Ryan Dillon

Ryan Dillon is the performer of everyone’s favorite red monster, Elmo. Inspired by the Muppets™ since childhood, and encouraged by his family and teachers, Ryan built and performed his own original characters, performing shows wherever he could.He was asked to join the cast of Sesame Street during his senior year of high school, and he has been performing on the “longest street in the world” for the past 17 years. Ryan’s Daytime Emmy Award-winning work as Elmo can be seen globally on television and the internet, with appearances on shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Today Show, Good Morning America, and CBeebies’ The Furchester Hotel, as well as in toys, apps, live shows, and many more. In addition to performing Elmo, Ryan has taken on performer duties for Sesame fan favorites Don Music and Lefty the Salesman, as well as countless cows, chickens, frogs, monsters, talking foods, and more.When he’s not working on the Street, Ryan is a puppet designer, director, and puppet consultant. His work can be seen in national commercials and other television shows including work for The Jim Henson Company and Disney’s Muppets. Ryan builds and performs several original puppet characters, and produces online puppet content for DillonGale, which can be found on Instagram.