It’s morphin’ time! The original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers only aired for two years, but it became a ’90s phenomenon — and spawned a ton of spinoffs and sequels.
The first iteration of the kids’ TV show premiered in the United States in August 1993 and followed five “teenagers with attitude” who were selected by Zordon to team up in a fight against evil sorceress Rita Repulsa. In addition to being martial arts experts, the teens each drove their own giant vehicles called Zords, which could be combined to create an even bigger machine called the Megazord.
Scenes of the Power Rangers in their everyday clothes were original to the American edition of the series, but many action sequences were comprised of repurposed footage from the Japanese Super Sentai franchise. Despite the less-than-perfect special effects, the show was an immediate hit in the U.S., inspiring a massive line of must-have toys and merchandise for ’90s kids.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers aired for three seasons from 1993 to 1995, but the world-saving didn’t stop there. A big-screen adaptation — Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie — hit theaters in June 1995, and the show continued with additional seasons under different titles: Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers in Space, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy and more. A film reboot premiered in 2017, with Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa and Bill Hader as the voice of robot Alpha 5.
Though the series cycled through many different casts over the years, the most well-known lineup is arguably the original: Austin St. John as the Red Ranger, Amy Jo Johnson as the Pink Ranger, David Yost as the Blue Ranger, Thuy Trang as the Yellow Ranger and Walter Emanuel Jones as the Black Ranger. Jason David Frank later joined the cast as the Green Ranger and later the White Ranger.
Johnson made her TV debut on the series, which she didn’t initially know was so popular. “The most vivid memory was when we went to Hawaii for an appearance,” she recalled in a 2013 interview with Complex. “We didn’t realize how huge the show was until we landed at the airport and 10,000 people had come to see us! We had no security and nearly got lei’d to death. I remember Jason Frank in front of me with so many leis on him that I could only see his eyes. It was quite frightening.”
Frank, who died in November 2022, joked that fans sometimes had trouble remembering that the Power Rangers weren’t real, in part because producers originally didn’t want the actors to use their real names in fan club videos. “One time, one of the kids asked, ‘Where were the Power Rangers during the Oklahoma City bombing?’” Frank recalled. “After that question, I told [cocreator] Haim Saban and everybody, ‘You better let the kids know that we’re actors, because what’s happening right now is that these kids think we’re real, and I don’t want to feel like I’m letting them down.’”
Keep scrolling to see where the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers cast is now.
It’s morphin’ time! The original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers only aired for two years, but it became a ’90s phenomenon — and spawned a ton of spinoffs and sequels.
The first iteration of the kids’ TV show premiered in the United States in August 1993 and followed five “teenagers with attitude” who were selected by Zordon to team up in a fight against evil sorceress Rita Repulsa. In addition to being martial arts experts, the teens each drove their own giant vehicles called Zords, which could be combined to create an even bigger machine called the Megazord.
Scenes of the Power Rangers in their everyday clothes were original to the American edition of the series, but many action sequences were comprised of repurposed footage from the Japanese Super Sentai franchise. Despite the less-than-perfect special effects, the show was an immediate hit in the U.S., inspiring a massive line of must-have toys and merchandise for ’90s kids.
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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers aired for three seasons from 1993 to 1995, but the world-saving didn’t stop there. A big-screen adaptation — Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie — hit theaters in June 1995, and the show continued with additional seasons under different titles: Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers in Space, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy and more. A film reboot premiered in 2017, with Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa and Bill Hader as the voice of robot Alpha 5.
Though the series cycled through many different casts over the years, the most well-known lineup is arguably the original: Austin St. John as the Red Ranger, Amy Jo Johnson as the Pink Ranger, David Yost as the Blue Ranger, Thuy Trang as the Yellow Ranger and Walter Emanuel Jones as the Black Ranger. Jason David Frank later joined the cast as the Green Ranger and later the White Ranger.
Johnson made her TV debut on the series, which she didn’t initially know was so popular. “The most vivid memory was when we went to Hawaii for an appearance,” she recalled in a 2013 interview with Complex. “We didn’t realize how huge the show was until we landed at the airport and 10,000 people had come to see us! We had no security and nearly got lei’d to death. I remember Jason Frank in front of me with so many leis on him that I could only see his eyes. It was quite frightening.”
Frank, who died in November 2022, joked that fans sometimes had trouble remembering that the Power Rangers weren’t real, in part because producers originally didn’t want the actors to use their real names in fan club videos. “One time, one of the kids asked, ‘Where were the Power Rangers during the Oklahoma City bombing?'” Frank recalled. “After that question, I told [cocreator] Haim Saban and everybody, ‘You better let the kids know that we’re actors, because what’s happening right now is that these kids think we’re real, and I don’t want to feel like I’m letting them down.'”
Keep scrolling to see where the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers cast is now.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Richard Shotwell/Shutterstock
Austin St. John
The New Mexico native played Jason, the Red Ranger, in the first two seasons of the series. He later reprised the role in the movie Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie and the shows Power Rangers Zeo and Wild Force. In 2020, he guest-starred as the Red Ranger in Power Rangers Beast Morphers. He has also appeared in films including Tres Leches, Monsters at Large and A Walk With Grace. In May 2022, he was charged with filing fraudulent applications to obtain loans from the U.S. government’s CARES Act funds, earmarked for business struggling to pay workers during the coronavirus pandemic. He was placed on probation following the incident.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Rob Latour/Shutterstock
Amy Jo Johnson
After playing Pink Ranger Kimberly on TV and in the first Power Rangers movie, Johnson went on to star in films including Susie Q, Tiger Eyes and Coming Home for Christmas. From 1998 to 2002 she played Julie on Felicity, and she also appeared in TV shows including ER, Wildfire, Flashpoint and Covert Affairs. Johnson has worked on the other side of the camera as well, writing and directing 2017’s The Space Between and directing 2019’s Tammy’s Always Dying and a 2022 episode of Superman & Lois. She has also released three solo albums.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Christine Chew/UPI/Shutterstock
Walter Emanuel Jones
Jones originated the role of Zack, the Black Ranger, in the original series. He later appeared as a villain in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy and voiced a role in Power Rangers Wild Force. After leaving Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, he appeared in Space Cases, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Moesha, NYPD Blue and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. His film credits include Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. He is set to appear as Zack in 2023’s Power Rangers Cosmic Fury.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Courtesy of Darryl Murray/YouTube
Thuy Trang
The Vietnam-born actress played Trini, the original Yellow Ranger, until 1994. She later reunited with costars Jones and St. John for cameo appearances in their martial arts videos. After Power Rangers, she appeared in Spy Hard and The Crow: City of Angels. Trang died in a car accident at age 27 in September 2001.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Christine Chew/UPI/Shutterstock
David Yost
The Iowa native originated the role of Billy, the Blue Ranger. He appeared in the first Power Rangers movie and continued playing Billy in Power Rangers Zeo. He later became a producer, working on TV shows including Temptation Island and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. He is set to reprise his role as Billy in 2023’s Power Rangers Cosmic Fury.
Credit: Jim Townley/Saban/Toei/Kobal/Shutterstock; Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
Jason David Frank
The Texas native played Tommy, the Green (and later White) Ranger. He reprised the role in both Power Rangers movies and appeared in later seasons of the show, including Power Rangers Wild Force, Power Rangers Dino Thunder and Power Rangers Super Megaforce. Frank later became a professional MMA fighter, competing in several matches in 2010. The Sweet Valley High alum died by suicide at age 49 in November 2022.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Courtesy of Steven Cardenas/Instagram
Steve Cardenas
Cardenas, who began training in martial arts at 12, replaced St. John as the Red Ranger in 1994, playing a character named Rocky DeSantos. The Virginia native reprised the role in both ’90s Power Rangers films as well as the series Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Turbo and Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel. In 2023, he is set to return as Rocky in season 30 of the franchise, titled Power Rangers Cosmic Fury.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Courtesy of Karan Ashley/Instagram
Karan Ashley
The Texas native played Aisha, the second Yellow Ranger, in the original series and the first film. After Power Rangers, she appeared on Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper, Boston Common, Kenan & Kel, The Steve Harvey Show and The Parkers. She was also briefly a member of the girl group K.R.U.S.H.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Courtesy of Johnny Yong Bosch/Instagram
Johnny Yong Bosch
Bosch appeared as Adam, the second Black Ranger, after Jones’ departure, playing the role in the series as well as the two movies. He later reprised the role in Power Rangers Turbo, Power Rangers in Space and more. Bosch’s other film credits include Broken Path, Supah Ninjas and Death Grip. He is also a prolific voice actor, having lent his vocals to Naruto, Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Blue Period and more.
Credit: Courtesy of Power Rangers Official/YouTube; Courtesy of Catherine Sutherland/Instagram
Catherine Sutherland
The Australian actress played Kat, the Pink Ranger who came after Kimberly. She appeared in the film Turbo: A Power Rangers movie as well as Power Rangers Zeo, Power Rangers Time Force and Power Rangers Ninja Steel. She is set to reprise the role in 2023’s Power Rangers Cosmic Fury.
Eliza Thompson
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