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Power Rangers Writer Admits Racially Insensitive Casting Decisions Were a 'Mistake'

Tony Oliver, head writer of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, reflects on the casting of Black and Asian actors as the Black and Yellow Rangers, acknowledging the stereotypes perpetuated by these choices.

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Overview

  • The April 7 episode of the docuseries 'Hollywood Demons' reignited discussion on the racially insensitive casting in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
  • Tony Oliver, the show's head writer, admitted that casting a Black actor as the Black Ranger and an Asian actor as the Yellow Ranger was a mistake, emphasizing it was unintentional at the time.
  • Behind-the-scenes footage revealed that cast members, including Walter Emanuel Jones, were aware of and joked about the racial optics of the casting.
  • The original Yellow Ranger, Audri Dubois, left the show after a pay dispute, leading to Thuy Trang being cast and edited into the pilot.
  • The showrunners, Haim Saban and Shuki Levy, attributed the oversight to their unfamiliarity with American racial sensitivities, as they were new to the country when the series was created.