Tonight, Nickelodeon will premiere a new take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles unlike anything you've seen before. This new series, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is kinetic, hyper-colorful, and downright hilarious even while amping up the martial arts action fans have come to know and love from the franchise. Make no mistake though, this version of the Heroes in a Half-Shell are more light-hearted and fun-focused than ever before, which isn't a bad thing; even the original comics themselves were a satire of other grim-dark comics stories of their time. So if you're open to a new take on an iconic property, I think you'll have a blast with Rise.
But it's not just the Turtles who are new and improved this time around; Master Splinter also gets an interesting makeover. Be prepared for a very different take on the Turtles teacher and father figure, voiced exceptionally (and hilariously) well by voice-acting veteran Eric Bauza. I had a chance to chat with Bauza (over virtual pizza) about his new TMNT character, what has impressed him about the series so far, and taking direction from living legend Rob Paulsen. Be sure to read to the end to find out what other iconic characters Bauza voices!
Before we got into the conversation about Rise of the TMNT, Bauza—in his Splinter voice, of course—revealed that the iconic character’s go-to pizza order is “California roll and chocolate Rocky Road ice cream, on the same slice. He’s very time conscientious, so if you could jam in the meal—the entrée and the dessert all in one—that’s the kind of Master Splinter we’re dealing with here.”
What was your first introduction to ‘TMNT’?
Eric Bauza: The very first character I ever played on any version of the show was a bad guy by the name of Tiger Claw. He was an original character in the 2012 run of the Ninja Turtles. I don’t think he was supposed to be on for more than an episode, and they just kind of kept him on as one of Shredder’s go-to henchmen. He was pretty popular with the fans.
Fast-forward to 2018 and the next wave of the Ninja Turtles and I get to play a good guy for a change. My first exposure to this version of Splinter was an image, from Andy Suriano--one of the executive producers and showrunners of this show--showed me, and I was just taken by this new, rather pudgy, kind of cute gerbil-looking kind of rat. I was up for the challenge of creating something new.
What did you like about Splinter from the way he was written and what did you add to the character?
Bauza: He’s definitely back to a smaller rat. The last version we saw a very tall, stoic, kind of statuesque kind of Splinter, but now he’s back down to size. The Turtles are definitely bigger than their dad. In this version, he’s kind of more whimsical, more of a “drunken master” type approach to this character, as opposed to stern and serious. Before he was very stoic and every now and then he’d drop a joke or “make a funny”; this time around, he’s all laughs. When he’s more serious is when he catches you off guard.
Were you a fan of the original comics or the 80s cartoon at all?
Bauza: Yeah, my brother actually was into the comics, so I wuld have those lying around the house in the late 80s and early 90s. And, of course, the animated show, who didn’t love that theme song? Having grown up with it at such an early age and getting to see it as an adult, and to be a part of it is just a dream come true for me.
What can you tease about Splinter’s part in the story as the series continues?
Bauza: I feel like he’s definitely trying to protect them every step of the way, even if it doesn’t seem like he’s 100% there. Also, as much as we’re looking at the Turtles, we’re also looking back t the characters who surround them, like Splinter, his past. I don’t want to spoil anything so you’ll just have to see how he ends up.
Were there any references you pulled from for Splinter?
Bauza: I would say he’s a mixture of Mr. Miyagi and Danny DeVito. ::laughs:: And if that rat were to exist, he went to college with Yoda. He’s like that weird, aloof teacher who teaches you the clues, and then later on you discover what he was trying to get across. I believe that’s what we’re trying to get across with this Splinter. I think fans of the sci-fi genre and action-comedy will grow to appreciate this guy.
What stood out to you as being different with this series during production?
Bauza: All throughout I was just so taken by the look of the show. I knew that Ant Ward and Andy Suriano had something good cooking. Ant has been a part of the TMNT series since 2012, and Andy is also a comic book artist, and we all know TMNT originated as a comic book first. It’s kind of looking like a comic book that moves. I used to do character layout art for animation, so I really appreciate strong, solid poses in cartoons, and this delivers on all pistons.
Do you have a favorite Turtle from the show?
Bauza: (In Splinter’s voice) Whoever brings me food first is my favorite.
How about a favorite villain?
Bauza: From the past, Rocksteady and Bebop were always fun in the original run of the series. Villains of the present, Baron Draxum is definitely someone you do not want to mess with. He’s also … for someone who is so villainous but still has a comedic side; there are some pretty funny moments that he gets to have as a bad guy in the very first episode.
Did you get to act with the other cast members or was it a solo effort?
Bauza: More often than not we were all in the room together if our schedules permit that, but sometimes I will find myself acting just with the voice director, Rob Paulsen, which isn’t a bad thing either.
Have you worked with Rob Paulsen before?
Bauza: I stepped into the booth with him for the very first time on the Nickelodeon show The FairlyOdd Parents. I couldn’t believe that I was sharing booth time with one of, who I consider, a living legend as far as voice artists are concerned. And he’s been nothing but generous and encouraging and kind, not just to me but anyone else he sees as up-and-coming. ::laughs:: I can’t even call myself that anymore; I’ve been doing this for quite some time now. I still feel like every day is the first day, which is cool.
How has your experience been under his direction?
Bauza: Well, I’m pretty thrilled that I get to be one of the first actors he directs as a first-time voice director, having been a voiceover artist for over 30 years. Getting to see him as a director is pretty cool because he’s going off of every instinct that he has being on the same side of the glass that I’m on, but now he gets to interpret that with the help of writers, producers, and be an overall storyteller, which I feel like, after being an actor for 30 years, has to rub off on you and influence you. I’m sure that he’s even thrilled to be a part of it.
There’s an intense amount of energy in the premiere. What was it like in the booth to keep that energy and camaraderie up?
Bauza: I feel like the chemistry that the four brothers have is just there. Again, these guys are trained actors; they know characters. We all have known these guys for 30 years—Mikey, Donnie, Raph, and Leo—so they bring their instincts to the characters and the chemistry is there.
What’s your advice to fans who are maybe judging the show too quickly before they’ve had a chance to enjoy it?
Bauza: I got to witness watching the first episode with the cast at this past Comic-Con in San Diego. I think everyone in that room was pretty shocked at what they saw. I think they were not expecting to like it as much as they did and I feel like Andy and Ant delivered a really tight, action-packed comedy show that you wouldn’t expect from something like Ninja Turtles. I feel like the audience today knows more than the people who are making the show; I feel like they want to be treated to something different whether they know it or not. Some people have definitely made their concerns clear, like, “Oh no, you’re changing this, you’re changing that.” And then they watched it. And I’ve got to tell you, I knew they were going to like it, but to see that actually happening, to see the fans fall in love with it after the first episode is something else. And it really does say a lot about the storytellers involved.
Just give it a shot. The first five to ten minutes should definitely have you hooked. Then, at the end of the first episode, there’s an amazing action scene. I think it rivals anything that’s in the feature films as far as production, quality, pacing, just the overall energy is up there, it’s relentless, it does not give up.
Were there any martial arts references for each of the characters?
Bauza: As far as the different fighting styles, it leaks into who they are, their personalities. Raph is definitely compared to like a street brawler and his physicality plays into it. Donnie, as we all know, is a tech-head, so a lot of his fighting comes from his technology; he’s a softshell turtle, so he has this cool turtle-shell backpack that pops out all sorts of gadgets. Mikey is seen here as more of an artist; I think he’s more of a freestyle fighter. Leo, although he’s taking a back seat for this leg of the journey, the question is whether he’ll rise to the occasion and take over that leadership role. Who knows!
What are you hoping audiences get out of Rise of TMNT?
Bauza: Just the overall sense of family. At the end of the day, these are four brothers with their single rat dad ::laughs:: and they’re trying to get through life and have as much fun doing it, while protecting the city of New York. I feel like it’s everything you know, just with a bit of a twist, a bit of a remix. Who doesn’t like remixes?
What can you say about this version of April?
Bauza: She is definitely not shy. She definitely will not shy away from a fight. She’s almost the person who starts the fight, in this instance; there is no damsel in distress here. She’s just a buttkicker like her Turtle brothers. It’s a nice, refreshing take on the character we all know, and Kat Graham does a very good job voicing her.
What other projects are you working on that you’d like to tease for our readers?
Bauza: Aside from Rise getting picked up for a second season, I’m on a show for a neighboring network. I play Fozzie Bear on Muppet Babies and that just got picked up for a second season. (In Fozzie’s voice) “Ah wocka wocka! Definitely a show I can watch with my son, huh?” And the next wave of Looney Tunes is coming, and I’m getting to play some of, I think, animation’s most iconic characters: Tweety, Daffy, and Bugs. So I couldn’t be happier these days.
---
Bauza left us with one final piece of advice from Master Splinter:
"Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles premieres tonight, Monday, September 17th at 6:30pm only on Nickelodeon! Watch it!"
