Power Rangers' Kimberly actress Amy Jo Johnson's life now and why she'll never return
Those who spent their childhood in the '90s will undoubtedly recall the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, with their vibrant costumes and thrilling confrontations with villains like Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. Amy Jo Johnson graced our screens as the original Pink Ranger Kimberly Hart in 1993, featuring in 138 episodes and three movies until her departure in 1995.
Reflecting on her first glimpse of the iconic pink spandex with Entertainment Tonight, she said: "I think at the time it was like, 'Oh my God! I'm gonna be wearing pink spandex on national television'," Bleeding Cool reported. "'What have I gotten myself into?'" Her character eventually passed on her powers to Zordon's new recruit, Katherine Hillard, though Amy did make a few special returns to the show.
Nowadays, Amy's life may not involve morphin' battles, but she's just as busy. She's made appearances in hit series such as ER, Felicity, and Flashpoint, and has explored directing with short films like Bent and Lines.
Her directorial debut in feature films came with The Space Between in 2016, followed by the dark comedy Tammy's Always Dying in 2019. Additionally, she's showcased her musical talents, releasing an EP titled Still Here just last year.
(Image: 1995 Ron Galella, Ltd.)
In a thrilling 2023 release, Netflix brought together iconic characters from the past three decades in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always. Although many familiar faces returned, Amy was noticeably absent, reports the Mirror US.
Although there were rumours of a pay dispute, Amy said this wasn't true. Taking to X (previously known as Twitter), she said: "Please stop saying I didn't do reunion because of money Simply not true. Maybe I just didn't want to wear spandex in my 50s...or couldn't go to NZ for a month. Or none of ur beeswax." She also revealed that she and the late White Ranger actor Jason David Frank independently chose not to participate "for our own reasons".
Earlier that year, she had responded to similar speculation, remarking: "For the record I never said no... I just didn't say yes to what was offered. But other fun stuff is in-store!"
(Image: Getty Images)
Nonetheless, Amy embraced the Power Rangers legacy from another angle, penning a four-part comic series called Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, which she hailed as a "heartfelt love letter" to supporters. A familiar figure at conventions, Amy continues to engage with enthusiasts, reflecting on her impact as the original Pink Ranger.
With a reflective view on her influence, she said: "I didn't understand what Kimberly represented until more recently." She added: "Kimberly wasn't Amy Jo, but it's really cool to have played a character that inspired so many girls in that way. It's probably one of the biggest blessings in my life."
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