Eric Bauza is one of the busiest voice actors in the business. His recents gigs include Woody Woodpecker in 2017 film, Puss in Boots on the Netflix show, Fozzie Bear on the new Muppet Babies and Bugs, Tweety and Daffy in the upcoming Looney Tunes Cartoons. A lifelong fan of the TMNT franchise, Bauza is thrilled and honored to be voicing Splinter on Nickelodeon’s new reboot series – Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Jackson Murphy: You voiced some of characters on the previous “Ninja Turtles” show that ran on Nickelodeon from 2012 to last year. So how did it feel to come back into this world, with this new show, and to now be voicing Splinter?

Eric Bauza: Amazing. I feel like a kid in a candy store any time I open my email and I see auditions come through for characters like Splinter and shows like “Ninja Turtles” that have been around for over 30 years. These are shows that I grew up watching as a kid, and now I get to work with people like Rob Paulsen, who’s the original Raphael, a more recent Donatello and now a voice director on a series. This is Rob’s maiden voyage as a voice director. Having a chance to work with a living legend like Rob – he’s so generous, has been so kind to me when I started back in 2007. To see him get to direct has been amazing. It just comes full circle. It’s not an accident that he was put in that position, too.

I feel like when you take the “Ninja Turtles” car out for a spin, people are watching. These are characters who have been with people who are now parents. I’m a dad now, so to be voicing a dad like Master Splinter, it’s kind of cool. They’ll keep it in the family and keep Rob on the show, if not as a voice over artist, then in some capacity to let the fans know that there’s still some “Ninja Turtles” heritage there.

And… I really wasn’t on the show in 2012 until Season 3 as Tiger Claw. But that’s another trivia thing for anyone who’s paying attention. Here was a guy who did a voice for a brand new villain for a show. I don’t think he was supposed to be on for more than an episode or two, and then he ended-up being one of the staple bad guys on the show. And to know they gave me a shot to voice Splinter, who is one of the most recognized characters in this franchise is just amazing. I feel like the luckiest in Burbank.

JM: Maybe one of the luckiest guys in the entire world!

EB: Quite possible.

JM: He is such an iconic character – in this iconic franchise. Because the Turtles world has meant so much to you, was there a lot of pressure for you going through the audition process for Splinter?

EB: Oh, sure. Always. That’s how you know you’re doing the right job. If I didn’t feel that pressure, then I probably wouldn’t have booked it. When you’re given this opportunity to continue a legacy character, you have to look back before you can look forward. You have to wonder why you connect with the character so well. There were the movies. The 2012 series was also great.

But the original series was… he was always the stoic dad. Nowadays with all these remakes and reboots, you gotta do something different with it. So that’s another kind of pressure on you to bring something new and totally your own to something that is so familiar with the entire world. How do you do that kind of thing?

JM: I watched the first episode (“Mystic Mayhem”) online a few weeks ago. The show is funny. The camaraderie amongst the Turtles is really sharp and sweet. And I also got a mixture of old-fashioned and modern vibes. Did you get that sense in reading the script?

EB: Yeah. Right away in the title, it’s “Rise of the TMNT”, so it’s kind of like you’re seeing these guys on a different journey. We’ve seen them exist already as teenagers. We’ve also seen versions where they’re a bit more mature, but still teens. But this is definitely a completely different… we’re kicking back the clock here, and they’re definitely… it certainly feels like a different show in a different time that they’re trying to explore. And with that being said, there’s so much room to change and invent new characters and new situations.

They shuffled the deck a little: Ralph is now the leader. Leo is almost more like a jokester than we expect him to be. And I feel like… it pays homage to the fans, and it also treats them to something new – something that maybe they weren’t expecting they wanted to see.

I know for sure in my experience at the Comic-Con panel we just had in San Diego, being a part of the old series and having gone to many panels and seeing a generation of fans fall in love with a version of the show (and then it kind of comes and goes), and to see some of those fans, I think they were really shocked to see what Andy (Suriano) and Ant (Ward) did with the show. And I think they were genuinely pleased. I know I certainly was.

Just going back to the 2D style was… a bold choice. We’re in an age now where everything’s CG and everything’s really slick. But there’s something so charming about hand-drawn characters and the way they move. It’s a little bit more snappy. It’s a little bit more choppy. But it’s also more action-packed. Andy Suriano is an established comic book artist, so the overall composition of the show – it’s like I’m flipping through a moving comic book. And after all, “Ninja Turtles” was a comic book in its origin. It’s such a treat.

I’m an animation nerd first and foremost, before a performer, so I can look at this and appreciate what they’re trying to deliver to the fans. And the fans know more about these characters than we do now. They’ve had enough versions of the show, and enough exposure to these characters, where if something’s a little off, they’ll know right away.

JM: It has a cool look: the sharp lines on their faces, the way they move, and it is action-packed. I was really entertained. I think people of all ages are going to enjoy this.

EB: Well I’m glad you felt that way!

JM: In one of the episodes airing during Premiere Week, Splinter gets the Rat Flu. Tell us about the Rat Flu.

EB (as Master Splinter): It was horrible. There are many stages of the Rat Flu. Very sweaty. I’m so glad a wear a robe – and live in the sewer.

EB: The Rat Flu was a really fun episode to record, and it’s very “28 Days Later”-like flu, where they go to the extremes. The drawings that they have in that episode are hilarious. Nickelodeon is very notorious for its very broad sense of humor when it comes to that kind of stuff, and I feel like it plays here extremely well.

JM: Splinter always provides wisdom and guidance for the Turtles. You’ve also done a lot of “Star Wars” work over the years. He’s kind of the Yoda of the TMNT world. So as you voice Splinter, do any inspirations come to mind?

EB: Absolutely. They definitely made it clear it’s a more comedic approach. It’s action comedy, and this version of Splinter… I felt like it really caused a knee-jerk reaction with a lot of fans. I think they’re so used to seeing versions of the Turtles. But when they saw Splinter, he’s definitely not the typical Splinter that we’ve… grown to know. But this will be a Splinter that stands out from the rest, and you’ll definitely grow to love this guy.

In the past, Splinter has always been very stoic, and his whole thing is that every now and then he’ll break and throw a little comedy curveball. This version of Splinter, I believe, he’s a little bit more aloof and definitely all comedy curveballs, so when he becomes stoic, that’s when he really gets you. If you’re gonna reboot a show, you have to do something that’s completely different. The writers on this show are all amazing, and they’re leading us down this path.

I wish I could tell you what I recorded today, but there’s some good stuff coming up with Splinter and with the boys. It’s gonna be a wild ride, and you just have to let your guard down and let your past knowledge go. And it’ll sneak in there. They definitely know what they’re writing, and they definitely know that people are looking for Easter Eggs. Pay close attention to the backgrounds. Pay close attention to every detail of this show, because it all piles up.

JM: The Ninja Turtles love pizza. What’s your go-to pizza place?

EB: You know who turned me on to this – Mr. Maurice LaMarche. He was the voice of The Brain in “Pinky and the Brain.” Rob Paulsen and Maurice are voicing foot soldiers in “Rise”. It’s a bit of an “Animaniacs” reunion for those paying attention at home. It’s very cool to see them in the booth together. Maurice turned me on to this pizza joint in Sherman Oaks (CA) called ‘Mulberry Street Pizzeria’. It’s the closest thing to a NY slice of pizza. And I’m just a classic pepperoni kind of guy.

“Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” premieres this Monday, September 17th at 6:30pmET on Nickelodeon.