Judith Hoag played intrepid reporter Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, but here's why she was recast for the sequels. When it comes to superheroes, there are many weird ones to choose from. Most comic book universes are far from realistic, leaving the door open for nearly limitless possibilities. Yet, even with that lack of restriction, the idea of turtles mutated to human size with the personalities of teenagers, who then learn martial arts from a giant mutated rat seems pretty out there.
It's now been an astounding 36 years since the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book was published though, and 33 years since the debut of the original cartoon series that cemented the group of unlikely crimefighters into pop culture superstardom. At this point, it seems safe to say that the abject weirdness of its central concept hasn't at all proven a detriment to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles becoming a truly iconic franchise, spanning just about every type of media and merchandise.
The most famous human character to emerge from the franchise - not counting Shredder, who isn't always portrayed as a human - is the Turtles' reporter friend April O'Neil. Originally a lab assistant in the comics, April became a reporter for the cartoon, and the job change stuck. It's one of those roles most actors would love to land, but Judith Hoag didn't get to hang onto it for long.
TMNT: Why The Original April O’Neil Was Recast For Turtles 2
It's become a bit infamous over the years that Judith Hoag wasn't the happiest camper on the set of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to the point where she was often perceived as being "difficult." A majorly contentious issue was her adamant refusal to wear the yellow jumpsuit that had become an iconic part of April O'Neil's look, thanks to the cartoon. It begs the question of why she wanted the role if she was so adverse to the character's usual wardrobe. While she briefly wore a yellow raincoat in the film, no jumpsuit was seen.
Additionally, Hoag apparently loved to complain on set, including about the six day per week work schedule, and the amount of violence depicted in the film. While there's nothing wrong with standing up for oneself, the fact that the rest of the cast never backed up those complaints doesn't speak in her favor. As for the violence, she had presumably read the script before taking the role, and the comics were hardly violence-free. Ironically, toy companies also balked at the violence, leading it to be toned down for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, although fans weren't pleased. Paige Turco ended up taking over the April role for both Secret of the Ooze, and the third film, Turtles in Time.
