David Yost Is Excited About Gay Representation On 'Power Rangers'

It’s morphin’ time… to LGBTQ+ representation!

David Yost, the original Blue Ranger in the Power Rangers franchise, is coming back for Netflix’s brand-new reunion special Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always.

As Yost became a global star in the 1990s for appearing on the series, he struggled to come out of the closet at a time when out LGBTQ+ actors were largely boycotted within Hollywood. Over the years, things have thankfully changed, and Yost can now be glad that the new Power Rangers reunion special will feature queer representation.

“I think it’s great that we add an element like that obviously into where we are, because it’s so important that people do see representation,” Yost told Entertainment Weekly about a scene with LGBTQ+ characters on the Once & Always special. “It’s taken a long time to get there. So to have it in this special I think is great, and to just have it be like it’s just an everyday thing, I think is awesome.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Yost looked back on the challenges he faced being a closeted gay actor who was best known for appearing on successful children’s show in the 1990s.

“At times I would be embarrassed because I didn’t want people to know what I was going through and what I had gone through,” he explained. “In the beginning, I certainly didn’t want people to know that I was gay. I put myself through conversion therapy because I didn’t wanna be gay. And I really struggled and struggled and struggled with it.”

After fighting for so long against being gay, Yost had a “nervous breakdown” and went on to check himself into a hospital for over a month. It was at this facility that he started “the process of learning to accept myself, which was very difficult.” According to Yost, it took him “many years” to accept himself and come out to the public.

Thankfully, Yost is now able to live in his truth and reprise his role as the Blue Ranger for the Once & Always special without any concerns about being an out gay actor. We stan!

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always is now streaming on Netflix.