20 Things You Didn't Know About Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

12. A Young Sam Rockwell Has A Role In The Movie

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
New Line Cinema

If you haven't seen TMNT in a while, you'll probably have no idea that it features an early performance from beloved Oscar-winning actor Sam Rockwell, who appears briefly in the film as a character credited as "Head Thug."

He also ends up being a part of one of the movie's Easter eggs, as he tells Chief Sterns (Raymond Serra), "Go check out the East Warehouse over at Lairdman Island," which is clearly a nod to TMNT creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

The part was just Rockwell's third movie role, and of the experience he recently said, "[TMNT] is a good one to be a part of. I was 19 years old. I was working in restaurants, trying to put some food on the table. And they called me in and asked if I could audition for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And I said, 'Teenage Mutant what? What the f**k is that?'"

Fantastic.

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Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.