Exclusive Interview – François Chau discusses Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Lost, and beyond.

      This weekend’s Toronto Comicon is honoring the heroes in a half-shell by featuring stars from the 90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films: Brian Tochi, Kenn Scott, Ernie Reyes Jr., and François Chau, who portrayed Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Shredder, respectively.

      We recently spoke with Chau in an exclusive interview about the enduring legacy of Ninja Turtles. He joined the franchise as Shredder, the Turtles’ famous antagonist, in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, where the villain returns after his defeat in the first movie, aiming to build his own mutant army to eliminate the Turtles. “It’s amazing that even 35 years later, it remains so popular,” Chau remarked, referring to both the first film and its sequel, which is currently marking its 35th anniversary. “Lightning struck, and I feel incredibly fortunate and happy to be a part of it.”

      The turtle suits worn by his co-stars, crafted by the Jim Henson Company, are one of the most unforgettable elements of the films due to their intricate detail, which has withstand the test of time. However, they were quite challenging for the actors to wear. Although Chau had his own Shredder costume, he humorously expressed how relieved he felt that he didn’t have to wear the turtle suits. “They were struggling. They had to wear these like Nerf footballs on their bodies all day long, which was really tough. I was glad that was not my experience!”

      Regarding his own costume, which has drawn comparisons to other masked villains such as Darth Vader, Chau shared, “It was difficult since all you could see was this,” while gesturing to cover his eyes and mouth to demonstrate the Shredder glare. “Most of the expression came from my eyes, which is what I aimed to convey, but it was fine. It was a lot of fun to play a comic book character. I read the comics long before the movies, so I was familiar with the storyline.”

      As someone who enjoyed the comics prior to the films' release, does he have a favorite turtle? “I don’t have a favorite turtle. For Shredder, there is no favorite.”

      In the years since, he has appeared in shows and films like Lost, The Expanse, Ghost of Tsushima, and The Penguin, along with many other projects. You can find our complete interview on the Flickering Myth YouTube channel below.