Most American audiences discovered Power Rangers back in the early ’90s thanks to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which featured footage borrow from the Japanese action-adventure show Super Sentai. Since its debut in August of ’93, the show has gone on to have 24 seasons under 20 different iterations, and also inspired two feature-length films. Coming to theaters next week is a new film based on the series, simply called “Power Rangers.”
Despite all the different variations on the mythology, from Power Rangers Zeo to Power Rangers Time Force to Power Rangers Dino Thunder, the Mighty Morphin incarnation is still the version near and dear to most fans’ hearts. The original cast clearly couldn’t have appeared in every episode of the TV show, as pulling off the acrobatic martial arts was difficult enough in their youth as it would be today. Many fans are wondering, on the verge of Power Rangers coming to theaters, what is the cast of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers up to these days?
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Check out what the cast of the original American series has been up to since the show first aired over 20 years ago! Which version of the Power Rangers has been your favorite and which former members of the cast do you wish would pop up in the latest movie? Let us know in the comments!
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[H/T Digital Spy]
Red Ranger – Austin St. John
St. John began studying martial arts when he was only five years old, making him a perfect fit for the exciting new martial arts series. The actor played the leader of the team of Power Rangers, despite being the youngest cast member. In the middle of the second season, St. John left over contract and pay disputes, although he eventually returned to the series as the Gold Ranger in Power Rangers: Zeo. The actor is now a paramedic in the Washington, D.C. area.
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Pink Ranger – Amy Jo Johnson
A gymnast prior to starring in MMPR, Johnson put her acrobatics to the test in the show’sย highly demanding physical stunts. Following her departure from kids’ series, Johnson also starred in other hit ’90s shows like Felicity and ER. More than just an actress, Johnson has also released three full-length albums.
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Black Ranger – Walter Emanuel Jones
Similar to August St. John, Jones only starred on the show for a season and a half before leaving over contract disputes. Jones went on to take small roles in shows like NYPD Blue, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Moesha. The actor also had small parts in films like House of the Dead 2 and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Jones has spent more time honing his voice over skills in recent years, a skill he began in the original MMPR show, and has voiced characters in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and Open Season 2.
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Yellow Ranger – Thuy Trang
Much like Austin St. John and Walter Emanuel Jones, Trang only starred in the first season and a half of MMPR before leaving due to contract issues. The actress went on to star in films like The Crow: City of Angels and Spy Hard, but in 2001, Trangย tragically died in a car accident at the age of 27.
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Blue Ranger – David Yost
Yost starred in the Power Rangers franchise for over 200 episodes, the longest-running portrayal of a Power Ranger of the original cast. There are conflicting reports of why Yostย left the show, with some claims being that he was regularly bullied for being homosexual while other sources said it was contract negotiations. Once he left the show, he tried to change his sexual orientation through conversion therapy, but realized this was a mistake. Yostย stayed in the entertainment industry but focused his efforts on being a producer instead of being an actor.
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Green/White Ranger – Jason David Frank
Frank initially tried out for the role of the Red Ranger but was denied, later joining the series as the Green Ranger and eventually evolving into the White Ranger over the course of multiple seasons. The actor starred in over 200 episodes of various Power Rangers shows and appeared in both feature films. Frank continues to make appearances in different incarnations of the television series and has also begun to pursue a career as a mixed martial artist.
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Rita Repulsa – Machiko Soga
American audiences know Sogaย as the villainous Rita Repulsa, but she was actually playing the characterย Witch Bandoraย for the TV series Kyลryลซ Sentai Zyurange, with that footage being dubbed and inserted into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Sogaย starred in a number of Japanese TV series and lent her voice to numerous Anime series and video games, but sadly passed away at the age of 68 from pancreatic cancer. Despite her death, the Repulsaย was revived as a reformed villain using footage of the actress inย Power Rangers: Mystic Forceย as a tribute to her iconic performance.
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