Micah Abbey on Being His Authentic Self and Playing Donatello in TMNT: Mutant Mayhem

With its groundbreaking animation and a cast of real teens voicing the Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is unlike any TMNT title to come before it. The film is finally out today, Aug. 2, and we believe it's paving the way for a whole new era of the beloved franchise.

Among the young voice actors bringing their talents to the film is 15-year-old Micah Abbey, the voice of Donatello (our personal favorite Ninja Turtle). The star is best known for roles on Grey's Anatomy and Bunk'd, but Donatello may be his most exciting and explosive role yet. We just had to learn more about the youngest Ninja Turtle in history, and Micah was kind enough to chat with us all about the new film and what this role means to him in the interview below.

Note: This interview was conducted ahead of the actor's strike.

Sweety High: When did you discover your passion for acting? Was there any specific a-ha moment that made you realize it was the path for you?

Micah Abbey: When I was younger, I kind of always had to be the center of attention at family gatherings, but overall, I just wanted to make people laugh or feel entertained. My mom encouraged me to embrace my passion. My sister and I started modeling when I was about 5. It was more about having fun and building confidence from my mom's point of view. Then she signed us up for acting classes, and I really loved it. I used to tell my mom I was gonna be a movie star, and I am also going to have a butler and a private jet. I would make up characters and would perform for her out of the blue for no reason after dinner. She knew right then and there she was in for a ride! As I got older, I started to really appreciate the art of acting.

(Photo credit: F. Scott Schafer)

 

SH: Were you a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles before you auditioned for the role? What does it mean to you to join such an iconic franchise?

MA: I feel like Ninja Turtles have been in everyone's life at some point. It's such a big franchise—how could I not be a fan, right? I remember watching the 2012 series and the Michael Bay movies. I vividly remember seeing all the merchandise everywhere; lunchboxes and backpacks. Those are definitely nostalgic and iconic to my childhood. It means so much to me to be part of this franchise because I'm a Ninja Turtle that the future generations will grow up knowing. That's just so crazy and special to me. I am so grateful and blessed to have this opportunity.

 

SH: Can you tell us a little bit about TMNT: Mutant Mayhem? What's the story, and how does it differ from other Ninja Turtles stories?

MA: Mutant Mayhem is about four teenage mutant ninja turtles who want to discover, explore and become a part of the human world. They worry that humans won't accept them, so they try to save the world in order to be seen as heroes instead of mutant monsters. This leads them into a situation that turns out to be a little more complicated than they thought it was going to be. I think this version is so different because it's played by actual teenagers. Because of that, there's a unique teenage energy. There are jokes that adult writers wouldn't have been able to create without us crazy young people. There are even certain sayings in the original script that us four boys were like, "Nah. That's outdated. We need to change that."

 

Also read about: Aparna Brielle on Working With Arnold Schwarzenegger and Camaraderie on the Set of FUBAR

 

SH: What does it mean to you to be among the first-ever real teenagers to be voicing the Ninja Turtles?

MA: It means the world to me. I'm actually the youngest turtle in TMNT history, which is super cool to get to say. Most importantly, the fans see what it's really like to be a teenager in today's generation—and all the emotions that go along with this life.

(Photo credit: F. Scott Schafer)

 

SH: How similar are you to Donatello in real life? What would you say are your biggest similarities and differences?

MA: I am similar in the sense that I love tech and I'm nerdy about certain tech features. I love cars and I really geek out over the electronics. I'm also similar to Donnie because I have to really think things out before acting on them. But unlike Donnie, I wasn't big into anime, K-pop or even video games, which is surprising to some people. This character actually introduced me to that realm of entertainment. For my homework, my mom encouraged me to watch some anime and listen to K-pop, so I had a friend kind of direct me where to start. I watched a little bit of JoJo's Bizzare Adventure, the season of Violet Evergarden and I listened to some BTS and TWICE. I kinda morphed myself into Donnie to make sure I played the part correctly.

 

SH: Do you have a favorite Ninja Turtle? Is it Donatello?

MA: I actually grew up loving Raphael. I think overlooked his constant rage and just thought, "This guy's a beast and he is ripped! and that's all. LOL. I aspired to be him when I was younger. But I also think the turtle you choose as a young person is partially because of the color you grew up loving, which is why I was also always drawn to Raph.

(Photo credit: F. Scott Schafer)

 

Also read about: Reed Horstmann Dishes on Playing Jake and the Twists of The Villains of Valley View Season 2

 

SH: What's been your most memorable moment from voicing the character?

MA: Just hanging out with my fellow castmates. Truly, we are really good friends. I can call these guys my brothers. I would say my favorite thing to record with them was the New York stereotype scene. It started off with Donnie saying, "I'm a cabbie from da Bronx," but I've been on TikTok and there were lots of New York jokes. We all just chimed in and made a bunch of jokes.

 

SH: Is there any part of this film you're most excited for audiences to see when it comes out?

MA: The action scenes are so sick to me. There's a scene in the bowling alley where the animation is so vibrant and cool. I was just sitting there amazed with a giant smile on my face the first time I saw it.

(Photo credit: F. Scott Schafer)

 

SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

MA: Be yourself. This movie promotes this message a lot, but I just wanna continue spreading it. Be yourself, no matter how weird people tell you you are. There are people just like you out there. And being weird or goofy makes you you! Also, thank you to everyone who has supported me. I love you all so much!

 

For more on the young actors who are inspiring us, click HERE to read our interview with Emma Shannon on her Pretty Freekin Scary role.