Ciara Hanna starred as the Yellow Ranger in the Power Rangers franchise and has now opened up about her struggles when she was starring on the children’s TV show
The Yellow Ranger in the Power Rangers franchise has admitted that she was paid so little she “struggled to pay bills”.
Ciara Hanna, 34, starred in Power Rangers Megaforce (2013) and Super Megaforce (2014), confessed that despite globetrotting and featuring on the Fox Kids show, it didn’t mean financial success.
“When you’re on TV, people assume you have it all. But that is far from the truth,” said Hanna, who also appeared in Investigation Discovery’s Hollywood Demons docuseries about the franchise.
“I was on a number one kids show, travelling the world, but still struggled to pay bills,” she admitted.
The California-born star declined to reveal her exact earnings but did mention that “it was a non-union series”.
Hanna opened up about her experiences in Hollywood Demons, a new docuseries that delves into the hidden mental health battles of celebrities – including her late friend and co-star Jason David Frank, the legendary Green Ranger, who tragically took his own life in 2022.
Hanna formed a close relationship with Frank after meeting on set and shared that his personal writings provided her with insight into his private struggles.
“He went through a period where he loved writing poetry to express himself, which is where me and him related a lot,” she recalled. “He would send me a lot of his poetry readings, which were really beautiful, but dark.”
She expressed regret over losing those messages. “It’s heartbreaking – I lost all of them when I got a new phone,” she lamented.
When Hanna was first approached to join the documentary Hollywood Demons, she anticipated a straightforward homage to Frank’s life and legacy, but it evolved into something much more profound.
“I went in with the mentality of wanting to honor Jason and tell my story because we were close,” she explained. “I wanted to talk about the good stuff, but also the things he struggled with.”
Frank, she said, kept much of his pain private.
“Many people did not know of Jason’s struggles unless you were really close to him,” Hanna revealed.
She shared how Frank often spoke of battling inner demons and the pressure of maintaining a facade: “He talked a lot about having inner demons and putting on a mask, almost like a clown mask, having to portray a certain persona.”
Hanna emphasised the importance of discussing the challenges of living in the limelight: “That’s a huge thing people need to talk about more – being in the public eye.”
Their paths crossed in May 2013 during the filming of Super Megaforce’s finale in New Zealand.
“He flew there with Tammie [Frank] and Jenna, his wife and daughter, and we connected right away,” Hanna reminisced.
After the cameras stopped rolling, their friendship only grew stronger, with Frank offering unwavering support and encouragement. However, as his life neared its end, Hanna sensed a change.
“We talked a lot – except for the last bit,” she admitted. “Many said the same – he kind of distanced himself, which happens when you’re going through all that.”
The news of his passing left her heartbroken.
“It was probably the last phone call I ever expected to get,” she confessed. “I was angry, but I can’t put that anger on him because I only know a glimpse of what he was struggling with. But I was very, very shocked. It still doesn’t feel real.”
During the production of Hollywood Demons, Hanna had to face her historical battles and mental health hurdles.
“When I left that day, I completely broke down,” she divulged. “It brought up hurt about Jason and my own inner demons.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
