>>94958083Basically, Disney is trying to move away from having a single dedicated individual for a "voice over" role (even though Kermit is much more than just a VA gig). Their VAs with exclusive contracts for characters have demanded pay raises over the years and are entering Simpsons-tier, so Disney has been trying to put the kibosh on that.
Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck now have alternates, which is something Disney never did in the past. But that way, if Mickey #1 won't do a job, they can get Mickey #2. Or if Donald #1 says he wants more money, they'll just use Donald #2, etc.
They wanted to do the same thing with Kermit and ordered Steve to train an understudy. He wouldn't do it, because he felt too strong of a personal connection with the character. But he was also turning down gigs Disney wanted him to do, like public appearances, and that was pissing them off.
So they cut him loose and appointed a new Kermit, sending out a clear message to everyone who plays a Disney character: "You're replaceable".
