Jones, who originated the role of Zack Taylor(the original Black Ranger) addressed recent comments made by Power Rangers head writer Tony Oliver in Investigation Discovery’s docuseries Hollywood Demons. In the episode, Oliver reflected on the decision to cast a Black actor and an Asian actress in the roles of the Black and Yellow Rangers, respectively, saying: “None of us are thinking stereotypes… It was such a mistake.”
Jones Responds: “I’ve Always Believed in Focusing on the Positive”
In response, Jones took to Instagram with a thoughtful post that both acknowledged the criticism and celebrated the role’s lasting cultural significance.
“Incredible how many media outlets picked this up…” he wrote, alongside screenshots of headlines quoting Oliver’s remarks. “However while some choose to seek out the negative, I’ve always believed in focusing on the positive. I understand the impulse to address what might be seen as cultural insensitivity, but calling it a ‘mistake’ would dismiss the impact it had on countless people around the world who found inspiration and representation in TV’s first Black superhero — morphin’ into none other than the Black Power Ranger! It wasn’t a mistake; it was a milestone. It was an honor.”
“The Black Was What I Wanted to Wear”
In a podcast clip shared within the post, Jones recalled his own excitement over the Black Ranger costume during the early days of filming.
“The idea of me being in a black suit never bothered me,” he said. “In fact, I was happy about it when I first saw the suit. I thought I looked cool as well … the black was what I wanted to wear.”
However, he did acknowledge some of the greater issues surrounding the show’s casting choices, specifically regarding Thuy Trang, the Vietnamese-American actress who played Trini Kwan, the Yellow Ranger.
“It was a little odd“, Jones explained, referring to the decision to cast an Asian actress in that particular role, which had originally been Audri Dubois’ in the unaired pilot before being recast.
A Legacy That Endures
Jones was a part of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers during its first two seasons from 1993 to 1994, before leaving the show and being succeeded by Johnny Yong Bosch, who portrayed the new Black Ranger, Adam Park.
In 2023, Jones returned to the franchise to reprise his role as Zack in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, a special 30th anniversary reunion film that honored the show’s enduring legacy and the fans who grew up watching it.
For Jones, the impact of seeing a Black superhero on TV in the ‘90s is something that should be celebrated, not minimized. “It wasn’t a mistake,” he wrote. “It was a milestone.”
