'Power Rangers' Writer: 'Mistake' to Cast Black, Asian Actors as Black, Yellow Rangers

One of the original creative forces behind "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" is acknowledging the controversy surrounding two casting decisions that have long been criticized as racially insensitive.

Speaking on "Dark Side of the Power Rangers," an episode of Investigation Discovery's new docuseries "Hollywood Demons," former head writer Tony Oliver admitted that stereotypes weren't on anyone's mind during the development of the first season, according to Entertainment Weekly. That, he says, is how the show ended up airing — and running for two seasons — with "the Black character as the Black Ranger and the Asian character as the Yellow Ranger."

"It was such a mistake," Oliver said, noting that it wasn't until an assistant pointed it out in a meeting that the issue fully registered.

"Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" made its debut on Fox Kids in August 1993. Walter Emanuel Jones portrayed Zack Taylor, the original Black Ranger, who Oliver described as "the one with the swagger" in the group. Thuy Trang played Trini Kwan, the first Yellow Ranger, who Oliver said was "the peaceful one, who tends to be the conscience of the group."

Oliver noted that Trang wasn't originally cast as the Yellow Ranger. The role was first given to actress Audri Dubois, who left the show after a pay dispute following the filming of the pilot. Trang was later brought in as her replacement and edited into the pilot episode that aired in 1993.

"Dark Side of the Power Rangers" features footage shot by stunt coordinator Jeff Pruitt, showing that the cast was not only aware of the casting decision but also openly joked about it. In one behind-the-scenes clip from a classroom scene, Jones addresses the camera, saying, "My name's Walter Jones, I play Zack. I'm Black, and I play the Black Ranger — go figure."

In a 2013 oral history of the series, Shuki Levi, co-creator of "Power Rangers," stated that the casting of Jones and Trang was never meant to be controversial.

"At that time, Haim and I were new to this country. We didn't grow up in the same environment that exists in America with regard to skin color," Levi said. "We grew up in Israel, where being a Black person is like being any kind of color. It's not something we talked about all the time. It wasn't a big issue."

Amy Jo Johnson, who portrayed the original Pink Ranger, Kimberly Hart, remembered that "Walter Jones used to crack good-humored jokes about that. I think it's funny if it was done unintentionally by the big bosses. But really? Come on. It wouldn't happen today."