Anyone who’s a fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles knows about April O’Neil. April was the turtle’s first contact with the human world, and the first human friend that they made. Depending on the version of TMNT and April’s skills, she has helped the turtles in various ways. No matter what, our favorite heroes in a half-shell can count on April to be there for them.

What I like the most about April is that she is proof that the turtles can be accepted by humans. There’s often this sense of prejudice that follow the turtles. No matter what our turtle brothers do, no matter how much they save the world, it often goes unappreciated. People will still see them as monsters. But that’s not the case with April.

April is the first human to look at these guys and not run away. (Granted she did initially freak out, but once she wrapped her mind around it, she was fine.) True, other humans do come along and befriend the turtles, but April was the first. She was the first to show them the human world isn’t as bad as it may seem. She proved to be an incredibly valuable friend and became family to our turtle heroes.

Yes, we love April, but how much do we know about her? Since TMNT has been around for over three decades, we have a lot of material on April, and so many different versions of her to love. So here are 20 surprising facts about April that you likely didn’t know. Think we missed some? Make sure to let us know in the comments below!

20 Are We Human?

Via: comiccollectorlive.com, comicvine.gamespot.com

Did you know that April actually isn’t human? Well, it depends on the version of her, but there are some versions where she’s not completely human. Well, April looks human, but the truth is that she’s actually something a little different.

In the original comics, it was revealed that April was a drawing brought to live through a magic pen. When she found out about this, it took her a while to come to terms with it, but she accepted it. In the Nickelodeon series, April is mostly human, but also has some alien DNA in her as the result of Kraang experimentation. That’s why she’s got some crazy psychic powers. There’s also all the times where she was temporarily turned into something none-human, but I don’t count those since they weren’t permanent.

19 She Wasn’t Always A Redhead

Via: turtlepedia.wikia.com, eddieholly.deviantart.com

April’s race and ethnicity has changed a bit over the years with the different iterations of TMNT. Her most iconic look portrays her to likely be Irish-American, which explains her surname O’Neil. But early versions of April actually show her to be either African American or Latina.

The first images of her in the original comics show her with black, curly hair, and a darker skin tone. It was even said that the creators named her after one of the creator’s girlfriends, who was black. It wasn’t until the 1987 TV series that she was portrayed with lighter skin and reddish-brown hair, a look that became April’s iconic look. Interestingly enough, the most recent version of TMNT, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, has stated that the character April O’Neil will be a black woman, and is voiced by a black woman.

18 April The Vampire Slayer

Via: cgnet.wordpress.com, popsugar.com

At first glance, the franchises Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may not have a lot in common (though their heroes do fight off supernatural threats fairly often). But there actually is a connection between the two, and it lies in one particular actress.

The actress who portrays Buffy, Sarah Michelle Gueller, also voiced April O’Neil in the 2007 animated TMNT movie. Actually, I can see some similarities between these two characters. Both April and Buffy are pretty tough women, they’re skilled fighters, and they aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty to protect those they care about. And both are friends with people that aren’t exactly human. And a crossover between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and TMNT would be absolutely amazing. Somebody make this happen!

17 A Younger April

Via: toybanditz.blogger.com

In most versions of TMNT, April O’Neil is usually portrayed as a young woman in her mid to late twenties. As a result, she’s a bit older than the turtles. Depending on the version, she often becomes a type of older sister figure to the turtles. But that all changed when Nickelodeon made the animated TMNT series in 2012.

In this version, April is actually 16, the same age as the turtles. That adds a rather different dynamic to her interactions with them and gives a new look at her personality. A younger April is a bit more temperamental and reckless. There’s also the fact that Donnie canonically has a crush in April in this version, which does make things rather interesting. Hey no matter what age she is, April’s pretty awesome!

16 A Woman Of Many Talents

Via: aminoapps.com, tvtropes.com

Depending on the version, whether it’s the TV shows, the movies or the comics, April has had quite a few different professions. She was a computer programmer in the original comics, a TV news reporter in the '87 series and the movies, and a she was a scientist in the 2003 animated series. A few versions also have her owning an antique shop that she inherited from her father.

Her profession would often show what kind of a role she played in the story. In the versions where she was a scientist or computer programmer, she was usually helping Don out with his experiments and providing some tech support. In the versions where she was a reporter, she often used her investigative talent to help the turtles track down enemies. No matter what, she was willing to help out her new friends.

15 A Vigilante April Sounds Awesome!

Via: thegreenlanterncorps.com, comicvine.gamespot.com

Did you know that April was a vigilante at one point? Yep, she once donned a costume and fought crime as the vigilante called Nobody. Granted, this vigilante did exist already in the TMNT world, but it looks like April took up the mantle for a while.

In the comics, Dr. Stockman tried to take his revenge on April by injecting her with deadly nanobots. The turtles worked together to help purge them from April’s body and save her, but the whole experience left her sterile. April didn’t take the news well and went off on her own for a while to process things. That’s when she became a vigilante. I guess I’ve seen worse reactions. Eventually Casey finds out and convinces her to stop. I have to admit, April as a vigilante sounds pretty cool. They should bring that back in the movies!

14 I’m Hearing The Same Voice!

Via: fanpop.com, adjl.wikia.com, anycartoonrp-april.deviantart.com

You may find the voice of April in the Nickelodeon TMNT series to sound pretty familiar. And for a good reason. The voice actor for April in this particular animated series was Mae Whitman, who has voiced quite a few popular characters in cartoons.

You may know Mae best for her roles as Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Rose from American Dragon: Jake Long. She’s also voiced Cassie from Young Justice, and Heather from Dragons: Riders of Berk. But it doesn’t stop there: she’s been in many shows, such as Fillmore!, Johnny Bravo, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, DC Super Hero Girls, and so on. She’s also been in a few live-action movies like Independence Day and The Duff. Now that is one talented lady!

13 This Costume Was Going To Be Very Different

Via: thepunkeffect.com

Did you know that April’s outfit in the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was originally going to have a lot more yellow? The director wanted April to be in a yellow jumpsuit, similar to the one April wore in the 1987 animated series.

So why did the costume change? The actress playing April O’Neil, Judith Hoag, refused to wear a yellow jumpsuit, and said she found it horrifying. To be completely honest, I don’t blame her; I can’t see how a yellow jumpsuit would look flattering on anybody in real life. (also, yellow is really hard to pull off.) Besides, who wears a yellow jumpsuit all the time? So instead they had Judith wear a yellow raincoat at the beginning of the movie as an homage to animated series.

12 She’s Got The Power

Via: tmnt2012series.wikia.com

The Nickelodon TMNT series really broke a lot of new ground for April O’Neil. Not only did they de-age her a bit, but they even gave her superpowers. No, really, in this animated series, April discovers to have some psychic abilities.

It starts out as the ability for her to sense people and danger, but it soon develops into other abilities like telekinesis. April hones these powers further when she finds a powerful crystal that lets her focus her abilities. Unfortunately, she becomes possessed by the crystal and nearly takes over the world, but the turtles managed to help her break free from the possession. I think it’s cool to give April some different powers, as it changes how she helps the turtles out on their missions.

11 This April Is A Big Fan

Via: schmoesknow.com

The news that Megan Fox would be playing April O’Neil in the 2014 live-action TMNT movie brought mixed reactions. Some thought it was great, while others thought she wouldn’t do a good job. Regardless of how you feel about Megan Fox, you may not know that she was actually a huge fan of TMNT growing up.

Yes, not only did she know about TMNT, unlike some other actors, Megan Fox is a huge fan. Growing up, her favorite turtle was Michelangelo. So, for her to play the part of April O’Neil was a huge deal to her. I’ll admit, while I didn’t love her performance (I think she’s a bit of a stiff actress), I do like that she has a healthy respect for the TMNT franchise and is a big fan.

10 It’s Called Chiroptophobia

Via: pinterest.com, teenagemutantninjaturtles2012series.wikia.com

You have to admit that April in the Nickelodeon version of TMNT goes through a lot. Her dad gets captured by aliens, and then she has to go into hiding because ninjas are after her. She does get her dad back, but then he gets mutated. Not to mention that she watches New York get taken over by the Kraang, and an alien posing as her mother tries to kill her. This girl can’t catch a break.

It’s little wonder that she has a few issues and phobias. In one episode where the gang is forced to see their worst nightmares, April sees bats, showing she has quite the bat phobia. This make sense, since her father was mutated into a giant bat at one point. To be honest, I’m surprised this girl doesn’t have more mental and emotional scars than she does.

9 Now I Want To Have April Sing

Via: disney.wikia.com, superrobotmayhem.com

It was a process to decide who would play April O’Neil for the 2014 TMNT movie. Before Megan Fox was confirmed as April O’Neil, there were a few other actresses considered for the part. One particular actress that tested for the role was Anna Kendrick.

You may recognize her as the main character from Pitch Perfect. She’s also played Cinderella in Into the Woods and Poppy in Trolls. The girl is quite the comedian and has been in her fair share of comedies. I have to admit, it would’ve been interesting to see her in the role of April O’Neil, and I think she would’ve done a good job. Also it would’ve been cool if they had her sing. But in the end, they went with Megan Fox as April.

8 You Don’t Want To Cross Her

Via: turtlepedia.wikia.com, tmnt2012series.wikia.com

Depending on the medium, April often helps out the turtles in different ways: sometimes she’s the tech support. Sometimes she’s the liaison between them and the outside world. And in some versions, April joins in the fight and trains in ninjutsu.

This is especially true in the 4Kids 2003 animated series and the Nickelodeon 2012 animated series. In these shows, Master Splinter decides to train April in the ways of ninjutsu mostly for self-defense. He realizes that she’s going to get more involved with his sons’ lives, so she needs to have some way to fight back when things get dangerous. And in both versions, April becomes quite proficient at it, proving that she’s a fast learner and a strong fighter. And it’s not just ninjutsu; April is also capable with a gun and various other weapons.

7 This Actress Didn’t Like The Movie

Via: thesewerden.com

Ever wonder why the actresses for April change between the first TMNT live-action movie and the second and third? It’s partially due to Judith Hoag, the actress for April in the first movie.

The actress said that she didn’t like the final cut of the movie, claiming that it lost its soul. She also said that she hadn’t signed on for any sequels. So, she left the role after the first movie and was replaced with Paige Turco for the second and third films. It’s a pity because I really liked Judith as April; she brought a genuine personality to the character and the movie. (Although Paige Turco was pretty good as well.) I also wonder what the movie was originally going to be like, and what got cut.

6 A Pair Of Geniuses

Via: cookiesandsangria.com, doctormooddb.deviantart.com

April’s intelligence varies from the different versions of TMNT. Some have her with average intelligence, others have her with a bit more, and some, like the 4Kids 2003 animated series have her to be incredibly smart.

In this version, April was actually a brilliant scientist working for Dr. Stockman before he went all supervillain. Throughout the series, she often works with Don, the turtle tech genius, on various projects. In this case, April isn’t just smart: she’s borderline genius, almost on par with Don’s intelligence. It became a joke that when the two started talking, no one else could understand what they were saying. I think it’s great to have the main female character be a scientist, since it goes against some stereotypes and changes up the dynamic between April and the turtles.

5 What Do These Women Have In Common?

Via: zntent.com, huffingtonpost.com, famousactresses.net

It wasn’t a simple process deciding on who would play April O’Neil in the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action movie. Several actresses were considered before they decided on Judith Hoag. So, who else was looking at the part?

A few women considered for the role included Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, and Winona Ryder. And looking at these women, and knowing what they had done in acting, I could easily see how any of them would’ve made a great April. They’ve also gone on to do some incredible roles, so I think they’re doing just fine. But I’m happy that casting directors chose Judith to be April; I think she brought a lot of great personality to her and made her a genuinely likable and funny character.

4 April And Casey Forever

Via: apriloneil1984.deviantart.com

Where there’s April, there’s also bound to be Casey Jones. These two have often been in some kind of romantic relationship in most versions of TMNT (with the exception of the Nickelodeon series). What makes them fun as a couple is their strong personalities, making them butt heads pretty often. But underneath that bickering, you can tell that the two really do love each other.

Most versions don’t show them actually getting married, though. That is until the 4Kids animated series. The series finale actually ended with Casey and April’s wedding. Granted, the ceremony was interrupted by some bad guys and they all had to fight, but in the end the two seal the deal. It was very sweet and a fitting end to the series.

3 Talk About Being One Of The Guys

Via: mycomicshop.com, comicvine.gamespot.com

Throughout the years, April has experienced quite a few interesting things, and she’s been turned into some interesting creatures. But in the Archie comics, she actually became a mutant turtle. Yep, April, the turtle’s favorite human, joined the cast of mutants in this comic series.

In the 1994 winter Archie special, April was mutated into a turtle, making her the first official female mutant turtle introduced to the series, since this was three years before Venus de Milo debuted. It was a weird scenario, but the Archie comics were known for being a little weird. I guess this brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, “One of the guys.” It is kind of funny to picture April as a turtle. I wonder how she reacted to that?

2 April Almost Sounded Very Different

Via: tmntautographs.com, comicvine.gamespot.com

You likely grew up with the TMNT 1987 animated series, so you probably remember April O’Neil as the spunky reporter who wasn’t afraid to put herself in danger to get a good story. April was the type of person to not take no for an answer and was dedicated to her work. But what you may not know is that her voice actor, Renae Jacobs, almost didn’t get the part.

Renae Jacobs auditioned to be April, but the voice director, Stu Rosen, didn’t like her audition and wasn’t planning on showing it to the producers. But the producers had rejected everyone else that Rosen had shown, saying “No, that’s not April.” So, he finally pulled Jacob’s audition out, and they said, “That’s April.” So, it was actually due to the producers that Jacobs got the part. I’m curious to see who else had auditioned.

1 A Surprising Talent

Via: rellimzone.com

April has quite a few talents. She’s smart, determined, and brave. Depending on the version, she also has some impressive skills with computers and technology, and she can handle herself pretty well in combat. But, in some cases, April has been shown to be a pretty good artist.

This talent gets showcased mostly in the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action movie, where April is often shown sketching various things. She even does a great sketch of Leonardo as he watches over an injured Raphael. Other versions of TMNT haven’t really explored this possible talent of April’s, but I would love it if they did. We could always use more artistic people, and the idea of April drawing sketches of her turtle family sounds just adorable!