Amy Jo Johnson, the actress who portrayed Pink Ranger/Kimberly Hart in the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, recently addressed claims that she declined a role in the upcoming Netflix 30th-anniversary special, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, due to financial reasons. In a tweet, Johnson stated, “Please stop saying I didn’t do reunion because of money. Simply not true.” She then humorously added, “Maybe I just didn’t want to wear spandex in my 50s.”
The actress went on to suggest that there could be other reasons for her absence, such as being unable to travel to New Zealand for a month of filming. Johnson also pointed out that some things might be “none of [our] beeswax.”
Johnson and her fellow Power Rangers alum, the late Jason David Frank, who played the Green and White Ranger, chose not to reprise their roles in the reunion special for their “own reasons.” Frank passed away in November at the age of 49 due to suicide. He had initially been slated for a limited-episode arc on the 1993 series but became such a fan favorite that his character was brought back as the reformed White Ranger and team leader for the remainder of the series, which concluded in 1996.
In a previous statement, Johnson clarified her absence from the project by saying that she “never said no” to the offer. “I just didn’t say yes to what was offered,” she tweeted, adding that “other fun stuff is in store!” Johnson also expressed her excitement to see her friends in action in the reunion special.
The Netflix reunion special, Once & Always, premieres on April 19 and will feature original cast members Walter Emanuel Jones (Zack/Black Ranger), David Yost (Billy Cranston/Blue Ranger), Catherine Sutherland (Kat/Pink Ranger), Steve Cardenas (Rocky/Red Ranger), Karan Ashley (Aisha/Yellow Ranger), and Johnny Yong Bosch (Adam/Black Ranger). The storyline follows the Rangers as they face a familiar threat from the past during a global crisis. In addition, the special will include Barbara Goodson (voice of Rita Repulsa), Richard Horvitz (voice of Alpha 5), and newcomer Charlie Kersh as Minh, the daughter of the original Yellow Ranger, Trini, who was played by the late Thuy Trang.
