costume-design union, Locals 829 in New York and 892 in Los Angeles.

Afiley’s style ranges from offbeat and quirky to red-carpet glamour. Her background, intelligence, sense of fashion and work ethic have enabled her to work in a broad range of mediums with diverse clients and establish herself as a unique voice in her profession. Afiley is currently enjoying motherhood. When she is not working she spends her time traveling, reading and doing charity work for her native country.

Oscar® and Academy Award® are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.Screen Actors Guild Award® and SAG Award® are the registered trademarks and service marks of Screen Actors Guild™.

Emmy® is the trademark property of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.Golden Globe® is the registered trademark and service mark of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

Tony Award® is a registered trademark and service mark of The American Theatre Wing.GRAMMY® and the gramophone logo are registered trademarks of The Recording Academy® and are used under license. ©2011 The Recording Academy®.

— 31 —