Then Sally Martin \u2013 who played beloved nurse Nicole Miller up until last year \u2013 arrives to cheers from the rest of the group, and as they giggle and pose for our photos, it\u2019s like they\u2019ve been besties for decades.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no surprise these ladies share an instant connection given their shared journeys navigating life in the spotlight on the small screen.<\/p>\n
Katrina was just 13 when she started on the soap and, over the next eight years, grew up in front of the nation.<\/p>\n
Katrina Devine as Minnie Crozier. Photo \/ Woman’s Day<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s difficult going through puberty on TV in front of everyone,\u201d explains Katrina, 46, adding that being in a relationship with co-star Blair Strang, who played ambulance driver Rangi Heremaia, made things even more intense.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hadn\u2019t dated anyone before I started going out with Blair. It\u2019s not like school, where you date classmates. Our relationship was fully in the limelight and people thought they knew us because of our characters.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s something Kat, 50, can relate to \u2013 she was mistaken for a real-life drug dealer in Auckland! <\/p>\n
Katrina Browne on Power Rangers. Photo \/ Peter Tangen<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he was joking, but he was serious and got really aggressive,\u201d she recalls.<\/p>\n
Although all four stars agree the good that came from starring on Shorty outweighed the bad, such experiences took a toll.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve known poor mental health before and being under that intense spotlight was one of the hard times,\u201d says Kat, who was then dating co-star Jack Campbell, who played Dr Daniel Buchanan. \u201cIt was a lot. That\u2019s what you sign up for and it\u2019s mostly incredible, but sometimes it\u2019s scary.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a more recent alum, Sally\u2019s still winding down from the intense workload. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe hardest part was the hours and sheer amount of work,\u201d recalls the actor, 41. \u201cOn my biggest day, I had 24 scenes!\u201d<\/p>\n
While many child stars fall down dark roads after experiencing fame young, Katrina credits her \u201cvery strict\u201d mum for keeping her grounded. And though being typecast as teen terror Minnie was a concern after she left Shorty, she quickly landed roles in Xena and in theatre, before nabbing a gig on Power Rangers.<\/p>\n
Anna Hutchison as Delphi Greenlaw. Photo \/ Woman’s Day<\/p>\n
Like Katrina, Anna, 40, also joined the cult superhero franchise after Shorty.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s something so marvellous and spectacular about the show,\u201d says Anna, who also led a 5km run for fans at the convention. \u201cYou don\u2019t realise when you\u2019re filming that, years later, you\u2019ll still be getting this awesome love for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI had zero idea,\u201d agrees Kat. \u201cI wasn\u2019t aware of the whole Rangerverse and how deeply important it is to generations of families.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sally adds that it\u2019s been wonderful to experience true girl power at conventions. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great being surrounded by chicks because it was boys versus boys in my season. I love their guts, but there\u2019s something cool about being around women.\u201d<\/p>\n