Turanga Leela
Species: Human (Mutant)
Planet of Origin: Earth
Age: 25
Voiced By: Katey Sagal
First Appearance: Space Pilot 3000 (1ACV01)
Biography
A cyclops who once believed herself to be an alien, but later discovered that she was a mutant and that her parents were Turanga Morris and Munda. Leela being the least mutated mutant ever born, they decided to give her as normal a life as possible by giving her up to an orphanarium.
After a rough childhood, she found herself plodding through a boring dead-end job at Applied Cryogenics as a Fate Assignment Officer. Then one day a defrostee named Philip J. Fry comes along (Space Pilot 3000) and inspires her to quit her job. Ultimately she ends up hired by Fry's many-times-great-nephew Hubert Farnsworth as the new captain for his interstellar delivery service, Planet Express.
She is skilled in Arcturan Kung Fu, which she learned as a girl from a sexist insectoid alien named Fnog, and she isn't shy about kicking a little ass. She has gone through a number of short-lived relationships, but can't seem to find the right man. Fry regularly asks her out, but she usually rejects him. In spite of this, they have managed to have a few romantic nights.
Family
- Turanga Morris, Father
- Turanga Munda, Mother
- Leela 1, Alternate self from the Parabox universe.
Additional Info
Trivia
- The designers kept trying to make Leela's nose smaller, because it was larger than they thought appropriate for a female character, but Matt Groening insisted it stay the larger size.
Two-Eyed Leela
Leela has been seen with two eyes several times:
- When Aliens Attack — To portray the role of Jenny MacNeil, a plastic eye is taped to the side of her face (which Zoidberg later eats).
- Amazon Women in the Mood — When the Amazonians are approaching, a puddle ripples, causing Leela's reflection to distort, showing her briefly with two eyes.
- The Cyber House Rules — A second eye is grafted onto Leela's face. She later realizes she's better off being different, and has it removed.