James Avery loves playing Shredder on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – The Hollywood Reporter

For most kids of the 1980s, it was a pivotal moment when they realized that the actor who played Uncle Phil on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air also voiced Shredder in the popular cartoon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And James Avery loves to watch the light bulb come on.

In an interview many years ago, the beloved sitcom and voice actor – who was born on this day in 1945 – talked about seeing that reaction and also how serious he is about taking on the role. taking on the role of Shredder, making it important to note that cartoons are more than just that. a show.

“I did Fresh Prince for a long time, and whenever I went somewhere and someone did some research and found out that I was the voice of Shredder… or if there was a child audience, and I would continue that voice, [they’d respond] Avery said, recounting the eye-opening reactions. “Of course, these kids are now 19, 20.”

Avery takes the villainous Shredder role as seriously as any other role he’s played and details how he won it through auditions.

“Essentially Shredder is an outspoken villain, but within that, there are levels to be found between Krang (Patrick Fraley and Townsend Coleman) interactions and me. And there are levels that I have found as an actor to play him,” he said.

Explaining that he doesn’t consider himself a voice actor, Avery noted that he feels “lucky” to have had the famous cartoon role. He also said that he enjoyed watching the entire cast at work.

“Everybody is so smart and witty,” he said. “I can’t explain to you how much fun that is. It’s like the old days. It’s like the old radio theater. It was just a pleasure.”

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ran from 1987 to 1996. It inspired a large number of toys and other merchandise at the time and later, a number of live-action films and other animated films.

Avery passed away in December 2013. He was 68 years old.

View his full TMNT interview below.