How Miss Piggy Went From Minor Muppet to TV’s Top Hog

Miss Piggy began as a bit player in an early Jim Henson television pilot but quickly became the breakout star of The Muppet Show. A new Muppet Show special will premiere on Disney+ and ABC on Wednesday, and a Miss Piggy film is being developed by Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone and Cole Escola.

Bonnie Erickson designed the original puppet and gave Piggy expressive eyes with irises. Frank Oz transformed a scripted slap into the character’s signature karate chop and developed a voice and back story that combined glamour, insecurity and a fierce temperament.

Writers and performers worked to balance Piggy’s vanity and vulnerability; Jerry Juhl said the character required walking a fine line so she could be both biting and sympathetic. Her rise to wider fame included The Muppet Movie, extensive media coverage, calendars, merchandising and a best-selling book in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

miss piggy, the muppet show, jim henson, bonnie erickson, frank oz, jennifer lawrence, emma stone, cole escola, jerry juhl, the muppet movie