Peter Linz

Peter Linz (born June 28, 1967 in Decatur, Georgia) is an American puppeteer.[1] His most prominent role is being the main performer for the character Walter who was introduced in the 2011 feature film The Muppets.[2][3] He then took over the roles of Herry Monster and Ernie from Sesame Street in 2017. Linz recounts receiving the role of Walter as his favorite; "Apart from my wedding day and birth of my children, being cast as Walter was one of the greatest moments of my life. I was beyond happiness."[4]

He has performed many kinds of characters on children's television shows: perhaps some of his best known performing roles are Snook in It's a Big Big World, Tutter and Pip on Bear in the Big Blue Houseand Theo Lion on Between the Lions, though he has also performed on Blue's Room, Sesame Street,[3] and The Puzzle Place. Following the departure of Steve Whitmire, he took over the roles of Statler, Link Hogthrob and Lips.

Linz also performed in the Broadway musical Avenue Q.[5] and he also did the voice of Moz, in the English Dub version of "Sheep and Wolves". Most recently, Linz has worked on Sesame Street Live! (performing Ernie and Herry), Muppets to the City (as Walter, Statler, Kermit the Frog's nephew Robin, Lips, Link Hogthrob, Foo-Foo and others; and took over from the late Jim Henson as Harry the Hipster), Little Shop of Horrors (as a lead puppeteer on Audrey II), and Bear in the Big Blue House: Return to Woodland Valley (reprising his roles as Tutter and Pip from the original series).