Amy Jo Johnson In The Flashpoint
Exclusive: The former Power Ranger talks about playing a sniper in her new series.
by Eric Goldman July 10, 2008
IGN: How is it working with Enrico?
Johnson: Oh, it's great! He's awesome. He's a very, very sweet person and I think he's an amazing actor. It's just fun to watch him work and I feel like I can learn from him. It's been a great experience.
IGN: So forgive me, but I have to ask a couple of Power Ranger questions. I'm curious if you get approached by a lot of guys who had childhood crushes on you and say, "When I was 12…"
Johnson: I do! I really, really do, probably more than any other show I've done, I think because it was such a huge, strange success… I went to Argentina over Christmas and I found I was recognized more than any other place I've ever been, which was interesting. But yeah, I still get it!
IGN: When you were cast in that show, you obviously couldn't know what a sensation it would become. What was it like experiencing it at the time?
Johnson: It was incredibly overwhelming, honestly. I did not expect it… none of us did. I mean, it was a non-union show. We were hardly getting paid anything. And all of the sudden it became this huge success. It was like it used to be Cabbage Patch Kids for Christmas and now it was the Power Rangers. So it just sort of happened by surprise and it was incredibly overwhelming and kind of scary, to tell you the truth. It frightened me a lot and actually made me want to never be really famous.
IGN: Really?
Johnson: Yeah, and I think I've been really lucky, because I've worked consistently throughout my whole career but have never become very, very famous, which I think I realized I didn't want early on.
Johnson as Kimberly Hart in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
IGN: When you were on Felicity they very early on did the episode with the costume party and the reference to the Pink Ranger.
Johnson: Yeah, I thought that was great!
IGN: Who's idea was that? And was it fun for you to kind of get that out of the way as you began that show?
Johnson: Yeah, it was J.J.'s [Abrams]. I'm pretty positive it was J.J.'s idea. But yeah, it was pretty funny.
IGN: How was it working with J.J.?
Johnson: He's a brilliant guy and I love working with him. I got to do What About Brian a couple of years ago, that he produced, and it was nice to work for him again. It was an amazing experience doing Felicity.
IGN: Was it nice to get to come back and guest star on Felicity after you had left?
Johnson: Yeah, because I had asked to leave at the end of the second season and it was really awesome that J.J. invited me back at the end of the series. It was nice.
IGN: You've been a gymnast, an actress and a singer. That's a lot of diversity for one person! Have you always been someone who's been interested in pursuing a lot of different things like that?
Johnson: Yeah, I'm the type of person who can't sit still and honestly, I haven't lived in the same place for more than two years since I turned 19 and I left the house. I just kind of change, constantly, what my focus is. So whatever is stimulating me or inspiring me at the time is what I focus on.
IGN: When you're working on something like Flashpoint, which takes a lot of your time, do you put the music aside or try to take time to fit that in a bit too?
Johnson: I have a guitar in my trailer, but it is a bit too the side right now – although they're going to use one of my songs at the end of the third episode, which is kind of fun.
IGN: That's great. I remember they used one of your songs on Felicity also.
Johnson: Yep! And when I did The Division they used one as well, so that was kind of cool.
IGN: I saw you perform several years ago at Genghis Cohen in L.A.
Johnson: Oh, that's my favorite place to play. I love it there.
IGN: Will you be playing there anytime soon?
Johnson: Probably not. Probably not anytime soon.
IGN: Well, you're just a little busy with the TV show and the pregnancy.
Johnson: Yeah, exactly!
Flashpoint premieres Friday, July 11, at 10:00 pm ET/PT on CBS.
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