When you think of a Red Ranger, you think of him. The red spandex. The white boots with the diamond pattern. The power sword. Austin St. John didn't just play a character when he stepped into the role of Jason Lee Scott; he basically built the blueprint for what an American superhero leader looked like in the 90s. If you grew up in that era, Jason was the guy. He was the martial artist who didn't take any nonsense, the leader who actually felt like he could back up his talk with a sidekick.
But if you’re asking who played Jason Lee Scott, the answer gets a little more tangled than just one name. While Austin St. John is the definitive face, the franchise has a weird, sometimes messy history involving voice doubles, body doubles, and a high-budget cinematic reboot that saw a completely different actor take the mantle.
The Original: Austin St. John and the 1993 Phenomenon
In 1993, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers exploded. It was a low-budget experiment that shouldn't have worked. Haim Saban took Japanese footage from Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger and spliced it with American teenagers hanging out in a juice bar. Austin St. John was a real-life martial artist before he was an actor. That’s the thing that made Jason Lee Scott feel authentic. When he did a kata or a roundhouse kick, it wasn't a stuntman in every shot. It was him.
St. John’s portrayal of Jason was grounded. He wasn't the "cool guy" in a stereotypical way; he was the responsible one. He was the anchor. However, his initial run was cut short. By the middle of the second season, a massive behind-the-scenes contract dispute changed everything. St. John, along with Thuy Trang (Trini) and Walter Jones (Zack), walked away from the show.
What most fans don't realize is that for several episodes after the actors left, the show kept "using" them. If you go back and watch the "Power Transfer" episodes, you’ll notice Jason is always wearing a hat, or looking away, or it’s just a voice that sounds sorta like him but not quite. They used archive footage and voice doubles to bridge the gap before Jason handed his power coin to Rocky DeSantos, played by Steve Cardenas.
The Return of the King: Zeo and Forever Red
Fans were devastated when Jason left, but the writers knew the value of the character. In Power Rangers Zeo, Jason made a massive comeback as the Gold Ranger. This was a huge deal. It wasn't just a cameo; it was a full-blown redemption arc. He came back older, a bit more rugged, and with a different energy.
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Austin St. John’s return solidified Jason Lee Scott as the "legendary" ranger. This culminated years later in the famous Wild Force episode "Forever Red." Even alongside nine other Red Rangers, Jason was treated as the veteran. He was the one the others looked up to. It’s rare for a kids’ show actor to maintain that kind of gravity for decades, but St. John leaned into the role.
The 2017 Reboot: Dacre Montgomery’s Gritty Take
Fast forward to 2017. Lionsgate decided to give the franchise a gritty, Breakfast Club style makeover. This time, the question of who played Jason Lee Scott had a new answer: Dacre Montgomery.
Before he was the terrifying Billy Hargrove in Stranger Things, Montgomery stepped into Jason’s boots. This version of Jason was different. He wasn't the perfect martial arts instructor. He was a disgraced high school football star under house arrest.
- Montgomery brought an intensity that the original show lacked.
- The 2017 film focused on the "teenagers with attitude" part of the tagline more than the "superhero" part.
- The suit was different—more like alien armor than spandex.
Critics were split, but Montgomery’s performance was widely praised. He captured the burden of leadership. He played Jason as someone who didn't want to lead but realized he had to. It was a more human, flawed version of the character that resonated with a modern audience, even if the movie didn't launch the ten-film franchise the studio hoped for.
The Voice Actors and the "Hidden" Jasons
Because Power Rangers is a global brand with video games, toys, and various animated appearances, Austin St. John isn't the only one to provide the voice. In the 2019 fighting game Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, Austin St. John actually returned to voice Jason, which was a massive win for fans.
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But in other media, like the Power Rangers Super Legends game, different voice actors have stepped in to mimic that iconic 90s baritone. It's a reminder that Jason Lee Scott is more than an actor; he’s a symbol. He’s the "Red Ranger" in the same way Peter Parker is "Spider-Man." People inhabit the mask.
Why Does Jason Still Matter So Much?
Honestly, it’s the leadership. In the early 90s, kids’ TV was full of "wacky" protagonists. Jason was the opposite. He was stoic. He dealt with the stress of Zordon’s demands and Tommy Oliver’s initial rivalry with a level of maturity that felt real to kids. When Tommy (Jason David Frank) showed up as the Green Ranger and started wrecking the team, it was Jason who had to step up.
The rivalry between Jason and Tommy is the stuff of legend. It’s the "Batman vs. Superman" of the Saturday morning cartoon world. Even though Tommy eventually became the face of the franchise, many purists still point to Jason as the true leader.
Real-World Controversy and the Legacy of Austin St. John
You can't talk about who played Jason Lee Scott without touching on the real-world complexities of Austin St. John’s later life. In recent years, he faced legal troubles regarding federal CARES Act loan fraud. It was a shocking headline for fans who grew up seeing him as the ultimate moral compass.
Despite this, his impact on the convention circuit and the fandom remains massive. He spent years working as a paramedic and a healthcare professional in the Middle East and the U.S. before returning to the spotlight. That real-world "hero" work added a layer of depth to his legacy as Jason. He wasn't just an actor who did flips; he was a guy who actually understood what it meant to serve.
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How to Follow the Character Today
If you're looking to dive deeper into the story of Jason Lee Scott, don't just stick to the TV show. The BOOM! Studios comic books have done incredible work expanding his character. They explore what happened after he left the team in Season 2, revealing that he, Zack, and Trini didn't actually go to a "Peace Conference." They became Omega Rangers, operating in deep space on secret missions.
This added a huge amount of "lore" to the character. It explained why he was so battle-hardened when he returned in Zeo. If you want the full Jason Lee Scott experience, those comics are essential reading. They treat the character with the respect an icon deserves.
Key Takeaways for Fans
Knowing who played the Red Ranger is one thing, but understanding the evolution is another.
- Austin St. John is the original and most iconic Jason. He played the role in MMPR, Zeo, and Wild Force.
- Dacre Montgomery provided a modernized, cinematic take in the 2017 film.
- The Omega Rangers storyline in the comics is the best way to see Jason’s "untold" history.
- Voice and stunt doubles filled the gaps during the 1994 transition, making Jason one of the few characters to be "played" by people who weren't even on set.
Whether you prefer the 90s cheese or the 2017 grit, Jason Lee Scott remains the definitive leader of the Power Rangers. He's the character that proved you could be a fighter and a friend at the same time.
To see more of the original Jason, check out the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episodes "Green with Evil" or the "Forever Red" crossover in Power Rangers Wild Force. For a more mature take, look for the Mighty Morphin comic series starting from issue #1, which gives Jason a much deeper internal life than the TV show ever could.