Go go Power R-gasp! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the biggest Power Rangers controversies, including cast walkouts, criminal records, and even community drama.
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00:00 So there was just a lot of issues.
00:04 It just felt like a bad marriage.
00:05 >> Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:07 Today we're counting down our picks for
00:09 the biggest Power Rangers controversies including
00:11 cast walkouts, criminal records,
00:14 and even community drama.
00:15 >> Behold, here's I.
00:19 >> Number 20, Austin St. John versus Jason David Frank.
00:24 While they had their ups and downs,
00:26 it was clear that Jason and Tommy were
00:28 two peas in a pod on the show.
00:30 However, the actors weren't so chummy at all.
00:33 >> Leaving was a really tough decision for me,
00:36 but I'll tell you what made it cool.
00:38 I knew I was leaving the Rangers in good hands,
00:40 I mean, with you as their leader.
00:41 >> They actually had a very unsteady relationship.
00:44 Much of it stemming from their polarizing attitudes on
00:47 set and the infamous walkout in season two.
00:50 Originally, the main actors had planned to band
00:53 together if not offered what they considered fair payment.
00:55 But Frank reportedly convinced two of
00:57 the others not to quit.
00:59 >> We will now start the ceremony to transfer power from
01:02 Jason, Zack, and Trini to Rocky, Adam, and Aisha.
01:05 >> St. John reportedly felt betrayed after this.
01:08 While they subsequently tried to remain professional,
01:11 the animosity remained.
01:13 Despite their rocky relationship,
01:15 St. John still offered his heartfelt condolences
01:18 for Frank's tragic passing in 2022.
01:21 Number 19, unintentional prejudice.
01:25 This is arguably one of the oldest controversies
01:28 in the fandom.
01:29 Walter Jones and Thuy Trang did more phenomenal work
01:32 as Zack and Trini.
01:34 Still, many pointed out how stereotypical it seemed
01:37 to cast an African American actor as the Black Ranger
01:40 or an Asian actor as the Yellow Ranger,
01:42 especially on a show that prides itself in diversity.
01:45 >> Hi, now hip hop kiddo like all other martial arts
01:48 teaches self-confidence and discipline.
01:50 >> Many accused the staff of being insensitive,
01:53 but Walter confirmed that the casting choices
01:55 were unintentional in that way.
01:57 Walter actually asked to be the Black Ranger
02:00 to make him more recognizable.
02:01 >> I'm a Black actor.
02:03 I was wearing a Black suit.
02:04 It was my favorite color suit.
02:05 I was like, "Hey, see, I'm wearing Black right now."
02:07 >> It's comforting to know that there weren't any ill intentions
02:10 behind these casting choices.
02:13 Number 18, Patricia Jolie's absence from conventions.
02:18 Interactions with fans can sometimes be very tricky
02:21 for actors to navigate,
02:22 and some problematic ones can end up ruining
02:25 the experience for the celebrity.
02:27 >> Are you mad at me?
02:29 >> Yeah.
02:30 >> For example, for Patricia Jolie,
02:32 aka Cassie from "In Space and Turbo,"
02:35 the last convention she attended was way back in 2009.
02:39 According to reports, she stopped going to any event
02:42 because she'd had to endure harassment from some fans
02:45 and didn't feel it was worth it.
02:47 It's awful knowing that there are fans
02:48 who can't respect people's boundaries,
02:51 especially with those they claim to admire.
02:53 >> I'm the one who made her cry.
02:56 [sobbing]
03:01 >> Actors are people, too, after all,
03:03 but Patricia Jolie is also a badass in real life,
03:06 becoming a firefighter in California
03:08 after retiring from acting.
03:11 Number 17, Dan Ewing's legal issues.
03:15 Power Rangers fans recognize actor Dan Ewing as Dylan,
03:19 aka Ranger Black from "Power Rangers RPM."
03:22 >> RPM!
03:25 Get in gear!
03:28 >> He plays an amnesiac with robotic implants
03:30 who learns to overcome his struggles
03:32 in order to rediscover himself and save the world.
03:35 But heroes on the screen don't always translate
03:38 to everyday life, and in 2018,
03:41 Ewing's life was anything but heroic,
03:43 as he found himself in trouble with the law.
03:46 He got into a domestic dispute with his ex-wife,
03:48 regarding their kids.
03:50 He ended up getting two court orders
03:52 to stay away from his ex-partner.
03:54 >> He'll return to court and home and away next year.
03:58 >> Number 16, Rene Nafahu's house arrest.
04:02 For those who aren't familiar with Rene Nafahu,
04:05 the New Zealand actor's biggest contributions
04:07 to the "Power Rangers" franchise
04:09 were playing Emperor Grum,
04:11 one of the franchise's best villains,
04:13 and Mentor G, one of the franchise's worst mentors.
04:17 >> Didn't I help you all win yesterday?
04:19 >> You did, but not all battles will be that simple.
04:22 If you don't have the training.
04:23 >> But I do!
04:23 >> Unfortunately, it became incredibly difficult
04:26 to merely watch and appreciate his acting contributions
04:29 following the revelation of Nafahu's crimes in 2017.
04:34 He was charged with multiple counts of crimes against women,
04:37 whom he was ostensibly teaching acting.
04:40 He eventually pled guilty
04:41 and ended up facing a year under house arrest.
04:44 >> You charge Mr. Nafahu, you're sentenced to one year,
04:48 that is 12 months home detention.
04:51 >> Number 15, Skylar DeLeon's crimes.
04:54 Child actors have a long history
04:56 of difficult lives as adults,
04:58 but that's an understatement here.
05:00 In 2009, a married couple in Arizona
05:03 were murdered by Skylar Preciosa DeLeon,
05:06 the stage name of actor John Julius Jacobson Jr.
05:10 >> Tom's not around, Jackie's not around.
05:12 It's pretty quickly evident to everybody
05:15 that something is amiss.
05:17 >> It turns out that, as a child,
05:19 DeLeon performed as an extra on Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers.
05:23 Many fans actually thought that DeLeon played Roger
05:25 in the episode "Second Chance,"
05:27 but a casting call sheet showed Roger being played
05:30 by a different child actor.
05:32 But the mix-up gave the episode a poor reputation.
05:36 Unfortunately, Power Rangers is no stranger
05:38 to having some of its cast members go rogue,
05:40 but this was the most horrific.
05:42 >> The prosecutor has called Skylar DeLeon
05:45 the best con man he's ever met.
05:46 He and his wife were able to fool both veteran cops
05:49 and the prosecutor, but only for a while.
05:52 >> Number 14, Michael Tabor's social media venting.
05:56 It may seem like a dream come true to work on Power Rangers,
05:59 but clearly for some,
06:01 it was more like a nightmare behind the scenes.
06:04 >> Hey, Riley!
06:05 >> Whoa, it's so cool in here!
06:07 >> For instance, in the wake of the Austin St. John debacle,
06:10 don't worry, we'll get to that shortly,
06:12 one former cast member was very vocal
06:14 about his take on the experience.
06:17 Michael Tabor, who played Riley the green dino-charged ranger,
06:21 went on an angry tirade on X, formerly known as Twitter,
06:24 calling out the show for how unfairly
06:26 it paid its cast members,
06:28 and how some performers have had no choice
06:30 but to turn to less savory ways to make a living.
06:34 Yeah, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.
06:37 >> But what do you want?
06:39 >> Number 13, Morphin Rangers are banned in Malaysia.
06:43 As early as the series' very first season,
06:47 these multi-colored superheroes were facing monsters,
06:50 Rita, and bans.
06:52 (monster growling)
06:55 At one time in Malaysia,
06:59 the show wasn't allowed to be shown,
07:02 but this wasn't due to the teenagers fighting
07:04 or complaints about all the weapons they used.
07:07 The ban actually came down to the series' name itself.
07:11 >> Whoa, what are these?
07:13 >> Those are your power morphins.
07:15 When in danger, raise them to the sky,
07:17 calling the name of your dinosaur,
07:19 and you will morph into a formidable fighting force
07:21 known to one and all as the Power Rangers.
07:25 >> Morph?
07:25 >> While the show's title use of morphin,
07:27 as slang for morphine, was harmless,
07:30 Malaysian officials were concerned
07:32 it sounded like the narcotic morphine.
07:35 It was only allowed to broadcast in the country
07:37 after morphin was completely dropped from the title.
07:41 >> It's morphing time.
07:43 >> Mastodon!
07:44 >> Pterodactyl!
07:45 >> Triceratops!
07:46 >> Sabertooth tiger!
07:48 >> Tyrannosaurus!
07:49 >> Number 12, dangerous working conditions.
07:53 It turns out that beating monsters,
07:55 foiling evil plans, and saving the Earth
07:57 is risky work both on and off camera.
08:01 (monster growling)
08:04 (upbeat music)
08:07 The tight production schedule,
08:10 shoestring budget, and non-union cast
08:13 led to a lot of cut corners in the early seasons.
08:17 The original cast has been very outspoken
08:20 about their experiences and mishaps.
08:22 >> Billy, you're too hot!
08:24 >> According to various reports,
08:30 stunt work was rushed and unrehearsed.
08:33 Actors were often worked to exhaustion.
08:36 And in one instance, a faulty prop caught on fire
08:39 while actors Amy Jo Johnson and David Yost
08:43 were in a body swap machine.
08:45 Thankfully, they were unharmed at the end of the day.
08:58 But it was still shocking to learn
08:59 that a freaky Friday machine
09:01 could have caused real damage.
09:04 Number 11, Rangers are forced
09:07 to put their blade blasters away.
09:09 While overseas pushback was certainly a headache,
09:12 the series' statewide squabbles
09:14 required more than just a quick name change.
09:17 In the opening seasons, the Rangers used
09:20 a rotating gauntlet of brightly colored weapons
09:23 to battle evil.
09:24 (fighting grunts)
09:27 >> Power up, fire!
09:31 (screaming)
09:34 >> But their battle gear looked
09:36 a little too real for parents.
09:38 Parents aimed specific scrutiny
09:40 at the laser-like blade blasters.
09:42 Although they didn't fire bullets,
09:44 adults didn't want kids idolizing any form of gun.
09:48 (fighting grunts)
09:50 Under mounting pressure, the show made it
09:57 so the Rangers hardly ever used the blade blasters
10:00 during fights.
10:02 It also helped that the team got ninja powers
10:05 to sneak right past having to rely
10:07 on the controversial weapon.
10:09 >> You have proven yourselves worthy
10:11 to possess the power of ninja.
10:14 This is a great responsibility.
10:15 Use your powers wisely.
10:17 The road you face will not be easy.
10:20 >> Number 10, cast members walk out during a crossover.
10:24 When members of the Lost Galaxy cast
10:27 appeared for two crossover episodes after their run ended,
10:30 they had to participate in battles
10:32 and fight for screen time.
10:35 >> Lost Galaxy Rangers?
10:37 No way.
10:38 >> Yeah, that's us.
10:39 >> And it looks like we got here just in time.
10:41 >> During production, Saban realized
10:43 the returning Rangers weren't in the episodes very much.
10:47 This caused the company to reevaluate
10:49 the team's already agreed upon salaries.
10:52 The pay dispute caused Amy Miller,
10:54 who played the big bad Dracina, to walk off set.
10:58 As a result, the episodes had to throw together
11:01 a silly reason for the character to now wear a mask.
11:04 >> Those miserable Galaxy Rangers
11:06 destroyed my magnificent beauty,
11:09 so I will repay their treachery
11:10 by destroying their beloved Earth.
11:13 >> Although Lost Galaxy Red Ranger,
11:15 Danny Slavin, reportedly walked too,
11:17 he completed enough scenes
11:19 that his absence was barely noticeable.
11:21 >> Actually, I think it was kind of fun
11:24 getting back in the action.
11:25 >> Oh.
11:26 (laughs)
11:27 Only you think that was fun.
11:28 >> The more phenomenal mess
11:30 behind the scenes of these episodes
11:32 makes it a wonder this crossover happened at all.
11:35 Number nine, Monica May's burlesque career.
11:39 Following the conclusion of SPD in 2005,
11:42 the actress behind Street Smart Yellow Ranger Z
11:45 found success in front of the camera
11:47 and on stage as a burlesque dancer.
11:50 But some people couldn't see her
11:52 as anything but a Power Ranger.
11:54 >> What about me?
11:55 >> It's a hologram, it's not real.
11:59 Okay, she's real.
12:03 >> A vocal minority of fans
12:04 have ridiculously criticized May
12:07 for quote, "ruining their childhood"
12:09 just because she does risque performances.
12:12 In 2020, she even took to Twitter
12:15 to directly clap back at people
12:17 who were trying to judge her choices.
12:19 Since May has still been seen
12:21 and invited to official Ranger fan events,
12:24 it's clear that many people don't see anything wrong
12:26 with May's burlesque.
12:28 So while some viewers might wanna call SPD to step in,
12:32 there's no emergency here.
12:34 >> See?
12:34 >> You do the crime, you pay the time.
12:37 >> Number eight, alleged relief embezzling.
12:40 Almost 30 years after he was catapulted to stardom,
12:44 original Mighty Morphin' Ranger Austin St. John
12:47 found himself in the limelight again.
12:49 >> Jason, bold and powerful,
12:51 you shall command the Tyrannosaurus dinosaur.
12:54 >> But it wasn't because he was rocking a red suit.
12:57 St. John was arrested alongside 17 other individuals
13:01 for conspiracy to commit fraud.
13:03 According to reports, he and the other people charged
13:07 allegedly took advantage of special loans
13:09 for COVID relief to make money.
13:11 >> TMZ reports, agents swarmed his McKinney home Thursday,
13:15 armed and left with Geiger and handcuffs.
13:17 St. John's representatives claim the actor was manipulated
13:21 into taking part in the scheme.
13:23 Before this news broke, he'd been making steady appearances
13:26 at Ranger conventions and returned to the franchise
13:30 on a few special occasions.
13:32 >> So you're Goldar Maximus, huh?
13:34 I hope you're a lot tougher than the last one we defeated.
13:38 >> Oh, I am!
13:40 And I brought an army, too!
13:42 >> But after this controversy, St. John might not be
13:45 welcomed back to Ranger events again.
13:48 Number seven, Ricardo Medina Jr.
13:51 is convicted of a fatal crime.
13:54 Ricardo Medina Jr.'s on-screen charm and prowess
13:57 for stunt work made him a standout
13:59 as the Wild Force Red Ranger.
14:02 >> I'm the Red Lion Ranger, and your rampage ends here!
14:05 Wild Force Rangers, hi-ya!
14:07 >> He was so good that he was later invited back
14:10 to play the conflicted character Decker
14:12 in the Samurai season.
14:14 However, Medina Jr.'s noteworthy status
14:17 as one of the few actors to play multiple roles
14:20 in the franchise was tarnished with one serious event.
14:24 In 2015, he was sentenced to six years in prison
14:29 for voluntary manslaughter.
14:31 >> A judge in Lancaster sentenced this man,
14:33 Ricardo Medina, to six years in prison.
14:36 Medina appeared in the popular children's TV series,
14:39 Power Rangers.
14:40 >> Medina Jr. pled guilty to fatally wounding his roommate
14:44 during a heated confrontation.
14:46 Since the weapon he used was a sword hanging on the wall,
14:49 re-watching his Samurai scenes can be uncomfortable.
14:53 >> Finally, Decker!
14:56 I knew you'd come.
15:05 >> Number six, Samuel Benta and the stolen banner.
15:09 The very first Power Morphicon dates back to 2007,
15:13 but unfortunately, not all the guests
15:15 made a good first impression.
15:17 Samuel Benta, aka Will from Operation Overdrive,
15:20 became the subject of controversy
15:22 when he was accused of stealing an autographed charity banner.
15:26 >> Will, gone!
15:28 >> This was not an easy call to make.
15:32 Those actions left me no choice.
15:35 >> This got him banned for over a decade.
15:37 Benta remained silent about the incident until 2020,
15:41 when he released a video statement
15:42 saying how he only planned to sign the banner,
15:45 but then someone else stole it.
15:47 >> Moral of the story is, ask questions.
15:50 >> Unfortunately, the video disappeared from YouTube.
15:53 The banner remains missing to this day,
15:55 and without concrete proof,
15:57 we may never know what really happened that day.
16:00 Number five, Andrew Lang quits.
16:03 >> I am back with a vengeance,
16:05 and soon you will be no more.
16:09 >> When Dino Fury decided to bring Lord Zedd
16:11 back from the dead, they had him voiced by Andrew Lang,
16:14 who fans knew as the voice of Venjix/Evots
16:17 from RPM and Beast Morphers.
16:20 Unfortunately, fans were not pleased
16:22 with the choice of Lang's voice for Zedd,
16:24 and he faced harassment for his attempts.
16:27 Eventually, Andrew walked away from voicing Zedd,
16:30 and so Fred Tatteshaw was cast for Cosmic Fury.
16:33 >> You can't ruin my moment.
16:35 In fact, I'm impressed you escaped Vajillia's trap.
16:39 >> We admit that Lang's Zedd voice hardly held a candle
16:42 to the late Robert Axelrod's performance,
16:45 but harassing anyone is never justified.
16:48 Unfortunately, it's another case
16:50 of you can't please everyone taken way too far.
16:53 Number four, Pua Magasiva's death.
16:57 Years after actor Pua Magasiva
16:59 played Red Ranger Shane in Ninja Storm,
17:02 he was convicted of domestic violence.
17:05 >> Ninja Storm!
17:08 Ninja Storm!
17:09 >> This shocking report was followed by the tragic news
17:15 that he took his own life.
17:17 In the aftermath of Magasiva's passing,
17:19 a diary he allegedly wrote highlighted
17:22 that he struggled with self-loathing,
17:24 dependency on alcohol, and feelings of inferiority.
17:28 His issues with self-confidence are eerily similar
17:31 to problems his character faced in Power Rangers.
17:35 >> Face your fear, Shane.
17:37 Believe in yourself and you will have nothing to fear.
17:40 >> I hear you, Sensei.
17:42 >> It's understandable why fans may be reluctant
17:45 to revisit episodes that explore Shane's psychology today.
17:49 Even though the Red Ranger's struggles were fictional,
17:52 seeing Magasiva portray him feels real and very heavy.
17:57 >> Sorry, Tor, I can't really focus right now.
18:00 >> Brother's visit's really messing with you, huh?
18:03 >> Yeah.
18:04 >> Number three, Jason David Frank's sense of betrayal.
18:08 Before his tragic passing, Jason David Frank
18:11 was undeniably one of the most loyal cast members
18:14 of the franchise.
18:16 >> The Power Ranger legacy is in good hands.
18:19 >> Unfortunately, it's widely believed
18:21 that the brand wasn't quite as loyal
18:23 to one of their most iconic players.
18:26 Beyond all the many issues with the production
18:28 over the years, reportedly, JDF believed
18:31 that shows like the Anniversary Special,
18:33 Once and Always, were planned to undercut
18:36 his own planned film offering, Legend of the White Dragon.
18:40 >> All that matters is that you are now a white dragon.
18:45 >> JDS Film is slated for a 2024 release,
18:49 but it's tragic that he'll never get to see
18:51 his passion project come to fruition.
18:54 Number two, David Yost faces prejudice on set.
18:58 While the heroes stood for equality and fairness,
19:01 Blue Ranger David Yost found that this sunny
19:04 superhero series was a toxic and unaccepting workplace
19:08 for him.
19:09 Years after his departure from the franchise,
19:17 he came clean about one of the major reasons
19:20 he left the popular show.
19:21 Yost reported that he faced relentless ridicule
19:24 for his sexuality.
19:26 >> Continuing to work in an environment like that
19:29 is really difficult.
19:31 And I myself was struggling with who I was
19:34 or what I was.
19:36 >> After being demorphed from a ranger to a mentor,
19:39 he stuck it out for a while before abandoning
19:41 the role in Zio without filming a goodbye.
19:45 The production used archival footage
19:47 and a hasty bit of exposition to explain his absence.
19:51 >> Guys, I've made a really important decision.
19:53 I'll miss you all, but I'm going to stay here
19:56 on Aguatel with Sestria.
19:57 I think I finally found someone I can really relate to.
20:01 >> I knew you would, Billy.
20:02 >> While his exit was shrouded in darkness,
20:05 Yost is thankfully now appreciated for the hardship
20:08 he endured for the sake of the franchise.
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20:27 Number one, the original cast departure.
20:30 The original series was an instant success upon release.
20:34 >> Go Rangers and let the power protect you.
20:36 >> Smurf for time.
20:39 >> Tigerzord.
20:39 >> Mastodon.
20:41 >> Pterodactyl.
20:42 >> Triceratops.
20:43 >> Saber-tooth tiger.
20:44 >> Tyrannosaur.
20:45 >> Unfortunately, all wasn't well behind the scenes.
20:49 In the midst of criminally low pay,
20:51 harsh working conditions, and no end in sight,
20:54 three of the original Rangers tried to push
20:57 for better conditions.
20:58 Red Ranger Austin St. John, Yellow Ranger Thuy Trang,
21:02 and Black Ranger Walter Emanuel Jones
21:05 teamed up to get more from the show.
21:07 >> We will now start the ceremony to transfer power
21:10 from Jason, Zack, and Trini to Rocky, Adam, and Aisha.
21:14 >> But talks failed, and the three abruptly left the series
21:17 in the middle of the second season.
21:19 The show used a variety of techniques
21:22 to obscure their absence until new Rangers could be cast.
21:26 >> There they are.
21:27 (laughing)
21:29 >> You guys are going to Switzerland.
21:32 >> All three of us?
21:33 >> Yep.
21:34 >> Congratulations.
21:35 It's a chance of a lifetime.
21:36 >> Yeah!
21:37 (laughing)
21:38 >> While the transition may have gone over our heads
21:41 when we were younger, it's difficult to unsee
21:43 how messed up the trio's exit was as adults.
21:47 Did we miss any morph anomaly huge scandals?
21:51 Let us know in the comments.
21:52 >> Just know that there's help,
21:53 and know that there's people like me that care about you,
21:56 and want to see you around.
21:58 >> Did you enjoy this video?
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