'Power Rangers' Cast Chats Their Mighty Morphing Movie

The Power Rangers are back and ready to morph once again, this time in all new movie that hits screens March 24.

The beloved TV show is being rebooted and we caught up with the Power Rangers cast including the fab five — ­­Dacre Montgomery (Jason Lee Scott, the Red Ranger), Becky G (Trini Kwan, the Yellow Ranger), Naomi Scott (Kimberly Hart, the Pink Ranger), Ludi Lin (Zack Taylor, the Black Ranger) and RJ Cyler (Billy Cranston, the Blue Ranger), as  well as the woman who brings the notorious villain Rita Repulsa to life (Elizabeth Banks) and the voice behind the robot, Alpha 5 (Bill Hader).

Director Dean Israelite and screenwriter John Gatins joined them and talked about carving out a Power Rangers world that was unique, all while paying tribute to the iconic American TV show that ran from 1993 to 1999. Hop to the next page to read the full interview.

 

How rough was the training for Power Rangers to make it feel real that these kids are superheroes?

RJ Cyler: We did mostly physical training and stunt training. You learn to respect distance and knowing where your partner is in your scene to keep everybody safe with no bloody noses.

Naomi Scott: It was more about stamina to get through the stunt. At the end of the day, we are playing teenagers. Not every teenager looks like Ludi Lin.

Ludi Lin: Because Ludi Lin is not a teenager [everybody laughs].

­­Dacre Montgomery: I wanted to look as ripped as possible [laughs]. The biggest thing I learned was safety.

Becky G: Yes! This person filming with you is not your opponent. They are your partner. That was new for a lot of us.

Dean and John, how did you craft your own universe and stay true to what fans want in a Power Rangers movie?

Dean Israelite: We tried to come at it with a grew-up-with-the-show mentality. What would I want to see in a reboot of it? We were nervous when we started. We decided to be bold with how we were going to re-imagine it.

John Gatins: We wanted to keep it in a world that the original exists. I think we did that.

Did the actors reference the original show?

BG: Me and Naomi made a conscious decision to not visit the original. Although names are familiar, you’re meeting our characters for the first time.

LL: As a TV series, people had a long time to grow to like these characters. With a movie, you don’t have that.

Diversity was integral to the original. On film, that envelope is pushed further. Was that a rewarding part of rebooting this world for the actors?

RJC: It was exciting to play a character who was on the [autistic] spectrum. It was a challenge for me to learn about something I knew nothing about. I rekindled a friendship with a guy from high school who was on the spectrum to do it justice.

BG: I want to be aware of messages I’m carrying out to the world. This movie is so diverse, with the colors of our skin and gender too. There will be young women out there who will say, “I can do that too.” Trini’s sexual identity is one that can be related to girls out there. It’s important to share a positive message. It’s what we need more than ever.

NS: We are all not a stereotype.

 

What’s the biggest message in the Power Rangers movie?

LL: I hope kids see this movie and that they feel what I felt when I watched superheroes as a kid. The most important message is to be yourself. Your imperfections are what make you unique. As long as you stay true to yourself, you cannot go wrong.

Bill, you’ve done a lot of animation voice work. How was playing Alpha 5 unique?

Bill Hader: I ran out of voices! I just did my own voice [laughs]. It is hard when you’re in a room by yourself, but getting to watch these guys as the Power Rangers, it made it really easy.

Elizabeth, your Rita is pretty scary. Was there pressure to embody the classic villain?

Elizabeth Banks: We thought of the character in a new way. She was campy in the original. She’s insane and she’s got that laugh! I wanted to preserve that energy. I wanted these guys to feel like she was a real threat to humanity, their parents, the world.

Lionsgate

Does that crazy villainous outfit have a psychological influence on your performance?

EB: All the hair and makeup does. I wore prosthetics on this movie, and may never do it again [laughs]. It changes you. I sleep in the makeup chair and I like to wake up and I’m a different person. Also, it made my ass look really good!

 

Catch up with more of your favorite artists and celebrities by visiting our Q&A page.

from Myspace - Editorial http://ift.tt/2mnA2dH