Muppets take McKenzie to Oscars

New Zealander Bret McKenzie has been nominated for an Oscar for his Man or Muppet song. McKenzie was the music director and composed a number of songs for The Muppets film.

Man or Muppet, sung by actor Jason Segel, is up for best original song along with Sergio Mendes' Real In Rio from the film Rio.

Earlier this year, McKenzie’s Life's a Happy Song won best song at the 2012 Critics' Choice Movie Awards, voted on by Broadcast Film Critics Association members. Man or Muppet was also nominated with competition from Elton John, Lady Gaga and Mary J Blige.

APRA, on behalf of all its music writer members, today congratulated McKenzie.

“Huge congratulations for this well-deserved Oscar nomination. Punchy and passionate, Man or Muppet unflinchingly explores the age-old tension between hard man and soft toy. It's a winner. Go Bret!” said APRA writer director Don McGlashan.

“It’s so beautifully in keeping with the spirit of the Muppets and indeed with Bret’s songs themselves. It is a massive achievement to be nominated in what is probably the most high profile entertainment event of the year. A triumph to be celebrated,” adds APRA’s Director of NZ Operations, Anthony Healey.

The winner of the award will be announced at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony on 26 February in Hollywood.

The work of NZ-based Weta Digital was also recognised in the Oscar nominations with Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R Christopher White and Daniel Barrett nominated in the visual effects category for The Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

The Peter Jackson produced animation The Adventures of Tintin, which won a Golden Globe last week, was not nominated for an Oscar for animation - although composer John Williams has been nominated for best original score for Tintin.

See the full Oscar nominations list.