On being cast in Power Rangers Beast Morphers on Nickelodeon, he admitted that it is “very surreal.” “I pinch myself at least five times a day realizing that I am a part of one of the largest entertainment franchises in the world. Whether it’s in this new Era of Rangers that Hasbro has generously taken over from Saban and created a renaissance of the franchise, and I get to be the first generation of that, or it’s that I have a freaking action figure.”
“Also, I am lucky enough to take over a very beloved role from the Super Sentai series. I have some very large shoes to fill. There are so many things that make this experience one that is unlike any other,” he explained.
Strong revealed that growing up, he was a huge fan of the Power Rangers franchise. “I was born in 1994 so I was born right in the heart of when the franchise was just blossoming so as soon as I was able to play with toys, Power Rangers figures were in my hands. I grew up with Mighty Morphin, Turbo, PR in Space (Go Psycho Rangers), and Lost Galaxy.”
The actor continued, “Those movies and series were everything to me, so when I finally was able to announce my role of Blaze to the public, Jason David Frank reached out to me and gave me his contact info, so we could meet up and train when I’m back in the states from filming. My childhood self was dying from excitement.”
On his plans for 2019, Strong said, “Ever since I signed onto Power Rangers back in August, I don’t really have much say of what happens over the next couple of years, but that is actually exciting because I am able to follow where ever Hasbro and Best Morphers takes me.”
He continued, “Hasbro announced that there will be a live tour in the near future and we potentially could be a part of that, nothing confirmed, but there’s just so many possibilities depending on how big the show gets. Anything could happen in 2019 and I’m excited to see what happens. If nothing comes from the tour, I would be right back in Los Angeles auditioning and getting ready for the next project. I love the grind.”
When asked what motivates him each day, he responded, “I think it’s just as simple as living a full life and experiencing everything you can in life and then from there, that fuels me to want to tell it in story format for others to then experience it. It’s this beautiful cycle.”
Strong continued, “Telling stories that people might not experience in their day to day life will only help create more empathetic humans and from there, create a better world. It sounds so cheesy, and maybe a little pretentious but it’s what motivates me every day. That my job is to help tell stories that could drastically affect someone’s life. It’s humbling.”
Digital transformation of the entertainment business
On the impact of technology on the entertainment business, Strong said, “I think my initial instinct, like many others, would tend to lean towards the negative. Whether we are talking about a drop-in cinema attendance or how some social media influencers are now being considered actors because they have a large following and are taking roles from other actors in the business, but as I think about it, there are too many positives to count.”
Strong continued, “One being, more opportunities. As I look at the breakdowns of what’s casting, it’s not just network television shows and studio films anymore, there are so many platforms which just creates a plethora of new jobs for cast and crew in the business. This also means more storytelling, and nothing could be more exciting than that.”
“I could go on and on but technology has truly changed the game with cinema and television and some things for good and some things for not so good. You can definitely say that being able to binge watch your favorite television show in the comfort of your own home is only getting people more and more excited about cinema and new stories and that is all I could ever want,” he added.
On his use of technology in his daily routine as an actor, Strong said, “Technology has changed the game for the modern-day actor. Whether it’s the ability to check your e-mail anytime at any place, the ability to film, edit and upload yourself tape audition on your preferred video sharing platform all on your smartphone with 4K High-Quality Camera Abilities. Is this a dream? Or whether it’s Ubering to an audition because Los Angeles parking is a nightmare or scanning and sending a PDF file of your updated resume to your agent or manager all on your smartphone. The list can go on and on but I can confidently say that I couldn’t be more thrilled to be living in one of the best times of the entertainment industry.”
Advice for aspiring actors
Regarding his advice for aspiring actors, Strong said, “Being in the business almost 13 years, I have learned so many things that unfortunately you can’t learn until you live and experience the lesson yourself but one thing I would just say is to work hard, but efficiently. Keep acting, keep taking classes, keep auditioning, keep doing short films, keep working to become your best self, keep breaking down those personal walls so you’re able to be vulnerable enough to tell any story, just keep pushing.”
Strong continued, “This business is rough, but it’s not impossible to beat either. The best advice I can give at this stage in my life is to be the hardest working person you know. Right now, I know that I am the hardest working person I know, and as long as I am efficient with the choices of my business of ‘Colby Strong’ and I keep working to be better, success will come. It has come, and I know that’s because of the foundational work I have put in over the past 10 years.”
“Another piece of advice is, I would say I am a businessman more than an actor,” he said. “I am consistently making business decisions and growing the business of ‘Colby Strong’ more than I would say that I ‘act.’ Michael B. Jordan said, ‘The only acting I do is between action and cut’ and it couldn’t be truer.”
“There’s so much more than memorizing lines and portraying a truthful character, it’s a business. I don’t think many actors have that mindset and personally, I think that it’s one of the most critical pieces to be successful in this business,” he added.
For his fans, he concluded about that show, “I would just like to say ‘thank you.’ Thank you for keeping this amazing and inspiring story alive. We wouldn’t have Power Rangers 26 years later if it weren’t for the fans and the entire cast. I thank you and hope we have respectfully done justice and given homage to the Super Sentai Series. Long live Power Rangers.”
