The former “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” actor has a message to his fans. Don't judge him by his skin tone…or the color of his suit.
In a recent episode of “Toon'd in! with Jim Cummings,” actor Walter Jones closed rumors that his casting as a Black Ranger had something to do with his skin color.
Jones appeared on the 79-episode hit show, and became a viewer's favourite along with the Green and White Ranger, played by the late Jason David Frank.
Jones said he was “prideful” to wear a black suit – “I thought it was cool.” – His casting had nothing to do with race.
The 54-year-old also addressed the claim that actress Thuy Trang was cast as a Yellow Ranger for her Asian ethnicity.
“We originally had Latina playing Yellow Rangers in our pilot. But after we picked up, after we came back, she asked for more money and they fired her,” the actor revealed.
Jones admits that the rumors find it a bit strange, as the race on this set was “no big deal.”
Most importantly, “the kids didn't care.”
“Was I someone you couldn't be proud of?”
Still, conspiracy theory-oriented fans of “Power Rangers” were able to turn the strange coincidence into “something never intended,” Jones said.
“People try to make it and see things that are biased, I have a lot of people. [say]”What do you think about Power Rangers being biased?” And I say, “Well, I'm a role model for children in 40 different countries, and what is biased about it,” Jones continued.
The Michigan native has always told people trying to find a certain racial preference for his cast that he is trying to judge him instead.
“I'm not educated? Was I someone you couldn't be proud of?” he recalled telling the show's critics.
Jones said he could still thank the controversial black characters of his childhood, like the soba noodles in “Little Rascals,” and Mr. Bojungles, “Little Colonel” at Shirley Temple, but he was proud to embody the character that transcended racial stereotypes.
Jones recreated his role in the 30th anniversary TV film of 2023's “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Wors & Always.”
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