The Illuminerdi had the opportunity to sit down with Power Rangers stars Russell Curry and Chance Perez to talk about their roles on Netflix’s Power Rangers Dino Fury.
Power Rangers Dino Fury Russell Curry and Chance Perez Full Interview
The Illuminerdi: ‘Power Rangers Dino Fury’ Season Two is currently airing on Netflix. We got the first 11 episodes. Russell Curry, Chance Perez, the Red and Black Dino Fury Rangers respectively. Thank you guys so much for joining me. There’s a lot to talk about guys. Fantastic beginning of this first, second half of the season. Amazing job!
I’m going to start right with you Russell, because something that we got in Power Rangers, was a pretty hard emotional scene that we got between your character and Tarrick. I want to talk about that scene in particular, because it actually really did move me. My daughter was almost on the verge of tears for a second.
Russell Curry: Oh, damn!
Can you talk to me about that scene, and what went into that scene, and what you wanted to bring to that scene That wasn’t necessarily on the page?
Russell Curry: Man! Well, first off Joe, thank you so much, man. It’s good to see you.
You too.
Russell Curry: Always good to see you. Always good to talk to you. And hearing that that was the reaction to that scene, just warms my heart so much. I was very nervous about that day. I was probably preparing for that multiple days in advance. And yeah, I personally, am not a person that is drawn to anger very easily. Zayto is the same way.
It was a lot of work of finding what is it that gets him to that point? What is it that really lights that fire for him to confront him to confront Tarrick in that way. That was a lot of work. I think Chance can remember that I was like, “Don’t talk to me. Sorry, I got to get in the zone. It’s not personal. I still love you, man.” So it was probably at that point, one of the most challenging scenes I’d ever done. But man, to hear that’s the reaction, it all paid off, man. That’s awesome.
I was quite surprised just by the depths of where the show went. It’s not something that we’re used to seeing in a kid’s show, let alone Power Rangers. But here we are man, it feels like we’re really taking some of the governors off and going forward. Chance, same thing to you. Mainly because in season one, there is an episode called Matchmaker, which is quite historic for many reasons.
It’s an episode that I thought was handled extremely well. It really made me proud in that moment. Probably the most proud, I would say to be a Power Rangers fan just in general. And made a lot of steps were taken forward with that episode specifically. I have to ask, because I got to really watch that with my little girl, and experience that with her. Which was really cool. So for you, what does that episode mean to you?
Chance Perez: I mean, I think I love how it was done, because this is the real world and people fall in love with whoever they want to fall in love with. And for that to be on the screen for Power Rangers, and for that show, and to introduce it to people who may have never even thought of this concept. And do it in such a way where it’s not in your face, it just happens naturally. I thought it was so beautifully done. So it really meant a lot being a part of that. And I know it meant a lot to the rest of the cast as well, and especially the Tessa who gets to play that role, and bring that to the screen, and bring that to life for so many individuals. Yeah, it’s very special.
Russell Curry: And I got to jump in Chance. You are so phenomenal in that episode, man. You were so good.
Chance Perez: Aww, thank you bro.
Russell Curry: You’re welcome.
Chance Perez: While we’re complimenting each other. Russell, I want to go back to that day. He was like, “Yeah, seriously, don’t talk to me.” He’s like, “I love you, but not right now.” And it was so powerful being there in that room, watching Russell get into that mindset. Because like he said, Zayto doesn’t blow up like that.
Russell Curry: Yeah.
Chance Perez: And Russell as a person is very kind, and loving, and gentle, and he’s not an angry guy. And so to see that side come out, it was really powerful. So kudos to you man. Well done.
Russell Curry: Thank you brother. Thank you.
Well done. Absolutely! And Russell, I have to ask you, is there anything you personally wanted to add to Zayto? Whether it be characteristics or storywise that wasn’t in the original scripts?
Russell Curry: There were a lot of things that we came up with as time went on. I think the humor aspect, like anything that’s… well, not anything that’s funny. But a lot of the things I’m most proud of that I got to craft together with our writers, and our directors, and Simon as the time went on, were Zayto’s really funny moments in my opinion.
So for instance, episode two… I’ll just give you two quick ones. Episode two of season one, when we’re talking to Warden Garcia. And he shows the, “Was this their vehicle?” And he does the drawing. It was mine and Charlie’s idea for Zayto to be like, “No.” That wasn’t in the script. So very, very proud of that. And also episode two of season two, when we were doing the table read. We had the whole back and forth about the wheely joke…
Chance Perez: The, yeah.
Russell Curry: Yeah, It’ll be wheely cool.
Chance Perez: Right.
Russell Curry: And in the table read, I just was moved to say, “Be wheely careful.” Which wasn’t written in the script. And they were gracious enough to say that, “Yeah, we can record that Russell, just keep-
Chance Perez: I know.
Russell Curry: … goofing off. Why not? We’ll reward you for it.”
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Chance Perez: With table reads, we would always throw stuff like that in there. And if it got a laugh, they would usually write it in. And it was so cool working with them in that way.
I love that.
Russell Curry: So collaborative. Yeah, it’s amazing.
Actually I want to speak about that a little bit, mainly because since we’re on the topic of scripts and writing. It’s usually New Zealand writers writing for American actors. With you guys being American, do they reference to you guys and say, “You know what? This is what it think it sounds like, but maybe does it sound right to you guys?” Is that a way to help inform your characters as well?
Chance Perez: Yeah, I mean, like I was saying in those table reads, and it’s very collaborative. And something that they always did was at the end of every single table read would be like, “Is there anything that’s stood out that didn’t quite read as American? Something that you guys wouldn’t normally say?” That was something that we did every single table read. So it was really cool, because they would always check with us, and make sure that we were comfortable with those things that we’d be saying, and that it read well to the audience.
That’s incredible! Now Chance, you join a small group of Ranger musicians like Kira from Dino Thunder or Antonio and Mia from Samurai. What’s your favorite part of combining your two worlds in Dino Fury music?
Chance Perez: I think the instrumentation, all the stuff that I got to play was so cool. I don’t know if this was discussed in anything. But I have never played the bass before, or harmonica, or key-tar, and even guitar, I’ve been playing guitar since I was in middle school. But I taught myself acoustically in chords and stuff like that. So actually shredding a solo, never done before. So that moment where Zayto and I were on stage, and he was handing me all these different instruments. I learned how to play all those solos two weeks before we filmed it.
So that was something that was really fun and challenging for me as a musician, to be able to experience something like that.
With those solos was that added extra homework that you had to figure out how to play those?
Chance Perez: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah, I think we had mentioned earlier. We get three episodes every two weeks. And so we got the episodes. And they’re like, “Yeah, you’re playing a solo, but you’re playing bass, you’re playing guitar.” And I’m like, “Oh shoot! I got some studying to do.”
For more of our interview with Russell Curry and Chance Perez, continue to the next page:
