When you hear the words Power Rangers, I wouldn’t doubt you’d get nostalgic about the good old times when you were a kid. Well, now on their 25th season of the Power Rangers, the Power Rangers – Super Ninja Steel / Dino Charge cast is killing it bringing us those characters we loved so much as kids.
At the San Diego Comic-Con 2019, we got the opportunity of interviewing William Shewfelt who played ‘Brody Romero’ (Ninja Steel Red Ranger). In this interview, we got an insight on Shewfelt’s trials and tribulations along his journey to becoming the actor he is today. Along with William Shewfelt, we were joined by none other than Brennan Mejia who played ‘Tyler Navarro’ (Dino Charge Red Ranger). We got to discuss all things Power Rangers and even some TMNT!
Host: Machelle Noel here over at San Diego Comic Con 2019 and joining me right now is my good friend William Shewfelt. He plays Red Ranger over at Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel. Hey stranger, how are you doing today?
William Shewfelt: Well, thank you for the opportunity to be on your show. I’ve seen one of the previous episodes. So you got good stuff going.
Host: Thank you so much! I know we kind of go way back. We actually did a film project together over at San Diego State. It was some sort of like a school shooting video instructional video about that and yeah so we have some stories we’ll talk about that later, but anyways how has San Diego Comic Con been treating you lately?
William Shewfelt: It’s been really good, so I mean this is always a fun event to come out. I have like a little bit of a background here where when I was studying economics at UCSD. I actually used to come here and help out so this was before I had even gotten into acting and I felt really really drawn to it. So there was a Harry Potter thing going on and Eddie Redmayne was supposed to do this thing where he says I forget what it was and then we all went out as like Wizards and handed out these things so that was the first time I ever went to Comic-Con. It was like three four years ago long before Power Rangers or anything like that.
Host: So yeah we were just talking before and we had some weird parallelisms in our life path, and it’s like we’ve been on the same road, but different freeways. And, yeah I too was a volunteer here at Comic-Con and it seems like the Comic-Con god to finally answered our prayers and now we’re like look at where we’re at now. He’s promoting a show and I’m promoting mine so that’s really weird every time we keep talking.
William Shewfelt: I love that!
Host: How many times have you been at San Diego Comic-Con?
William Shewfelt: This would be my third time so first time was helping out. Second time was when we got brought out here by Saban. I think it was a time and then yeah this is my third time.
Host: And that was with the Nickelodeon at the time?
William Shewfelt: Yes.
Host: Okay, now let’s see, how do you compare this Comic-Con to all the other Comic-Cons that you’ve been too?
William Shewfelt: They’re always busy. I mean I’m sure it’s always growing but I mean they’re always super busy. I mean they’re jam-packed. I think they’re always making it bigger and better. I saw Tom Cruise’s here. I didn’t see him see him, but I know that he was here.
Host: We actually did camp out in Hall H. We saw the Terminator: Dark Fate panel including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton. And, then Conan O’brien comes out and says I got breaking news! Tom Cruise crashed the Terminator panel and I thought oh my gosh this is only day one!
William Shewfelt: So was Arnold there while Tom Cruise is there?
Host: No, Arnold exited and then Conan came and it was just like I’m really so glad I camped out for that one, but that was an easy one.
William Shewfelt: I can’t even tell you how big of an Arnold fan. I am like literally to see and meet that guy once in my life I will be very very happy.
Host: I mean I actually went to grad school just so I can have the Governator sign my diploma I mean I have my…
William Shewfelt: Where’d you go to grad school?
Host: I went to San Jose State so I majored in education and I just did it just for him!
William Shewfelt: Did he sign it?
Host: He signed it and it’s there. Actually, the first time I saw Arnold was back in 2012 with the Expendable 2 panel and so here’s like what seven years he comes back for the Terminator and I’m just like I don’t know if he’d ever gonna come back to San Diego Comic-Con promoting any other movie so I said it’s worth it. Lets do it and it was worth it. Linda Hamilton, that’s another story.
William Shewfelt: Yeah she’s a legend as well.
Host: Oh boy! So can you give us a little background about how did you came across this wonderful opportunity that kind of just took you career off to like a whole other level now?
William Shewfelt: Yes, so power rangers was basically the culmination of a dream and a goal that I had when I was in college. I was searching a lot. I was constantly trying to self improve just develop myself as a person. I was trying to figure out what was my purpose. I’ve known since I was young that I was a motivated individual and I was gonna do something great, but I didn’t know what it was so I studied economics all through college and my goal was really to take what I learned about economic policy and use it to better countries that needed. That was my dream, that was my vision, but as I got really involved in, I realized I wasn’t satisfied. I didn’t enjoy studying it. I really couldn’t see myself working in a lot of the opportunities that were available to me so I started to read a lot because I was trying to figure out, like okay, so what do I do with my life? I started to read a lot of personal development books and started to internalize the idea that you can accomplish any goal that you badly desire and set your mind upon. As soon as I came to that realization, you know I had always kind of wanted to act, but I realized, okay this is the thing that I really want to do right now and I set a goal for myself that within one year I wanted to star on a major TV show. I didn’t know how I was gonna do it. I had never acted a day in my life, no connections, and no money so it was really weird I was living here in San Diego in La Jolla for UCSD. And, I set that goal and I basically went through this process of breaking that goal all the way down. So what are all of the necessary components to be an actor? You know I’ll have to build my resume, I’ll have to get acting classes, I’ll have to get an agent, and do head shots, so I broke down all of these mini steps. Then I got even more granular and started to break down into monthly goals, weekly goals, and daily goals. And, then I set this really rigid daily routine for myself of getting up at 4 in the morning, going to the gym working out, listening to positivity inspiration, reading personal development books, and then from about 7 am until the time I went to bed at 10 pm, I would basically work all day so I would be reaching out to casting directors. I would be applying to every single casting, auditioning for plays at UCSD, and getting head shots done. I was just constantly hustling at this and it was really like do or die for me because by the time that year was up I was going to graduate. And, I would have to get kind of get thrust out into the real world and get a real job. I basically saw myself as having one year to do this. Luckily, by the end of that year, I had starred in an independent feature film. done music videos and non-union commercials, and had signed with Shamon Freitas. And, then I signed with the LA agency, done head shots, and just a bunch of things that snowballed very quickly. By the end of that year, I got the call about Power Rangers and after like a three or four month audition process, it was literally like the culmination of my dream that I saw happen before my eyes. To this day, this whole show that I did…to me the one thing I learned from it is to have fun, make a decision, and set a goal, and you can achieve it. So that lesson has really carried over for me now with the work that I’m doing in like the health industry books. I’m working in the Keto industry and I just spoke at Keto-Con a month ago, so while I’m doing things like that I realized, okay, don’t ever limit yourself anything you set your mind to. You can accomplish so that’s kind of how all this came about. It was just a goal that I set.
Host: That’s amazing! I know William is also the brother of the Lord so he believes in Jesus.
William Shewfelt: I am indeed.
Host: And it’s amazing how God has put that desire into your heart and you follow through it. And, it was a struggle I’m sure, but you’ve been patient, you prayed about it and so it’s just amazing. So amen to you. That’s amazing to hear.
Host: I just want to say one thing about that really quickly. I don’t think people realize how motivational the Bible is. When I was at UCSD during that last year, I was reading the Bible constantly and the thing was I wanted to understand was how did Jesus start his ministry at the age of 30. By the time he was crucified at 33, he changed the entire world to the point that we’re still talking about him 2000 years later. How did he do that? There are so many quotes in the Bible that inspired me, but one of them is that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few so it’s all out there. It’s abundant you know all of these opportunities are abundant for us, but the laborers are few. There’re very few people actually willing to work to reap the benefits of that harvest so that’s something I’ve always reminded myself. The harvest is plentiful. It’s all out there for you and the other thing is that if you have faith of a size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain move and it will be moved. You know booking a major TV show one year with no experience was a mountain for me and I had faith of a size of a mustard seed. You know it was literally that small though when I started this goal. I didn’t really believe that it was possible, but your belief grows over time and you water that and you nurture that through hard work, through positivity, and through eliminating all negative people from your life controlling your thoughts and putting the work in. So there’s a lot of inspiration in the Bible and it really lays out the blueprint of how to achieve things in life which people don’t realize, but you know if you want to figure out how to accomplish all of your goals, before you watch the secret, and you know how to rethink, grow rich and read the Bible. It has a lot of secrets in there.
Host: I know! It’s really crazy when New Agers talk about, like no, if you just put it out there, but what if it actually came to you? You know there’s always that debate. I’m surprised you haven’t talked to Jason David Frank about this because you guys are so similar.
William Shewfelt: I haven’t talked to him about it.
Host: It’s like I’m like looking at the same interview. It’s like you guys are just very same. I hope you guys talk because I’m sure that would be a really interesting podcast for you guys to share about especially your life experience. Let’s talk about Turtles for a second. I know you’re a big huge fan of the Turtles. Who’s your favorite?
William Shewfelt: I would go with Michelangelo.
Brennan Mejia: Donatello!
Host: Yeah, he’s a bit of a party dude isn’t he, Donatello? Now, I can say I am sandwiched between two Red Rangers. And, I’m enjoying it! We also interviewed Austin St.John this morning and now I got two more Red Rangers, and listen Elmo likes Rangers, okay so…
William Shewfelt: Elmo’s is a Red Ranger?
Host: And it’s his fiftieth birthday, so let’s just go ahead and celebrate with him.
William Shewfelt: Mr.Noodle!
Host: How are you doing, sir?
Brennan Mejia: Well how are you? I’m Brennan Mejia by the way. I was a Red Ranger at some point in my life too.
Host: Anyways let me guess, Super Dino Charge?
Brennan Mejia: Dino Super Charge!
Host: So what was your experience like on that show?
Brennan Mejia: It was really cool. New Zealand was definitely on my bucket list so moving there was like not a lot of time to explore because you’re sleep deprived and I didn’t drink coffee at that time, so I was like literally sleep deprived.
William Shewfelt: You drink coffee now?
Brennan Mejia: I do now.
William Shewfelt: My man! Okay fine, Americanos or what?
Brennan Mejia: I do like a cinnamon honey with really light honey and almond milk.
William Shewfelt: You put sugar in there?
Brennan Mejia: Honey.
William Shewfelt: I’m shocked.
Brennan Mejia: Honey. Like literally when I see these guys I’m like just a little bit of honey.
Host: I heard you’re also a big fan of the Ninja Turtles, right?
Brennan Mejia: Donatello…that’s what I entered this conversation.
Host: Will you guys share me your childhood experience? Your fondest memory of the turtles and how you came across it?
Brennan Mejia: Well, the Super Nintendo game like that was my jam because my friend Reggie would come over and I picked Donatello and he was Raphael. We’d like play through the Super Nintendo game and it was really hard, we’d lose a lot and that was my bonding point.
William Shewfelt: I just remember watching the movie. I forget which movie it, but it was this one where they were trained by like an old rat who’s like a Kung-Fu Master.
Host: Yeah, I think his name was Splinter?
William Shewfelt: And, I remember somebody bowing in the movie and then he got kicked in the face. He says never look down and I just internalized that I was like any time I bow and like a karate thing look at your opponent.
Host: Never look down!
Brennan Mejia: And the crossovers.
Host: Oh speaking about the crossovers, you guys saw the crossover with the Power Rangers and the Ninja Turtles right when you guys were kids?
William Shewfelt: In space it was incredible I loved it.
Brennan Mejia: Yeah it was cool. I mean they’re obviously both similar. Like they’re color-coded crime fighting usually teenage age fighters so I thought it was a good combo.
William Shewfelt: I will say and I’ve said this many times in many interviews that I think Andros from in space Chris Khayman Lee. I believe I got that right I think he’s incredible. Literally, he was probably my favorite Red Ranger.
Brennan Mejia: Then he saw my season and his mind changed.
William Shewfelt: That’s true as well.
Host: I bow down to you!
William Shewfelt: Brennan is dangerous so I’ve gotta go along with it.
Host: I’ve noticed he just came out of nowhere as soon as I said Turtles. You see the excitement so now if Power Rangers actually got a chance to do a crossover who do you think they would do well teaming up with?
Brennan Mejia: Like a live action one you mean?
William Shewfelt: So I have my ideas about this.
Brennan Mejia: The CW.
William Shewfelt: Because you like CW right.?
Brennan Mejia: Well yeah, I’m obviously bias.
William Shewfelt: So you’ll be on one of the CW shows when they do the team-up then you’ll be double booked that’d be a good gig paid twice.
Brennan Mejia: Brandon Routh is gonna reprise Superman.
Host: I actually met him last night, Brandon Routh, at the WB party. I’m sorry I’m not trying to show off again, but yeah follow me on Instagram about that.
William Shewfelt: With the crossover so Scooby-Doo does great crossovers and I’m not gonna say Scooby-Doo, but I saw the one they did with WWE and I thought it was amazing and Brennan know this I’m a huge WWE fan so if we could do a live action crossover with WWE superstars Undertaker Triple H whoever else.
Brennan Mejia: Would they be the bad guys or would they be helping?
William Shewfelt: I mean there would be bad guys and good guys you know so maybe Stone Cold would be a bad guy and then well I mean he’s he’s a little on the older side so I don’t want to bring him back.
Brennan Mejia: Oh, he’s gonna come find you.
William Shewfelt: He might. That would actually be cool.
Host: Okay, it looks like I can go on forever talking to these guys because I’ve actually been here a lot earlier today, and I just heard that we are actually low on batteries so I better end this before we lose this memory card so William & Brennan…
Brennan Mejia: Oh hey!
Host: Hey, I just wanna say hey Brennan – thank you so much for joining our show and this is perfect because we’re actually running out of memory card space so anyways thank you guys so much for coming and joining our show. And, be sure to join them at any Comic-Con near you. I’m Machelle Noel with William and Brennan and hopefully we’ll see you guys next time. Can we just close this out by saying Cowabunga on three?
Brennan Mejia & William Shewfelt: Don’t you want us to teach you how to morph?
Host: Oh my God!?!?! Yes – Can you guys teach me hot to morph? I totally forgot yeah can you do that!?!?
William Shewfelt: We both got different sequences.
Host: Alright yeah…. so one two three okay one two three!
Host, Brennan Mejia, & William Shewfelt: It’s Morphin Time!
Host: Thank you! – Cowabunga!
Maria Batres | Writing Contributor
B.A | Communications | UC San Diego
My name is Maria Batres, an on going Sophomore at the University of California San Diego with a major in Communications and a minor in Literature/Writing. I was born and raised in SouthEast San Diego, so as someone who comes from the ‘ghetto’, or the ‘hood’, being able to attend UC San Diego is a great achievement that has opened up a lot of opportunities for me, for example having the ability to land an internship with GeekRockTV. Instagram @chapis_batres | View My Articles
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