Latest news with #BleedingCool
Edinburgh Live
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Power Rangers' Kimberly actress Amy Jo Johnson's life now and why she'll never return
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Those who spent their childhood in the '90s will undoubtedly recall the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, with their vibrant costumes and thrilling confrontations with villains like Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. Amy Jo Johnson graced our screens as the original Pink Ranger Kimberly Hart in 1993, featuring in 138 episodes and three movies until her departure in 1995. Reflecting on her first glimpse of the iconic pink spandex with Entertainment Tonight, she said: "I think at the time it was like, 'Oh my God! I'm gonna be wearing pink spandex on national television'," Bleeding Cool reported. "'What have I gotten myself into?'" Her character eventually passed on her powers to Zordon's new recruit, Katherine Hillard, though Amy did make a few special returns to the show. Nowadays, Amy's life may not involve morphin' battles, but she's just as busy. She's made appearances in hit series such as ER, Felicity, and Flashpoint, and has explored directing with short films like Bent and Lines. Her directorial debut in feature films came with The Space Between in 2016, followed by the dark comedy Tammy's Always Dying in 2019. Additionally, she's showcased her musical talents, releasing an EP titled Still Here just last year. (Image: 1995 Ron Galella, Ltd.) In a thrilling 2023 release, Netflix brought together iconic characters from the past three decades in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always. Although many familiar faces returned, Amy was noticeably absent, reports the Mirror US. Although there were rumours of a pay dispute, Amy said this wasn't true. Taking to X (previously known as Twitter), she said: "Please stop saying I didn't do reunion because of money Simply not true. Maybe I just didn't want to wear spandex in my couldn't go to NZ for a month. Or none of ur beeswax." She also revealed that she and the late White Ranger actor Jason David Frank independently chose not to participate "for our own reasons". Earlier that year, she had responded to similar speculation, remarking: "For the record I never said no... I just didn't say yes to what was offered. But other fun stuff is in-store!" (Image: Getty Images) Nonetheless, Amy embraced the Power Rangers legacy from another angle, penning a four-part comic series called Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, which she hailed as a "heartfelt love letter" to supporters. A familiar figure at conventions, Amy continues to engage with enthusiasts, reflecting on her impact as the original Pink Ranger. With a reflective view on her influence, she said: "I didn't understand what Kimberly represented until more recently." She added: "Kimberly wasn't Amy Jo, but it's really cool to have played a character that inspired so many girls in that way. It's probably one of the biggest blessings in my life."
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Power Rangers Kimberley's life now from very different career to future comeback
Amy Jo Johnson played the Pink Power Ranger, Kimberley Hart, in the first series of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in the 1990s - but has since turned away from the superhero show For those who grew up in the '90s, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was an essential part of childhood. The adventures of the multicoloured superheroes and their thrilling confrontations with villains like Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd had youngsters glued to the TV. Amy Jo Johnson graced our screens as the original pink ranger Kimberly Hart when the show first aired in 1993, appearing in 138 episodes and three films until her departure in 1995. Reflecting on her iconic role with Entertainment Tonight last year, she recounted the first time she laid eyes on her legendary costume. "I think at the time it was like, 'Oh my God! I'm gonna be wearing pink spandex on national television'," Bleeding Cool reported. "'What have I gotten myself into?'" Her character's journey ended when Kimberly handed over her ranger duties to new recruit, Katherine Hillard. Amy has since led a vibrant but less action-packed life. Her acting career continued with appearances in series such as ER, Felicity, and Flashpoint, and she transitioned into directing, debuting short films like Bent in 2013 and Lines in 2014. Her directorial prowess expanded with The Space Between in 2016 and the dark comedy Tammy's Always Dying three years later. Amy's creative talents extend into music; she's a singer-songwriter who released an EP called Still Here last year, reports the Mirror US. In 2023, Netflix premiered a special Power Rangers reunion episode called Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always, which celebrated the show's storied 30-year legacy and featured several original characters. However, notably absent was Amy. Although there were rumours she had declined participation over financial disputes, she disputed these claims. Addressing the speculation on X, formerly Twitter, she said: "Please stop saying I didn't do reunion because of money Simply not true. Maybe I just didn't want to wear spandex in my couldn't go to NZ for a month. Or none of ur beeswax." She shared that both she and the late White Ranger actor Jason David Frank, who passed away in November 2022, chose not to return "for our own reasons". She had earlier deflected similar conjectures that year by stating: "For the record I never said no... I just didn't say yes to what was offered. But other fun stuff is in-store!" Despite stepping away from her Power Ranger roots on screen, Amy did make a comeback by penning a four-part comic series entitled Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return, which she described as a "heartfelt love letter" to fans. Additionally, she continues to engage with enthusiasts at conventions, recalling her renowned tenure in the pink ranger suit. Reflecting on her impact, she acknowledged: "I didn't understand what Kimberly represented until more recently." She added: "Kimberly wasn't Amy Jo, but it's really cool to have played a character that inspired so many girls in that way. It's probably one of the biggest blessings in my life."
The Guardian
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
DC Comics pull Neil Gaiman title while Amazon Prime series set to go ahead
DC Comics has pulled a Neil Gaiman title that was due to be published later this year. Death: DC Compact Comics Edition was meant to come out on 2 September, but listings have been scrubbed from online bookshops and Amazon, reported Bleeding Cool. DC Comics did not confirm that the decision was taken because of allegations of sexual assault made against the author in recent months. The Sandman spin-off was one of 15 compact edition graphic novels slated for publication in 2025. Unlike Death, listings for the other 14 titles can be found on sites including Amazon, Waterstones, and OK Comics, a comic book shop in Leeds. Nine women have now accused Gaiman of sexual misconduct. On Monday, one of the women, Scarlett Pavlovich, filed a civil lawsuit against Gaiman and his estranged wife, Amanda Palmer. The lawsuit accuses Gaiman of rape, sexual assault, coercion and human trafficking, and Palmer of 'procuring and presenting' her to Gaiman 'for such abuse'. In mid-January, Gaiman published a statement on his website stating that he had 'never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone'. Gaiman's representatives did not respond to a request for comment on DC Comics' decision. Along with Death being pulled, orders for a DC Comics facsimile edition of Sandman #8 – due to be published on 26 February – have been cancelled. Retailers were told that the edition 'will be resolicited at a later date', though according to Bleeding Cool, similar phrasing has been used for other titles that were ultimately never published. Again, DC Comics did not confirm that the decision was made because of the allegations. This follows the decision taken last month by US publisher Dark Horse Comics to cancel plans to publish future works by Gaiman. In a statement on X, the company wrote it 'takes seriously the allegations against Neil Gaiman and we are no longer publishing his works'. Last week, a Kickstarter campaign that has raised more than £2m to adapt Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's 1990 novel Good Omens into a graphic novel put out a statement saying that 'Neil Gaiman will not receive any proceeds' from the campaign and that it 'will now fully be an entity run by, and financially connected to, the Terry Pratchett Estate only'. While multiple adaptations of Gaiman's works have been cancelled, reconfigured or had their production paused in recent months, Amazon Prime's adaptation of Gaiman's Anansi Boys is still expected to stream later this year. Another Prime adaptation, Good Omens, will now end with one 90-minute episode instead of a full third season. Amazon did not confirm whether this decision was taken because of the allegations. According to Deadline, Gaiman offered to step back from the show's final season. A stage musical adaptation of Coraline – which was due to be performed at Leeds Playhouse, Royal Lyceum theatre Edinburgh, Birmingham Rep and Home Manchester – has been cancelled. 'After careful consideration, we feel it would be impossible to continue in the context of the allegations against its original author', said the venues in a joint statement. Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion A Disney film adaptation of Gaiman's 2008 young adult novel The Graveyard Book, which was in development, was put on hold. Gaiman himself was not involved in the project. HarperCollins, which publishes many Gaiman titles in the US including Coraline and American Gods, told Publishers Weekly that it does not have any new books by Gaiman scheduled. WW Norton & Company, the US publisher of Gaiman's book Norse Mythology, said that it will not have projects with the author going forward, though did not say whether this was connected to the allegations. Other publishers of Gaiman's work – including Bloomsbury, Penguin, Hachette and Titan – have not yet made public statements about whether they will continue to publish the author, and did not respond to the Guardian's requests for comment.
