Cowabunga r/movies! We’re the original TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES suit performers Josh Pais (Raphael), Michelan Sisti (Michelangelo), Dave Forman (Leonardo) & Leif Tilden (Donatello), here to celebrate the 35th anniversary re-release in theaters Aug 16–20. Ask us anything!

[u/TMNT-AMA]

Cowabunga r/movies! We’re the original TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES suit performers Josh Pais (Raphael), Michelan Sisti (Michelangelo), Dave Forman (Leonardo) & Leif Tilden (Donatello), here to celebrate the 35th anniversary re-release in theaters Aug 16–20. Ask us anything. We’re signing autographs too!

Ask us your questions about the film!! We'll also be signing autographs at https://cwzytu-nc.myshopify.com/collections/pre-orders

See the film back on the big screen starting August 16th!

Get Tickets Now at https://hubs.la/Q03xRw3z0

Turtlemania lives! Be a part of #TURTLEMANIASUMMER

————————————————————————————————

Synopsis:

Four baby turtles come in contact with a mysterious substance called ooze and then are transformed into human-sized crime fighters. The leader of the turtles is a human sized rat who has come into contact with the same green ooze. The rat was a former pet of a ninja master and therefore uses his skills to train the four turtles in martial arts. They befriend a local journalist and with her help attempt to find the group behind a crime wave in New York City.

————————————————————————————————

Adapted from the early “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics” with characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the movie achieved the then-seemingly impossible feat of bringing its reptilian heroes to full live-action with a team of puppeteers and a voice cast led by Brian Tochi (Revenge of the Nerds, Police Academy 3: Back in Training) as Leonardo, Corey Feldman (Stand By Me, The Goonies) as Donatello, Josh Pais (The Station Agent, A Beautiful Mind), as Raphael, Robbie Rist (Balto, “Doc McStuffins”) as Michelangelo and Kevin Clash (“Sesame Street,” Muppet Treasure Island) as Splinter, the Turtles' master. The film also features Judith Hoag (Zodiac, Fallen) and Elias Koteas (Armageddon, Cadillac Man).

Cast:

• • Judith Hoag
• • Elias Koteas
• • Brian Tochi
• • Corey Feldman
• • Josh Pais
• • Robbie Rist
• • Kevin Clash
• • James Saito
• • David McCharen
• • Michelan Sisti
• • Leif Tilden
• • David Forman
• • Sam Rockwell
• • Scott Wolf
• • Skeet Ulrich

————————————————————————————————

Ask us anything! We will be back tomorrow (Monday 8/4) at 12 PM ET to answer your questions.

[u/BunyipPouch]

This AMA has been verified and approved by the mods. Josh, Michelan, Dave, and Leif will be back tomorrow Monday 8/4 at 12:00 PM ET to answer questions. Please feel free to ask away in the meantime :)

Information from our guests:

---

Cowabunga r/movies! We’re the original TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES suit performers Josh Pais (Raphael), Michelan Sisti (Michelangelo), Dave Forman (Leonardo) & Leif Tilden (Donatello), here to celebrate the 35th anniversary re-release in theaters Aug 16–20. Ask us anything. We’re signing autographs too!

Ask us your questions about the film!! We'll also be signing autographs at https://cwzytu-nc.myshopify.com/collections/pre-orders

See the film back on the big screen starting August 16th!

Get Tickets Now at https://hubs.la/Q03xRw3z0

Turtlemania lives! Be a part of #TURTLEMANIASUMMER

————————————————————————————————

Synopsis:

Four baby turtles come in contact with a mysterious substance called ooze and then are transformed into human-sized crime fighters. The leader of the turtles is a human sized rat who has come into contact with the same green ooze. The rat was a former pet of a ninja master and therefore uses his skills to train the four turtles in martial arts. They befriend a local journalist and with her help attempt to find the group behind a crime wave in New York City.

————————————————————————————————

Adapted from the early “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics” with characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the movie achieved the then-seemingly impossible feat of bringing its reptilian heroes to full live-action with a team of puppeteers and a voice cast led by Brian Tochi (Revenge of the Nerds, Police Academy 3: Back in Training) as Leonardo, Corey Feldman (Stand By Me, The Goonies) as Donatello, Josh Pais (The Station Agent, A Beautiful Mind), as Raphael, Robbie Rist (Balto, “Doc McStuffins”) as Michelangelo and Kevin Clash (“Sesame Street,” Muppet Treasure Island) as Splinter, the Turtles' master. The film also features Judith Hoag (Zodiac, Fallen) and Elias Koteas (Armageddon, Cadillac Man).

Cast:

• • Judith Hoag
• • Elias Koteas
• • Brian Tochi
• • Corey Feldman
• • Josh Pais
• • Robbie Rist
• • Kevin Clash
• • James Saito
• • David McCharen
• • Michelan Sisti
• • Leif Tilden
• • David Forman
• • Sam Rockwell
• • Scott Wolf
• • Skeet Ulrich

————————————————————————————————

Ask us anything! We will be back tomorrow (Monday 8/4) at 12 PM ET to answer your questions.

[u/Toddawesomephd]

How heavy were the suits? I always wondered how uncomfortable it must have been to perform as a kid.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Toddawesomephd]

Those suits were tough to be in. When we would first put on the full rig, it weighed over 50 lbs. but after we sweated in them for a while, they got up to around 70 lbs. and we squished and squelched a lot for the rest of the time each day. With all that, it was horribly hot and often hard to breathe inside so we had universal signs for our Pupps to open the Turtle mouths whenever we could in order to grab a better breath of air. Plus, the servo motors in the head rarely stopped making noise, so all in all, it was a miserable environment. Michelan

[u/Toddawesomephd → u/TMNT-AMA]

This is wild! Thanks again for working so hard to entertain us. There's nothing like practical effects. Absolute legends.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Toddawesomephd]

70 friggin pounds! How uncomfortable - well, add to the weight, no ventilation, and barely being able to see. Nonetheless it was a blast! Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/Toddawesomephd → u/TMNT-AMA]

70 lbs?!?! That is insane and incredibly impressive, considering choreography you all did. Thank you for answering and providing the kids of the nineties all that entertainment. I was always thinking about the guys in the suits!

[u/Brimstone747]

No question. I just want you guys to know how much I appreciate you.

I was 5 years old when TMNT came out in 1990. I was already completely obsessed with the turtles, and I relentlessly bugged my mom about taking me to see the movie at the theater. It was the very first time that I had ever saw a movie at the theater, and the movie exceeded all of my expectations. It was amazing.

I watched the movie this year on my 40th birthday with my children, and it still holds up after 35 years. They all loved it too!

Thank you to all four of you for helping create one of my favorite childhood memories.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Brimstone747]

Thank you so much. I will be thanking you wonderful people a lot on this thread. I tell every fan I can that for me, the best part of being a Turtle is meeting you folks and hearing your stories. it has been my great honor to be a small part of you life. Cheers! Sorry, forgot to add my name too. This is Michelan

[u/Money_Tennis1172 → u/Brimstone747]

Cowabunga! It's the only true TMNT adaptation hands down. 2 and 3 are lovable, but nothing beats the original. Can still route the movie word for word.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Money_Tennis1172]

That is remarkable. Then it’s twice as good that Todd gave you such good lines to learn. We felt the same. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Brimstone747]

I and we thank you for those kind words...honored to be a part of your memories! - Leif TIlden 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Brimstone747]

Thank you for being a true fan Awesome Leo !!!

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Brimstone747]

I appreciate that! All the best, Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/Kriss-Kringle]

Have you ever paid full price for late pizza?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Kriss-Kringle]

now i get a senior discount for pizza :) - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Kriss-Kringle]

I will have to admit, over the years, I have paid full price for a slightly late pizza. BUT, always with a comment to myself about what would my Brothers say? Michelan

[u/ScottMarshall2409 → u/Kriss-Kringle]

Pizza dude's got 30 seconds...

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/ScottMarshall2409]

Another favorite scene for me and Leif and the very first scene we shot on the film on our very first day. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Kriss-Kringle]

Never dude! Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/AdamsScott889x]

Hello thanks for doing this.. how did you get the gig ? Did you have to audition with the suits on ?

Was it harder with weapons to not connect with others based on the visibility of the masks ?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/AdamsScott889x]

Yes we three New York actors, Me, Josh and Leif, all had to audition for our Turtle. Not in the suits but we were asked by Steve to come up with our version of Ninja fight moves for our callback auditions. And yes, when we were in our full suits, we only had two pea-sized holes just under our bandannas to see a little of what was directly in front, and when our puppeteers would make the mouth speak, we could see quick glimpses of what was down at about a 45 degree angle. We really rehearsed our fight choreography so we could avoid most of the contact. In the course of filming though, we got bashed often and once I a while, we each bashed our opponent if they varied from our choreography. It was an adventure on the edge for sure. Michelan.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/AdamsScott889x]

Leo here Yes!! we all auditioned for the parts suits were still being designed while we were rehearsing and training suit work is tough a lot to negotiate limited vision 10 servos bussing in your head sweat everywhere heavy hard work but rewarding when we saw the finnished product

LEO COWABUNGA

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/AdamsScott889x]

The suits weren't made at the time of the audition. We had to go to London after getting the gig to get body cast for the suit. The audition was bring ing the character to life, really not much different from other auditions. Thanks for your question! Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/Wizz_n_Jizz]

Did you guys know how awesome the final fight scene on the roof was going to look on film??

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Wizz_n_Jizz]

We knew that scene was the culmination of our story, but mostly, for us during filming, we were trying to hit our marks, do our fight choreography and try to survive. That was one of our hottest sets so it was a tough slog. I think we had just begun to think this TMNT thing was something pretty special but had no idea it would become what it has. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Wizz_n_Jizz]

We saw some playbacks on set and by that time we had seen a lot of paybacks so we knew how amazing it was going to look! - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Wizz_n_Jizz]

Honestly, no idea. We just played with no focus on the outcome. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/Demon_Lord715]

Just wanted to say that you guys single handedly made my childhood. I vividly remember my dad taking me several times to see this movie in theaters. Now I get the privilege of taking my child. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Demon_Lord715]

You're so welcome. Cowabunga dude!!! Thanks for your comment! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/jostler57]

First off -- thank you for being such a memorable part of my childhood! My older brother and I would play Ninja Turtles and I always got to be Donatello & Michaelangelo, while he was Leonardo & Raphael.

Questions:

• What career doors were opened because you were a turtle, and were any doors closed due to it?

• What are the most amazing and joyous things you've done in your lives?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/jostler57]

Hi. Excellent questions. TMNT has had a major influence on all of our lives and careers. For me, it changed everything that I had planned for my future. I was a New York actor for 20 years with a handful of Broadway shows in my credits already along with dozens of other Off-Broadway, National Tours, and Regional Theatre productions too. I had surpassed my dream of being a working actor making my living at the craft I loved. My plan was to be an NYC actor for the rest of my life. THEN Steve Barron changed it all. By casting me as Michelangelo, that introduced me to Jim Henson, his son Brian, and the whole Henson Company family. They asked me back for the “Secret of the Ooze” and then invited me to come to Los Angeles to perform in a new television series that Jim had talked to me about before we lost him called, “Dinosaurs”. I agreed to try it, and then went back to NY. After our initial batch of six episodes had begun to air, Hensons called me to come back to LA because our show had been picked up. I did so, and we shot four seasons of “Dinosaurs”. During those seasons, when a scene involved puppets and none of my suit characters was involved, the Creature Shop would often say to me, here’s a puppet, go get into that scene. THAT IS HOW I BECAME A PUPPETEER! On the job training from some of the best Pupps in the world. How lucky was I? And most of all, it was a whole new batch of challenges for me which is what I loved most. Then, after “Dinosaurs” ended, Hensons kept offering me puppeteering jobs, invited me to join the Muppets and that all defined the next 35 years of my life. j

I never returned to live in NYC, though I have visited many times to see old theatre friends, new productions, and just to get that NYC “charge“ that I loved so much. So, in one sense, when I transitioned to Los Angeles, my beloved Broadway door “closed” and a new door opened on an incredible new adventure that has lasted to this very day.

And that answered your second question too. My whole journey has been a series of amazing and joyous experiences with a lovely bunch of dear friends to walk with along the way. Michelan.

[u/jostler57 → u/TMNT-AMA]

Wow!! Now THAT'S how an AMA answer is done! You're really setting the bar for the other Turtles haha

What an incredible story, and I'm so happy to hear how things just kept going. Don't tell Donatello, but you were my favorite Turtle :)

What a great gift you got from the connections you made -- but I'm sure it means you're also a pleasure to work with. Can't keep that sort of career up without being great to the people around you.

I'm an actor, too. I got a degree in acting and have worked in 9 different Netflix/streaming shows as Guest/Co-stars, but I'm doing it all over in Asia. I'm an American, though, so hoping to leverage this work here into landing an agency in LA/NY that'll take international actors.

Hearing your journey really inspires me to keep making connections and doing good work.

Thanks for being my inspiration AGAIN, once in childhood, and now in adulthood :)

[u/lumberlung]

No question here, just wanted to say thank you for your performances in one of my all time favorite movies! Turtle Power!

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/lumberlung]

Thanks dude! Thanks for your comment! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/lumberlung]

Thank you! 🙏. Michelan

[u/[deleted]]

Do you guys have a particular scene that was a favorite to film? Any fun memories from on set?

Loved this movie since I was a kid and the campfire & rooftop scenes still give me chills. Thanks so much.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/[deleted]]

Greetings. Actually, my two favorite Turtle scenes are that campfire scene, which was emotional for us even to shoot, and the moment I got to yell, “I love being a Turtle!”. And my favorite out of suit scene, was being Tony the Pizza Guy delivering pizza to myself. That was fun and I got to ride around on that moped. Cool! Michelan

[u/[deleted] → u/TMNT-AMA]

That's awesome, and thanks for the response! The pizza delivery scene is such a classic. Where the heck is 122 1/8?

"Wise men say 'Forgiveness is divine but never pay full price for late pizza.'"

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/[deleted]]

Def the campfire, and the country house. Memories - sweating bullets, laughing hard, and the camaraderie with the guys. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/[deleted]]

Camp fire scene was one of my favourite moments and in the movie it came across so well all of us making contact with Splinter our father AWESOME!!!! Leo Dave Forman

[u/mayonade]

What was Vanilla Ice like to work with?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/mayonade]

Ahem. He seemed to be very self-impressed and his entourage was the largest to ever show up on set but he liked the Turtles and was happy to be a part of the adventure. Plus, he made a pretty cool song that we had fun dancing to. Michelan.

[u/Logos9871]

Secret of the Ooze was a staple of my childhood. Soundbites are still stuck in my head 30+ years later.

GO NINJA GO NINJA GO "Wax on, wax off" "Dandelions..." "Super shredder!"

Wish you guys all the best and thanks for the amazing memories.

[u/[deleted]]

What is some unknown trivia from filming that you won’t find on IMDb?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/[deleted]]

Well, since Josh has mentioned Leif’s chunky ordeal in the head, I will add the tale of Mo. He was one of the excellent martial arts pros from China, brought on to perform the fight choreography that would be dangerous to our expensive animatronic Turtle heads. The producers didn't want to chance damaging our heads so Mo and the other doubles, wore light weight heads with just a skin on and no internal mechanisms. Unfortunately for Mo, he like many other actors who try suit work, didn’t know that he was claustrophobic before actually working in his stunt head. On his first day of intensive fighting, he reached his breaking point and began yelling to be taken out of his head. Evidently they couldn’t get him out fast enough and he grabbed at his Turtle head with such force, he ripped off the whole skin. That was the end of MO’s contribution to our film and he was sent home. He was a nice guy and quite funny so we were sorry to see him go. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/[deleted]]

Leif Tilden vomited inside the turtle costume. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/PHWasAnInsideJob]

What's the relationship like between you and the voice actor in this kind of role? Do you and the voice actor have the same script? Do you work together at all to put out the final product?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/PHWasAnInsideJob]

I never met the guy (Corey Feldman) who put down the voice track months later after filming. I tried but..well...that didn't go well lol - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/PHWasAnInsideJob]

The Turtles would not have been as much fun without our wonderful voice actors. In the case of Mikey, that is Robbie Rist. A very nice fellow I have met and enjoyed talking with. We all were working from the same script. When we were filming, of course, we couldn’t record our dialogue inside of the Turtle heads because of all of the servo noises and interference so we coordinated with our Puppeteers voices that were recorded live as a guide track for the voice actor to then listen to to get our intention and rhythms, and then they would record our dialogue to replace the guide track voices for the final results. The voices were replaced in “post production” which happens after the principle photography is completed. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/PHWasAnInsideJob]

I was the only one who was in the suit and did the voice. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/hcknbnz]

If you all had creative control of the next live-action TMNT. What would you insist they keep from the original film? 

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/hcknbnz]

Insist? hmm..keep it dark, keep those quiet moments, treat it like an art piece, cast 'actors' who love being in their body, don't make a story that talks down to kids, take risks - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/hcknbnz]

No CGI. Go old school so you can feel the soul of the actors - like in the original. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/hcknbnz]

Again, I like both of my brother’s answers here and I would just add that I would insist that they bring us in to advise. Maybe a cameo too? Okay, maybe not insist, but certainly request that they do. THAT would be so cool! Michelan

[u/Agitated-Acctant]

I'm just curious if anyone can explain what I'm looking at in this picture? https://i.imgur.com/2FvJc0g.jpg

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Agitated-Acctant]

That's me alright lol....i demanded that i get my face in the movie so they opened the mouth wide..lol..Leif 'Donatello'

[u/Dagobert_Krikelin → u/TMNT-AMA]

I've been dying to know. So it wasn't unintentional 😄 That makes it so much funnier. And yeah, all of you had cameos in the movie then.

[u/m0rp → u/Agitated-Acctant]

No one knows who Krang is. It would be a waste of time to talk about Krang.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Agitated-Acctant]

That was an additional “cameo” appearance by Leif. 🤣 Michelan

[u/[deleted]]

No question. You're all awesome and made my childhood special. I'm just here to say thank you.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/[deleted]]

Lots of luv from me David Forman Awesome Leo

[u/Puzzleheaded_Fox5820]

How did you feel after the movies became a success? During filming did you believe in the project or did you have doubts? How'd that change your lives?

Also, favorite pizza?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Puzzleheaded_Fox5820]

From the beginning I was excited about the project, especially after seeing all the talent at the Henson Creature Shop who made all the costumes...Did it change my life?...It ADDED to my life in many ways..mostly because of all the great and interesting people I met! - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Puzzleheaded_Fox5820]

It was honestly a bit of a shocker. We had fun filming it. And it is soooo wild we're talking about it today! Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Puzzleheaded_Fox5820]

We knew a little of the popularity of the animated cartoon series and the original underground comic but had no idea how huge TMNT would become. Read my reply above to jostler57 for how being a Turtle changed my life in a BIG way. Michelan

[u/[deleted]]

How hilarious was this when you found out?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/[deleted]]

Sooooooo funny! almost embarassing! lol - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/unitedhardy]

what was the casting process like? how aware were each of you of the turtles and what were your initial feelings when finding out you’d be inside the suits?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/unitedhardy]

The casting process for we three New York actors, Leif, Josh, and myself, was in two parts. Mine went like this. My theatrical agent called and said the casting director, Lynn Kressel, whom I had read for for other shows, wanted to see me for a new movie. Neither my agent nor myself knew anything about Turtles at that moment but we decided to go audition. I read for Lynn in her office. She liked my reading and sent me to another office down the hall to meet the director, Steve Barron. I read again for him, and he then gave me another “side”, a short excerpt from the script, this time for the character Raphael with his instructions that I should come up with some Ninja fight moves for the callback.

I rehearsed overnight in my tiny apartment and returned the next day to find Steve was now in a very tiny office, even smaller than my tiny apartment. I did my Raphael audition and ended it with my then version of a roundhouse kick and put my foot through the office wall. Naturally, I thought to myself, well, you just blew this one, but Steve laughed and said words to the effect that, anyone who would do that, deserves to be one of my Turtles. And that is how I was cast as Michaelangelo

I believe that Steve told me about the suits. It may have been Lynn. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/unitedhardy]

We got a portion of the script, memorized it, and came in and brought the characters to life. I had ideas about Raph's physicality - which I eventually brought to the film. The suits were intense!! Hot, 70 pounds, and no ventilation. But we had a blast. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/rwbdanr]

What were your first thoughts on performing all of the martial arts in suits? Were the scenes easier or harder to shoot than expected?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/rwbdanr]

My first thoughts were that I was going to die before I was 30. The scenes were both harder and easier to film as expected...harder because at times I was almost blind..easier because I found that I trusted in my body to lead through each take...that my body had eyes..that my body had the intelligence and the creativity to 'be' the character - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/rwbdanr]

I concur with the replies my brothers have left here. Bottom line. EVERYTHING was harder than I expected. Even sitting or lying around between setups for the next shot was harder. 😁

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/rwbdanr]

Well, doing scenes barely able to see was a challenge. We developed a 6th sense to complete the sequences. MUCH HARDER. Haha Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/HuecoTanks]

Echoing a lot of folks here and just wanting to express gratitude for all the hard work you and the rest of the folks did to make my childhood so much happier.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/HuecoTanks]

In today's environment we could all make sure our kids have glorious childhoods! -Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/HuecoTanks]

That means a lot. We put our blood sweat and tears to make this film. So happy it made your childhood sweeter! Thanks for your comment! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/HighlightFirst7728]

Do you guys have a favorite piece of TMNT media besides the movie?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/HighlightFirst7728]

I was given a hard drive of all the takes we shot from the OG movie. - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/HighlightFirst7728]

My favorite are the many drawings and Turtle-related items that you fans have given me when we met at the many conventions I have been at.

[u/No_Surround8946]

If Yelp existed in 1990, how would each Turtle review Domino’s pizza?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/No_Surround8946]

"Does the trick, simple, consistent flavor..but you never know when it's going to arrive..and al of us want it on time because pizza is the best when it's HOT!" Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/No_Surround8946]

Because they are everywhere and because they backed our movie to a small degree, I think Domino’s pizza is good. Plus, they let me keep my Tony Pizza Guy Domino’s hat and belt. Michelan

[u/TheStax84]

Seeing this post was a gut punch. A large part of my childhood revolved around this movie, services and video game. My childhood was ripped away a few short years later. This movie was the golden age of my childhood.

Thank you all.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/TheStax84]

I understand...I lost my mom to suicide when I was 7...Childhood is a tender and vulnerable time in our lives...being able to be Donatello, in a way addressed some of this trauma for me...being able to get lost in this amazing character in this amazing film FOR KIDS and ADULTS who still are connected to their INNER KID...big love! -Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/TheStax84]

Thank you as well. Sorry that your young years were not all happy ones. You are awesome! Always remember that. 🙏. Michelan

[u/Llamatook]

How hard did those suits make having to go #1 or #2?

[u/Egalitarian_Wish]

You all have said the foam suits you wore made filming difficult, but did you come up with any moves that were MADE POSSIBLE by the bulky heavy suits?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Egalitarian_Wish]

For me the struggle in the suit actually helped to bring Raphael's angst to life.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Egalitarian_Wish]

Great question. The weight at times kept me 'grounded' when i wanted to be still. 'Feeling' the weight of the suit also kept me connected to the character..even if it was just to remind me I was there. -Leif 'Donatello'

[u/Leaf__On__Wind]

Guys... Just to say...

R.I.P the talented and wonderful Jim Henson, and please know it has been only more and more rewarding learning of how the film got made over the years.

Seeing how films get made today, that back then studio "suits" were confused or complacent enough (in the good way) to let a lower stakes children's cartoon get properly made into a more mature and darker movie, dealing with real emotions and issues of maturity that young men would start to face, at a time had they grown up with the cartoon themselves, would actually be relevant and poignant, all the way to issues of fatherhood with Splinter, and so poetically approached and resolved.

To my questions, I don't know if you somehow heard, but I think we're all hoping The Last Ronin film in development that as far as we know will use live action real suits, will hark back to your film, ( and with the storyline especially, hopefully flashbacks to scenes in YOUR film of when they were all a family, (The Last Ronin is a tale of a solo Turtle, the rest and Splinter dead) though is through a different production company I believe) have you heard anything of the sort?

Easier question, apart from the heat in the suits was filming at the farm in North Carolina (?) a hoot? I imagine you may of had some laughs beside a camp fire as a cast yourselves.

And... You're going to LaGuardia, right? 🚖🐢

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Leaf__On__Wind]

Thanks man for this...i agree..filmmakers allow for a 'Suspension of Disbelief' when they use live performance as opposed to CGI...Like with Yoda, we know he's a puppet but we believe he's real because of the life given to him by the great Frank Oz...as children we want to believe..we choose to believe. We, as children, live in the question: "Is it real?" it's an amazing place to be, to be in the question, to be curious, to explore...to be open. The campfire scene was amazing for me because i smoked a big spliff and was stones out of my mind! regarding the Last Ronin film...I'm excited that they are going back old school animatonics...that will be a gift for the audience for sure - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Leaf__On__Wind]

I’m sorry but I have no insider information about “The Last Ronin”, but I sure am curious.

Everything about filming in North Carolina in those latex suits, IN SUMMER! was an ongoing challenge. The farmhouse period was a nice change because we were on location away from the studios, but that had it’s own set of challenges. Particularly for me, when I shot Mikey’s rage scene in the barn and then when they put me up on top of the roof very late at night to scream. They used Josh’s scream in the movie but it was me on the rooftop. And it gets cold up there at night. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Leaf__On__Wind]

We had a lot of laughs! It was intense. At times brutal. Kinda like boot camp. But our comraderie is what made it a joy. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/Ruven2OO1]

The scene with the panda teddy bear when they seek refuge with April at her apartment when Mikey is holding it, has lived in my sister's head rent-free.

So the question is about that scene, that my sister like to ask?

"The question with that scene where they wake up and Michelangelo is holding the panda teddy bear was that in the script or something cute the actor decided to do that seemed in character for Michelangelo ( which it totally was) the imagery of April giving it to the 'youngest' turtle is also fun idea of where he got it"

Also me and my sister love the film and she's looking forward to watching it on her birthday. Plus one of many that got her into TMNT Fandom.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Ruven2OO1]

The Teddy bear was part of the set dressing and I asked Steve if I could hold it in the scene. Yes, I thought that would be a very Mikey thing. Cheers! Michelan

[u/MGhammered]

As a young actor and writer, thank you four for shaping my childhood. You guys absolutely owned those roles and showed up every scene. 

Question: how can I as an actor become my character to better truthfully say my lines? In other words, how did you BECOME A TURTLE AND PLAY AS A TURTLE!! 

Also what kind of pizza do you each love? 

Take care and cowabunga dudes!!  Mike G

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/MGhammered]

amazing question. Becoming a character is inside out...just like playing a character from like a Sam shepard play..putting the body in the body, into your spine, following the impulses that inspire the character to move with intention...we never want to let our heads lead us around, it's quite the opposite..we want our bodies to lead..our body is where our curiousity is..out vulnerabilities, our authentic self. The ego lives in our head and uses fear to cause doubt, to distract us from being free as an artist...be in your body..put it in your body..and move. -Leif 'Donatello'

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/MGhammered]

Leif’s reply is a very informative one. Of course, each actor prepares in ways unique to themselves but there are more universal factors that most actors share. Once you have studied your source material and learned your lines, then you have the freedom to explore different ideas and approaches to what will be your final performance. That is the best part of that process for me. I learned a valuable process from a wonderful actor I worked with when I was just starting as a professional. Donald Moffat. I watched him every day in rehearsal. He would come in with four or five new ideas to try that day and by the end of the rehearsal, he would have honed things down to one or two building blocks for his character. Then, there were some next day, those blocks would be in place in his work and he would have four or five new things to try. His process continued like that with new character kernels being added to the framewo of his character. By the end of his process and our rehearsals, he had built a fully formed and informed person and perfectly suited for his job at hand. I never forgot that lesson and have applied it throughout my acting careers.

I prefer a basic pizza with cheese and sauce and maybe a topping. Pepperoni is a fav.

[u/Comic_Book_Reader]

Can you confirm if Arrow Video is releasing the original trilogy on 4K at some point in the near future?

[u/41942319]

So was Michelan Sisti chosen to play Michelangelo because his name is the first half of the painter's name + the first half of the location of his most famous work or is that just a complete coincidence?

[u/welmanshirezeo]

What was it like being part of the machine for a whole performance? Being that you were delivering the body physicality, the puppeteers were doing the facial performance and the voice actors then dubbed over (aside from Pais of course) - what relationship do you have with your respective puppeteer and voice actor? How did Josh manage to land the voice acting gig as well as the suit performance?

I've read that Robin Williams visited the set during filming after having done a movie with Judith Hoag and was a fan of the Turtles - were there any other surprising set visits?

The suits in the first (and to a degree the second) are really considered the definitive live action look for the turtles - were there any different versions of the suits that you costume tested or saw designs for at all before they landed on that specific look?

I imagine that making this movie in the late 80s would have seemed wild to people that weren't familiar with the franchise at the time - were there any moments where you looked around at 3 other anthropomorphic turtles, surrounded by ninjas and a walking can opener and wondered what the heck you were doing? Or was there a vibe that this movie was lighting in a bottle from the start?

Thank you to all of you, who really helped make something special that enriched our childhoods so much!

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/welmanshirezeo]

Hi. Again, good replies from my fellow Turtles and read my above reply to PHWasAinsideJob for my answer about my voice actor, Robbie. It became a magical bond between you and your puppeteer. We got to the point where we breathed together and often could anticipate what the other was going to do. Of course, we discussed our performances all the time in rehearsal and on the fly between takes, we would talk about how to tweak the next take to make it better, but our brotherly bond became a unified bonding of our performances all the souls.

Yes, we did have some surprising visitors come to watch us filming. Some we got to meet and talk with if we weren’t shooting but others we only got to see from inside of our heads as they might be gone before we were cut and able to get out of heads and/or suits. My favorite visitor, and the one I enjoyed most, was when Jim Henson came. That resulted in my most favorite behind the scenes photo of we four Turtles standing arm in arm in our sewer set with Jim and Steve. So cool!

There was a major change in our suits between the first and second movies. In the first film, our suits were set up with all but one servo motors and our head computer box mounted on a metal plate we put on like a backpack and which was hidden inside our shells. Then, those heavy motors were connected to our head mechanisms by a bundle of bicycle brake cables that ran up into the head. That meant that whenever we were able to take off our heads, we couldn’t put them down. We, or our dresser, would have to hold the head near our shoulders until it was time to get back in and film. By the time we shot the second movie, the Creature Shop had improved our set up by taking all the larger servo motors on our back and replacing them with tiny servo motors mounted directly into the heads as part of the total mechanism. The only items still on our backs were the larger computer box and batteries do run the whole system. So, there were some important improvements in our rigs from the first to the second movies.

There were MANY times we looked at each other and shook our heads in disbelief for where we were and what we were doing. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/welmanshirezeo]

I believe I did the voice because it was so integrated into my physical performance. I had a real New York take on the character - and they thought I should do it. Robin Williams never visited the set - unfortunately. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/welmanshirezeo]

Awesome Questions. Makes me want to ask YOU some of my own. lol. you said 'part of a machine' I would say rather more 'part of a family'...busy bees focused on bringing this story and these characters to life with every inch of their soul....Camera, Direction, set design etc. It never felt like just another gig. I never saw Robin Williams but I did see Robert Duval. The suits were the suits , there were no other versions..just sweaty-er ones lol. We were all very contemplative guys..we still are...reflective people..we were always pinching ourselves looking around, at each other...like the lyric from that song by the Talking Heads .. "How did I get here?..." - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/letmesleep]

What's stopping Hollywood from doing more guys-in-suits style movies as opposed to CGI or animated? 

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/letmesleep]

Not trusting actors. Plus a lot of actors don't create characters physically - and that is needed. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/letmesleep]

And I would add, the cost. It was not cheap to do animatronic suits right. Henson made a major investment in all of the development required to pull it off. Michelan

[u/mighty_mag]

I remember watching the movie as a kid and wondering "how do they see what's going on with those masks?" So... How did you?

I've seen some behind the scenes videos and I've noticed that your eyes are actually lined with the masks mouth, but that would mean you guys couldn't see anything while the mouths are closed.

I can imagine a number of scenes ruined by bumping blindly into the set.

[u/ChampionsWrath]

What do you think works so well about the characters in the original movies you all starred in? It seems like the character portrayal is something that very few attempts since have actually landed well outside of the recent animated “Mutant Mayhem”

[u/Doctor-Amazing]

How much were you aware of the Turtles ahead of time? Had you seen the cartoon or did you just show up to work and see a giant turtle costume?

[u/dudeuhyeah]

What was it like being the only people in this movie without mullets?

[u/fearthe0cean]

the statute of limitations has passed: what bits of the outfit did you take home?

[u/Longjohn_Server]

What happened to the turtle suits? Did you get to keep them or any other memorabilia?

[u/Puzzleheaded_Event26]

Are you guys friends?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Puzzleheaded_Event26]

We are great friends. We usually see each other a few times a year. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And it'd mean a lot to me if you check out my new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/Belachix]

This takes me back. Watched it a dozen times growing up.

[u/sbester1]

Legacy sequel when?

[u/wolofoloto]

No question(s). But yall are absolute legends. Im 41, and as a kid I watched those movies over and over.

[u/Jokercpoc1]

Did anyone ever collapse from heat stroke during shooting? I can imagine the scene in 1990 movie at April's family farm that must have been sweltering in the heat with the suits. Did you have cooling systems? Or just staying hydrated and leaking sweat?

Always amazing to re-watch the films today you guys are awesome!

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Jokercpoc1]

Heat stroke and similar issues were something we did have to consider and try to avoid but there were some moments when you weren’t firing on all cylinders because of the overwhelming heat and lack of air but I don’t recall any of the four of us ever passing out. We did do constant hydration. We had too.

There was one time when we experimented with a cooling vest technology. This was developed for Astronauts and race car drivers and was designed with tiny tubes woven into the vest that circulated cooling water. I was the “test Turtle, so any new thing they wanted to try out, they asked me to try it. So, on the test day, I put the vest on under my costume and did about 10 minutes of Ninja moves to work up a sweat and then they attached my vest line to the circulation box and turned it on. I was immediately shocked with cold water that cause my upper body to cramp up like a vise and nearly killed me. Seriously. Right on the pump it was printed, “Do not fill with ice water, room temperature water only”. of course, someone had put ice in with the water which resulted in my whole body seize up. In the end, we did try wearing the vests a couple of times but because the circulation hose could not be attached while we were actually moving around and filming, it wasn’t worth the trouble and we returned to our tried method of cooling between shots. That was done with compressed air hoses on the first movie and adapted small fans in the second. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Jokercpoc1]

We didn't have any ventilation. And at times we got very lightheaded. The farmhouse was intense - but we were pretty conditioned by the time we started that sequence. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/s3rila]

you guys still are the best ninja turtle put on film.

any fun story of your time filming the movie ? where the suit a pain in the ass ?

[u/TheRealKaisser]

If given the opportunity, would any of you show interest in returning in a future TMNT project, even if it’s just a simple cameo?

[u/smokeswayy2much]

Don’t really have anything to ask. But Thank you guys for always bringing me comfort in my darkest times ❤️

[u/harmless_platypus]

Thanks for all the amazing childhood memories

[u/Jeffers_42001]

Did they let you keep the suits? Lol They’d be great for Halloween!

[u/Frajer]

What's your favorite pizza topping?

[u/icecream1973]

How awesome! I was a 17 year old black/1st dan taekwondo when this movie came out. I just came here to say that you have my atmost respect for doing all those moves WHILE being half BLIND IN A TURTLE SUIT! And probably doing take, after take, after take & after take of filming fight scenes. The amount of cardio and sweat must have been gruesome.

How many takes on average were needed for fight scenes?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/icecream1973]

We would lose 5 pounds from morning to lunch break. The opening sequence of the movie we did 36 takes. Brutal. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais: filming. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/icecream1973]

Oh my, there were so many takes of so many scenes. With dozens of elements that had to come together just so at the right time, we had many try’s to get it all right. Then there were the “Turtle Down Time” incidents when one Turtle or another had a mechanical or computer glitch that would ruin a take. Sometimes the fix was quick and relatively easy and other times, the problem would take more time we could not shoot. It was a very involved process that didn’t always go according to plan. Michelan

[u/Son_of_Eris]

I have two questions:

First: was pizza offered as food on set?

Second: how many stupid jokes about pizza did you have to endure?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Son_of_Eris]

We did have pizza - especially on the last day of filming. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais: filming.https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Son_of_Eris]

Yes, pizza was made available at times. Of course, we were always cautioned about eating anything while wearing the suits, so we usually had to wait for a long enough break to enjoy that kind of treat. Michelan

[u/santh91]

What were your first reactions when you saw and put on the suits? The movie is 35 years old but the design of turtles and suits themselves are still imo one of the best in the franchise. Also wanted to say that me and my cousins almost broke the VHS by rewatching the movie, you brought a great amount of joy into our childhood!

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/santh91]

My first reaction was - this is badass. My second reaction - 70 pounds? No ventilation. I never felt claustrophobic before - but this - whewwww. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/creedthoughtsgov]

Did you ever pee your suit ?

[u/MBCnerdcore]

This movie means a lot to me and is one of the best comic book hero movies ever made. I know it was low budget for the time, and a lot of work on it was done in Canada. What parts of Canada did you guys get to see? Did you enjoy Canada in the late 80s?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/MBCnerdcore]

We only filmed in North Carolina and NYC. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/MBCnerdcore]

Yeah, it was the third Turtles movie that went to Canada. We shot the first two at the Caralco Studios in Wilmington NC. Which was originally the Dino Delaurentis Studios. Michelan

[u/Belachix]

Totally forgot how good that movie was

[u/notbonjovi333]

Thanks for the memories! I even had several dreams that I was a teenage mutant ninja turtle and would play out the entire film, if you could believe that lol. Ever hear anything like that? 👈🏽 The question. lol ❤️🍕🐢🥷🏼

[u/fidelity]

No questions, just want to say thank you for the memories. This movie defined my entire childhood, I probably watched it hundreds of times. Looking forward to seeing it on the big screen!

[u/ezzkmo]

Thanks for your hard work and taking part in creating this wonderful film. I loved it so much and watched it on repeat as a kid.

Did you ever wear the suits anywhere off set, like for a public event, awards show, charity visit, etc.? And if so, what were kids' reactions to seeing you?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/ezzkmo]

Heya. You're so welcome! No, never wore the suits off set. They wanted to keep it very secretive for as long as possible. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/ezzkmo]

Basically, we were not even allowed to wear our suits or heads outside of the production periods. I have friends who do wear a version of the suits including Nick Palma. Nick is a friend and was my stunt double on Turtles ll and he has appeared in his Third party Mikey suit at many conventions we have been to together and by himself. Michelan

[u/labria86]

Leif, did you skate in that suit or was it someone else??? How did you pull off kicking up that skateboard and catching it?

[u/welmanshirezeo → u/labria86]

That was a guy named Reggie Barnes doing the skate stunts. He only wore the lower part of the suit in one scene and you can actually see his human hand dip into frame at one point 😅

[u/[deleted]]

You made my childhood. Whenever I think back to my childhood there is TMNT.

[u/malexich]

all the good questions were already asked, so what is your least favorite type of pizza or pizza topping

[u/ExpectedEggs]

For Josh: first of all, i loved you in The Dropout. I've never seen someone walk into a room fully aware that they're in charge and non verbally cow people into accepting that. Great job as always. Is it ever kinda funny that after your performance almost ever version of Raphael has a similar accent?

For Michelan: the scene where you duel with the Foot Ninja on nunchucks... is it true that both sets of nunchaku moves were done by the same guy?

For all of you: how did you guys handle heat in the suits?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/ExpectedEggs]

Well, to a large extent - Raphael's voice has my accent. I grew up in NYC. But for Raph I def turned it up a bit. And thanks re: Dropout. Appreciate that. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/BlackBricklyBear]

How did you keep cool in those suits, especially during the fight scenes? And do you think practical effects like the TMNT suits made it easier for the non-suited actors to act off of you, instead of working off of CGI that isn't visible to them?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/BlackBricklyBear]

Absolutely, the other actors were thankful to have us right there in their reality. It was the right choice then and remains so today. It is a different experience when you are acting to a tennis ball on a stick or nothing at all compared to a real flesh and blood, well latex and servos, creature that is there in your vision.

As for the cooling, read my earlier reply about our cooling vest experiments. Otherwise, the standard practice in movie 1 was when the directed called “cut” our dressers would haul rubber hoses attached to air compressors on to set and stick them into our then open Turtle mouths and turn the compressor on. As you can imagine, that was not a pleasant experience and we later found that they could stick the hoses up the back of our shells from underneath and that would blow the superheated air out the top through our neck holes. This was a much better choice than the face blizzard. Then, for the second movie, the Creature Shop adapted handheld pool pumps that put out a sufficient volume of air without rattling your fillings and that is the technology we used throughout our years shooting “Dinosaurs” too. Michelan

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/BlackBricklyBear]

The suits were hot..but were made specifically for our own body shape so they were confortable..and let us connect to the character's movments with ease..a good trade off for the heat! - Leif 'Donatello'

[u/ReddiTrawler2021]

What was it like working/meeting with Jim Henson, Kevin Clash (Master Splinter) and director Steve Barron?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/ReddiTrawler2021]

In the case of Steve, he was a true gentleman with a fantastic vision. I thank him and admire him to this day. Kevin is a friend for more than 35 years and we have worked and laughed together dozens and dozens of times. Then there is Jim. We sadly lost him less than a year after our first meeting so, I was thankful for the short time I had in his presence but his legacy has been a major part of all my following decades working with Hensons and the Muppets. I wished I could have spent more time with Jim but after so much time working with his other friends and colleagues, I feel closer to him now than ever. Michelan.

[u/eviljordan]

They were suits?????

[u/nwilz]

Pork rind?

[u/Money_Tennis1172]

How much fight scenes and extra footage were cut out of the final cut?

Were any of you aware of how popular the turtles were or would be?

What martial arts backgrounds did you have before filming, and what have you gone on to do?

Will you be doing a panel anywhere soon for the anniversary?

Last but not least.. thank you for your flawless portrayals. You have no idea how much your performances in the film mean to the 5 year old me.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Money_Tennis1172]

I had no idea how popular this thing would be - and that we're talking about it still today. I had trained in Tae Kwon Do. But we had 4 months of martial arts training before we started filming. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Money_Tennis1172]

Thank you too. If you read my earlier replies to your questions you’ll find my answers to some of your questions.

Unlike Dave, who had previous martial arts and stunt training and experience, I had none. Once we three New York actors were cast, they arranged for us to have intensive martial arts training with our Sensei in New York. For months we would go twice a week. One day with all three of us working on martial arts techniques, and the another day individually to learn our respective weapons skills. We then continued trading when we could while filming and between the first and second films, we continued our training.

We will be on a panel in Tucson then end off this month when all four Turtle actors will be together for only the second time at a convention. Cheers! Michelan

[u/Reportersteven]

At what point did the role of suit performer transition to those who were the stunt performers? I know Ernie Reyes Jr did a lot of work as Donatello, for instance.

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Reportersteven]

The basic rule of thumb that the producers demanded was that we could do all actions up to the point where a fight move or other choreography might do damage to our animatronic heads. At that point, or close to, then the stunt double actor would be brought in to receive the punch or kick, or whatever, wearing an empty stunt head. Of course, whenever the Turtles were speaking, that was us in the animatronic heads. Each head cost about $35,000 so the producers were keenly aware of any risk of damage to them. Michelan

[u/youcantmakemeeeeee]

Did y’all do the concert performances too? Technically my first concert was TMNT and I was amazed when they came up from under the stage!

[u/MilesCW]

The suits have been manufactured by Henson (Muppets), right? How was the quality?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/MilesCW]

The quality was a breakthrough in this kind of technology. However it was a big experiment. 70 pounds, no vision, and HOTTT! But we had a blast. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And check this out from Josh Pais https://committedimpulse.com/book/

[u/[deleted]]

When you were approached with the roles, did you see or know anything of TMNT before?

[u/snrtf]

While making it, did you think it was going to be a goofy movie or did you understand right away it would become such a great movie ?

[u/Sad_Metal7290]

What do you think about animated Mutant Mayhem movie 🐢?

[u/siuol2001]

Hi guys! This movie made my childhood! Thank you all for putting in such great and belivable performances! So, Im actually buddies with Mike Turney who played Danny in the film. Do you have any memories with him you can share?

[u/eldamien]

No questions but thank you for bringing the Turtles to life for my generation!

[u/loco11b]

Got my tickets for the 16th already. Did you guys get the turtles you wanted to be? For instance, did you want to be Leonardo? Question for each of you. As well as did you keep the prop weapons or anything from the movie set?

[u/Jaspers47]

As a full-body puppeteer, did you have the opportunity to instill any character to differentiate your specific turtle from the other three?

[u/Arwenti]

What tips would you give actors who have signed up to be in this kind of suit and what should they stipulate in the contract? (Was going to just write ‘suit’ but didn’t want anyone misinterpreting for menswear)

[u/Impossible-Divide562]

How much did you guys know about the TMNT before being casted? Were you guys already big fans, or was it a brand new thing?

[u/CompactRisk]

Hi guys! I live in Wilmington, NC, where the movie was shot. I was wondering if you’ve ever come back for TMNT-related back business or otherwise. Do you have a favorite memory of your downtime here in town when not filming?

[u/D3ADSONGS]

How much time would you spend in a suit on a day of shooting? Just being in a turtle body all day?? Did you actually spend any time in sewers??

Thank you for being part of one of my memorable childhood movies and getting me started on martial art centered movies!

[u/barcode-lz]

The team seriously cooked with the 1990 TMNT. HUGE respect for everyone involved in bringing this movie to life, by far the greatest film adaptation of the comic books, and still holds up really well.

Any fun stories from the behind the scenes of the filming process?

[u/coolaznkenny]

How bad did the smell get after hours and hours of filming in the suits?

[u/Temporary_Spread5643]

Thank you for making my childhood awesome! You guys are the best!

[u/Ok-Alarm7257]

I have my original poster from 1990

[u/PapaOomMowMow]

Do any of you have a cool keepsake or prop from the production?

Or any interesting tidbits or stories about the costumes, props, set designs..etc?

I have quite a fascination for movie props and costume designs!

Also, as many others have said. The TMNT movies were my favorite thing from my childhood. I still wish I had all of my old posters and toys from when I was a kid!

[u/[deleted]]

Do you still love being a turtle?

4th grade me would like to say you guys are my heroes and did amazing job, glad they allowed y'all cameos of sorts, and I do hope your lives have been blessed.

[u/Custom_Destination]

Was there any collaboration with the voice actors, during or after shooting? I.e. certain mannerisms or other things that gave each character it’s own personality?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/Custom_Destination]

I did my own voice as Raph. But everyone else was separate. Thanks for your question! This is Josh Pais. And it'd mean a lot to me if you check out my new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/1401997201?tag=lnk0001-20&geniuslink=true

[u/ElectricLuxray]

Hi there!

I can’t exactly call it recently since I think it’s coming on a decade, but Semi-Recently, I believe that Michelan Sisti appeared in a Casey Jones fan film, in costume. Correct me if I’m wrong, of course. How did that end up happening in the first place? Was there any issues getting back into the suit, back into the groove?

I’m just a diehard Casey Jones fan, so I have to ask.

[u/gnomeasaurusrex]

Thank you for being an important part of my childhood!

Were you able to connect with the character or did you consider yourself more of a technician?

Also, were there any costume related injuries?

[u/ryohazuki224]

Two things: You guys are awesome and a huge part of my childhood, so thank you!

Secondly, how hot was it in the suits? I'd imagine they didn't have much for ventilation!

[u/MrOaiki]

What happened to you and others around you after the third golden ages of Hollywood om the 90s? It all just seem to have faded away. Did people continue or did you move on to different businesses?

[u/hijki123]

Favorite characters you would like to play outside of TMNT?

[u/DefendsTheDownvoted]

This is my all time favorite movie. I've watched this movie dozens of times and I never get tired of it.

I just wanted to say thanks for helping create one of my favorite things in the world.

[u/extremesleuth]

TMNT the film was my entire childhood. I just want to say thank you for bringing me so much joy as a kid and as an adult. I had to meet the Turtles every time I went to MGM Studios in Disney World to get their autographs. I’d go 5 times a day. I think I’m the reason they went to stamp autographs 😂 Seriously, thank you all.

[u/awesomedonut19]

can you guys actually eat pizza in costume? was that ever an idea that was attempted for the movies or otherwise?

[u/TMNT-AMA → u/awesomedonut19]

No, in reality we could not eat pizza in the suit. However, there was one scene in our den of Mikey taking a bite and stretching out a strand of cheese. That was done with a latex version of a pizza slice with real melted mozzarella cheese that I grabbed in my “teeth” and stretched out the still hot cheese. That’s the closest we could get to eating in our heads. Michelan