Power Rangers actor Jason Faunt has heard thousands of stories from fans during his time on the convention circuit, but one stood out from the others. It was about a man who overcame his hatred for Muslims after watching Power Rangers Time Force, the series that Faunt starred in as the Red Time Force Ranger.
Speaking to Yahoo Southeast Asia at the Singapore Comic Con (SGCC) in December, the 49-year-old American actor shared that the fan, who is a police officer in Texas, lost his brother during the 9/11 tragedy.
They were both fans of the show and were supposed to watch the final episodes together. According to the actor, the brother was “probably 13 years old” at the time.
Faunt said, “His brother was on the plane. And so, he created a deep hatred towards people of Muslim faith because of that… He really struggled with that hatred for a long time.”
One of the messages of Time Force was to accept people who are different, and that was something the fan learnt after eventually finishing the series.
“That helped him to get through that time, and to lose his hatred,” added Faunt.
It is meeting fans and hearing stories like that which the actor enjoys the most about the entire Power Rangers experience. He said, “I mean, I've been through over 30 countries, meaning fans all over the world. And I had no idea the impact that we had on people.
“So now I go around, and I hear of stories of people that were bullied or they lost a loved one, or there was divorce, things in their life that were challenging to them as little kids, and we helped get them through the time.”
Was in denial over Jason David Frank’s death
One person who used to be there with him - and incidentally, the one who introduced him to the convention scene - was Jason David Frank, who people would recognise as the original Green Ranger from the Mighty Morphin’ series.
Frank tragically took his own life in November 2022. He and Faunt had been friends for over 20 years, and they were very close. In fact, in a TikTok video, Faunt revealed that his wife likened them to “two schoolgirls” as they were always texting throughout the day.
Reflecting on his death, Faunt admitted that he was in denial upon hearing the news. He said, “You keep expecting to someone to tell you it's not real or [it’s like] waking up from a nightmare… It just doesn’t translate. You know, Jason was probably the toughest guy that I knew, physically, right? So it was a hard pill to swallow.”
Aside from being his close friend, Frank was also a mentor to Faunt and helped him get to where he is in the Power Rangers franchise.
There were signs that Frank was struggling with some things, according to Faunt, but it wasn’t apparent just how bad things were.
He reckoned people would have “really responded differently” had they known.
“So I think sometimes we all go through stuff - we all do - but never did you think it’s to that extreme. Otherwise, I think there would have been a lot more intervention and hand holding through that time.”
Faunt also shared that Frank’s death taught him to make sure that people in your life who “might be struggling with stuff” know that you’re there for them.
He added, “No matter how tough someone is on the exterior, they can be going through a lot of stuff. And it's good to really make sure you check in with people if you think there's some warning signs. Because a lot of times you just don't think that we'll go to that length.”
Talking about Jason David Frank is the best way to honour his legacy
There were concerns that the topic of Frank might be sensitive, but Faunt clarified that talking about him is the best way to honour his legacy.
He explained, “I mean, let's talk about it. You bring up his name, you bring up his legacy, what he meant to you. I think continuing to bring people's names up and talk about them is a good thing.”
That said, what’s the fondest memory he has of Frank? Well, “a lot of the pranks and jokes” came to mind, but the memory Faunt eventually settled on was rather unexpected.
It was a story of them using portable toilets while filming in New Zealand.
Faunt recalled, “Him and I both ate something and had a stomachache. So we're in these porta potties going to the bathroom at the same time. But they reeked so bad, both of us were going to the bathroom while we wanted to throw up. So we're laughing while we're throwing up, and we're talking through the walls, and I'll always remember that.”
If you have thoughts of suicide or are feeling distressed, you can call the Samaritans of Singapore's 24-hour hotline at 1767. You can also email pat@sos.org.sg.
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