Frank Oz to voice Yoda in Star Wars: Rebels

Frank Oz will reprise his role and voice Yoda in an upcoming episode of the Star Wars: Rebels animated series, TV Guide reports.

Yoda’s disembodied voice will appear in an episode called “Path of the Jedi.” Set to air Jan. 5, Yoda will not appear in bodily form, but in voice only.

“I felt personally to keep Yoda as this disembodied thing it would confuse the audience less,” said director and executive producer Dave Filoni. “I didn’t want you to think Yoda could be teleporting from planet to planet.”

Oz served as the little green Jedi master’s original voice and puppeteer beginning in The Empire Strikes Back. He continued to voice the character throughout the film series, even when Yoda became a CG character.

Oz’s puppeteering skills don’t end with Star Wars. He was the longtime puppeteer and voice of the Muppets’ Animal, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and Sam Eagle as well as Sesame Street’s Bert, Grover and Cookie Monster.

Voice Actor Tom Kane voiced Yoda in the previous animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars.