Mariska Hargitay's Surprise Power Rangers Role and the Actress Who Almost Missed It

In 1995, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers faced their most dangerous foe yet, the sarcastic sorcerer Ivan Ooze, in the film "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie." To match Ooze's magical powers, the Rangers were sent to the distant planet of Phaedos to obtain the Great Power, an energy field that would enhance their fighting skills.

On Phaedos, the Rangers encountered the Tengu Warriors, whom they struggled to defeat in hand-to-hand combat. They were then rescued by the Red Sonja-like Warrioress, Dulcea, played by Australian actress and model Gabrielle Fitzpatrick. Dulcea took the Rangers to a ninja training facility and taught them to access their inner spirit animals, giving them the power they needed to defeat Ivan Ooze.

However, Dulcea's role almost went to a different actress. According to a retrospective, Fitzpatrick had a medical emergency that took her off set right before filming began. For a few weeks, the production team shot with their second choice, Mariska Hargitay. Hargitay, who would later find fame on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," was underprepared and her fighting skills were lackluster compared to Fitzpatrick's. The producers also felt Hargitay was too beautiful for the role. Ultimately, Fitzpatrick returned and delivered a memorable performance as Dulcea, a character that has endured with Power Rangers fans.