Kermit the Frog Makes Appearance as Darren Criss Portrait Debuts at Sardi's

A special reunion of sorts took place when Kermit the Frog showed up as star Darren Criss was honored with a portrait at Sardi's.

What's Happening:

• Darren Criss, who is currently starring as Oliver in the new musical, Maybe Happy Ending, at the Belasco Theatre in New York was recently honored with a bit of a Broadway tradition.
• Criss, who has extended his run in the musical until May 17, 2026, now has a portrait on the iconic wall of fame at Sardi's restaurant in New York City.
• To help with this milestone honor, Kermit the Frog himself showed up at the restaurant to help celebrate, revealing that he is the Vice President of the Amphibians for Darren Criss Fan Club.
• He also reveals that he has a portrait himself at Sardi's, commenting that it has been stolen a number of times - perhaps even by Criss himself.
• Check out the full moment in the video below.

• Darren Criss and Kermit the Frog have a long-standing, friendly rapport, most notably duetting on "Rainbow Connection" for the 2012 Oscar pre-show.
• In a way, Kermit references this moment during his Sardi's appearance, using lyrics from the classic Muppet tune in his speech.

The Art of Sardi's:

• The tradition of being honored with a portrait at Sardi's dates back to the 1920s, when the restaurant's owner, Vincent Sardi Sr., wanted to attract theater people and give his restaurant a distinctive identity. He started inviting artists to draw caricatures of Broadway actors, directors, and producers, then displayed them on the walls.
• Over time, the black and white (and eventually color) caricatures took over the establishment, covering nearly every inch of wall space. Now, walking into the restaurant feels like a living archive of Broadway history.
• When a new portrait is added, the honoree often attends with castmates - as Criss did with his castmates from Maybe Happy Ending.