If you ask any â90s kid who their favorite Power Ranger was, youâve opened up a can of worms for a heated debate on which color was obviously the best. When I was a little kid, my favorite was the Yellow Ranger, Trini Kwan, because when I was five my favorite color was yellow, and by five-year-old logic, thatâs a totally acceptable way to pick your favorite anything. However, with the newest installation to the franchise, âPower Rangersâ is stirring up emotions from â90s kids around the globe as a live-action reboot of the series is set to hit theatres this spring; the Yellow Ranger in particular is making waves for many good reasons.
Portrayed in the 2017 iteration by singer Becky G (whose full name is Rebecca Marie Gomez and known for her bright, poppy and catchy singles like âShowerâ), the character Triniâs contribution to the plot is very character-driven. Casting Becky G as the Yellow Ranger breaks Becky out of her pop-star mold and into an acting persona, while simultaneously bringing an important element to the table in Hollywood: diversity. In a field so dominated by straight, white actors, the Latina pop-star is representing the Latinx community in more than one way â her character is also questioning her sexuality, âdealing with girlfriend problemsâ throughout the film, according to the director, Dean Israelite.
Perhaps a double whammy of diversity, this inclusion is vital to multiple communities that often donât get to see themselves represented in popular media. While the âPower Rangersâ more often than not wear helmets that conceal their identities, the fact remains that thereâs a person inside those superhero suits; a person with a significant life. Diversity and representation are being included more in recent films and shows, but Hollywood still has a long way to go by way of inclusion of under-represented minorities in the media. As Becky G told the Hollywood Star, âIt makes me sad that itâs such a big deal, because it could have been done a long time ago.â
This reveal comes shortly after Disney unveiled that Gastonâs bumbling sidekick, LeFou, is questioning his own sexuality in the live-action remake of âThe Beauty and the Beastâ; demonstrating Disneyâs first âopenly gay momentâ in a film. Itâs a seemingly small element that ultimately got the film banned in countries like Kuwait and Malaysia and flagged as inappropriate for children under the age of 16 in Russia. Because of this, itâs evident that society and Hollywood is due for some more representation of diverse characters so that things like this arenât seen as being âout of the norm.â
Becky G and the rest of the Rangers morph into theatres March 24, 2017.