Five Questions With Master Splinter – Interview with Voice Actor Hoon Lee
A special thank you to Nickelodeon for allowing us the time to ask a few questions to some of the voice actors behind the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. Right now we have for you an interview with actor Hoon Lee, who provides the voice for TMNT’s mentor, teacher and father figure, Splinter. You can watch the first three episodes here!
[divider]
How does it feel to voice Splinter, the legendary mentor of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
A honor and a privilege. Like many of the cast and creative team, TMNT holds a special place in my history, so getting a chance to work with these characters is amazing.
What can fans of the series expect to see from Splinter as the series progresses?
The creative team has been careful to preserve what’s fundamental about these characters while giving themselves room to expand and deepen those traits. Splinter’s no exception. Making him younger and perhaps more physically capable hasn’t diminished his role as a father figure to the boys. But it does mean that he may be better equipped to more actively participate in the above (and below) ground adventures as time progresses. I think we’ll see some of that and I think we’ll see more of his history (particularly with the Shredder) coming to the fore. It’ll be fun.
Were you familiar with TMNT before you auditioned for the role?
Absolutely. Tried to swipe (unsuccessfully) my friend’s original run of Eastman and Laird’s black and white comic way back when. I’d not seen all the incarnations but I fondly remember the original books, the first animated series and the first couple of movies. I’m glad we’re able to bring the gang to the existing fan base as well as a bunch of new folks. The response has been incredibly gratifying and a testament to how dear these characters are to a whole generation.
Is it difficult voicing a character who has suffered great personal loss in his life, and is currently raising and training four “sons?”
Only difficult in the sense that you want to honor that storyline and that intention. But that’s all great stuff for an actor to explore! It’s what you hope for really – depth of emotion and situation, high stakes, etc. I think one thing that can get lost amidst the awesome action, animation style and visual design is how solid and rich the writing is. That’s one thing that continually impressed me as we recorded the first season. It makes the work much easier when the words support the intention so clearly.
On a personal level, I have a young son and am intimately familiar with a lot of the concerns a father has for a child that is growing, evolving and becoming more independent before your very eyes (and in a very short amount of time!) While that makes it perhaps easier to access some of the emotion required in the stories, it also tends to make me more acutely aware of my own concerns for my boy. That goes for large issues like choosing between right and wrong and smaller issues like concern for the cleanliness of public restrooms.
If you could voice any character from any series, who would you pick and why?
Batman. No question. I mean, it’d be an exercise in futility after Kevin Conroy of course. Don’t get me wrong – Splinter’s a huge honor for me. But come on — Batman right? Batman.
