New ‘Ninja Turtles’ Voice Cast Includes ‘DuckTales’ Stars, First African-American April
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may be going back to 2D, but their new Nickelodeon Rise is anything but old-hat. Meet the voice cast of the new animated series, including some familiar DuckTales and Ballers stars, along with a voice from The Vampire Diaries.
Nickelodeon confirmed Thursday that its new animated Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will feature an all-new cast from previous iterations, including Ballers star Omar Miller as – team leader in this incarnation – Raphael, DuckTales voice Ben Schwartz as Leonardo, Silicon Valley star Josh Brener as Donatello, You’re the Worst favorite Brandon Mychal Smith as Michelangelo and Erica Bauza as Splinter.
The Vampire Diaries star Kat Graham will play April, who will also be portrayed as African-American for the first time:
I’ve watched TMNT since I was a little girl. I’m so proud to be playing the first African-American April O’Neil. What an incredible honor for me and milestone for this iconic cartoon. I’m excited for all the adventures the Turtles and I will have!
Here’s how the new 2D series is described:
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follows Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo on all-new adventures as they seek to unlock the mystical secrets of New York City. From the tallest skyscraper to the dankest sewer drain, the Turtles will encounter absurd new mutants and battle bizarre creatures all while enjoying their favorite slice of pizza. Tapping into mystic, ninja powers they never knew existed, the four brothers must learn to work together and navigate the perils of the modern age and hidden realms in order to fulfill their destiny to become a team of heroes.
Prior Nickelodeon Turtles voice actor (and Raphael from the 1987 series) Rob Paulsen will voice direct the series, which itself is co-executive produced by Samurai Jack designer Andy Suriano and former Turtles supervising producer Ant Ward. The 26-episode first season is expected to premiere in 2018, so stay tuned for the latest on Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
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