One thing that’s very unique to the experience of Power Rangers. I’m not sure if the general public really knows this. But Chance and I, we were talking about this a little bit earlier. Is that you guys go through a Power Ranger bootcamp, but it’s not just learning action and stuff. By the end of this, you guys are well versed in voice acting. You guys are well versed on set, and action just in general.
Nobody can tell me that Power Rangers aren’t the hardest actors in Hollywood. But with all of that being said, especially with the voice acting side. Is there anything whether you were in the booth, that they wanted to keep in. And they’re like, “You know what? That one works.” Or has that opened up your passion at all for wanting to dive into more voice acting, whether it be anime, or voiceovers, or anything like that? And that one’s for you Russell.
Russell Curry: Man, oh my gosh! You hit on something I talked about all the time. I called the experience of shooting Power Rangers, Power Rangers University. I mean, we act, we do stunts, we do special effects, we do ADR and voice acting. There’s pyrotechnics sometimes. We do it all, man. I got hit in the face with shaving cream, or with Whipped cream. It’s like, we do it all man.
I’m so grateful for that experience. It’s so cool. I think being in the booth, and hearing myself, and seeing those episodes come together with my voice over that Red Ranger footage. I’m like, “Oh, we’re doing more of this man. We’re just getting started over here.” So yeah, very excited for that experience to carry over to the future.
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And Chance, you’re no stranger to a music, I mean to a sound booth. But this has to be a little bit different for you. Right? A little bit.
Chance Perez: Yeah, absolutely! I mean, there was definitely things that I had to take into consideration after doing it for a little while. Is during season one and we’re doing ADR, I would go all out 100%, like all these things. And you like, it really takes a toll on your voice if you’re not being careful. I learned a little bit of developing that technique throughout season two. And I ended up having so much fun with it.
And like Russell said, watching it back, seeing your voice on the screen. Like, “Oh wow! That’s how it came off during the show. I don’t know, there’s a really cool play there. And it reminds me of, like you said, doing more stuff in the future with anime and stuff, how Johnny Yong Bosch does all that stuff for those different characters. I’m like, I would love to be able to explore that more in the future.
I mean, I feel like it’s such, Power Rangers is really good experience if you’re in entertainment for figuring out what you want to do. Because there’s so many different things you guys are getting thrown at doing. That you’ll figure out what you want to do if it’s something in entertainment.
Chance this one’s for you, or both of you really. When I spoke in the past to the Beast Morphers cast. They told me that they were suggested to watch Power Rangers RPM. Was there any seasons that they recommended that you guys watch ahead of your season?
Chance Perez: Not for me.
Russell Curry: Yeah, not that I recall. I definitely went and did my homework, and watched Beast Morphers on my own. Shout out to the Beast Morphers cast. Yeah, first off they were so awesome in just shepherding us, and helping us along the path. Because they were the last ones to do it before us. But yeah, I watched every episode of Beast Morphers just to see where the show was at most recently. So that’s one thing that I took upon myself.
Chance Perez: They did a great job. I was thinking back to that opening scene with, was it Rory? And his dad, and going in the limo, and he played that so well. And I think they all did such a great job with their characters.
Absolutely! Now some actors, they say learn something about themselves through empathy with the characters they play. What did you guys learn about portraying these characters? We’ll start with you, Russell. What did you learn about yourself through playing Zayto?
Russell Curry: I think learning a lot more about leadership. I had been a person who had taken on leadership positions, I guess, in the past. But I didn’t really see myself that way. I’m a younger brother. I’m the youngest in my family. So I never really saw myself that way. So I got to see how much of a leader I can be. And it’s was a great experience. I’ve grown a lot from that alone.
How about you Chance?
Chance Perez: I’d say that something that Javier is not really afraid to do, is rise to the occasion and be courageous in the moments that he feels are necessary. And in watching him do that, and in playing that in my character. It’s allowed me to speak up for myself a little bit more when I feel uncomfortable about something, or something’s making me a little anxious, or whatever that I’m able to express that. Because sometimes it’s easier just to be like, “Okay, I’m not going to say anything. I’m just going to let it pass, whatever.” But it’s good to speak up for yourself. And that’s something that he taught me.
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You guys are the first season to really break away from the traditional television programming, every weekly kind of thing. Dino Fury is on Netflix. It’s streaming first 11 episodes. And I’ll be honest with you it’s a faster experience, but it’s a more gratifying rewarding one. Especially as you’re Binge it through. And believe me having a six year old, just being able to fly through the episodes, and then watch them back. There’s a huge benefit in that. Can you talk to me about the benefits of Power Rangers Dino Fury being on Netflix now? And that’s for either one of you.
Russell Curry: I think the name recognition is cool.
Chance Perez: Yeah, where is it again? On what? I’m just kidding.
Russell Curry: Yeah, when people find out, when I get to tell them like, “Oh yeah, I did Power Rangers. No big deal.” And then they’re like, “Where can I watch it?” I say, “Netflix.” It’s pretty cool. I like it.
I mean, it is a nice little flex there. It’s like, “Hey, we’re streaming on Netflix.”
Chance Perez: It’s cool. It’s cool, yeah.
Let me ask you this, because this season two or the second season of Power Rangers Dino Fury. You guys really take the governor off of the action. The action is off the charts. And it really seems like there’s a lot more just big action sequences. Can you talk to me about season two stepping its game up for the action side of things? That one’s for you Chance.
Chance Perez: Yeah. I mean, it definitely… are you shaking your head Russell?
Russell Curry: Yeah. I’m just like, it’s so much, it’s so amazing.
Chance Perez: Oh, I think you’re like don’t spoil anything.
Russell Curry: Oh no, We’re pros. We got this.
Chance Perez: Exactly! I mean you said it really well, the action really ramps up. It’s something that we were talking about with the action. And this is back pedaling to season one, but Zedd coming into it. You see a lot more action from him than you have in any of the previous Power Rangers.
He’s zapped people before, or turned them into whatever. But here you get to see him in hand-to-hand combat, like punch somebody up into the sky, and then knock him across the field. And it’s those kinds of things that really, I don’t know. Take you back for a second. You’re like, “Whoa, this is really intense.” It’s cool seeing that.
And it gets way, way crazy in season two.
For more of our interview with Russell Curry and Chance Perez, continue to page 3:
