Actor Spotlights are features examining the careers and impacts of talented performers working in film and television. The latest looks at actor Alan Ritchson, whose notable work includes Reacher and Titans.
Be sure to check out our earlier Actor Spotlight features. They cover stars like Jensen Ackles, Jack Quaid, Titus Welliver and more.
Currently best known as Jack Reacher, star Alan Ritchson built a career long before Lee Child’s action hero.
His diverse roles range from superhero drama, crime thriller and sitcom. All in all, the 42-year-old proved himself before becoming #1 on the call sheet.
However, even some of Ritchson’s biggest fans might be unaware of his early TV work. In 2004, he competed on American Idol. This stint saw him face the classic Idol line-up of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.
Although Ritchson didn’t win the prestigious contest, he nonetheless went on to establish himself in Hollywood.
Here’s a closer look at some of his biggest roles to date.
Reacher
As mentioned, Ritchson currently plays the eponymous hero in Prime Video’s Reacher.
It’s a multi-faceted role requiring not only incredible strength, but also portraying a sharp mind and polished deductive skills.
Unsurprisingly, quite a few actors auditioned to play the part. Some rumoured names include Brandon Routh, Teddy Sears and Brian Van Holt.
Reacher is very much a strong. silent type in Lee Child’s books. “Reacher said nothing” is a famous line from the novels. An intimidating enforcer who doesn’t necessarily need words to get his point across.
Whereas in the series, the character needs to be more dynamic. So, Ritchson’s iteration has had several memorable one-liners.
Here’s a memorable example from Season 1: “Think real hard before you finish that sentence. It’ll determine how well your jaw works for the rest of your life.”
Overall, Ritchson’s performance is key not only to grounding the show. but keeping fans interested. If fans can’t root for or invest in Reacher, the premise falls flat.
For all intents and purposes, Reacher is effectively an anthology – with Ritchson being the main consistent factor across each season. This means he gets to explore different dynamics and stories, rather than be tied down.
His performance leads by example – and sets a standard for others to follow. To date, the show’s attracted iconic actors like Robert Patrick and Anthony Michael Hall to play villains.
It’s a well-known fact that Ritchson didn’t originate the role of Jack Reacher. Tom Cruise famously played the role for two movies in the 2010s.
Although a Hollywood superstar, Cruise was far from Reacher’s novel description. “Six-foot-five, 220-250 lbs., with a 50-inch chest”, according to LA Times.
For casting the TV series, former Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke told The Hollywood Reporter: “Lee, Skydance and [series creator Nick Santora] got really excited by the possibility of Alan.
“The minute I saw [his audition], I was really thrilled. From the moment I looked at it, I remember this very clearly, he had everything.
“He had the stature, for sure, he’s got the sparkle behind the eye, he has the intelligence and the complexity of the character. He was delivering so many layers of the performance.
“Jack Reacher is sometimes a character of few words, but you can never feel like he’s got nothing going on. I always feel like a really rich inner life emanates from Alan as an actor.”
Titans
Immediately before Reacher, Ritchson starred as DC Comics’ Hank Hall/Hawk on superhero drama Titans.
Ritchson debuted in season one as a guest star, before becoming a regular for seasons two and three.
Hank started out as an antagonistic presence to Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites). Particularly over Dawn Granger/Dove’s (Minka Kelly) affections.
However, as many actors would hope, the character evolved over time.
Ritchson’s breakthrough as Hank came in the show’s ninth episode, titled “Hank and Dawn”.
Here, fans learned about the abuse Hank endured at the hands of his childhood football coach. The character’s anger and over protective nature finally fell into place.
Ritchson left the show in 2021, during season 3 – but said the exit was not his decision.
He told Entertainment Weekly: “I did not take for granted the gift of sharing the screen with so many great actors.
“It lightens the load for you on a personal level, and I really enjoyed that.
“So I would’ve stayed for 50 seasons probably if I’d never been confronted with leaving, but no, really.
“The decision was made for me, and it was for the best.”
In addition, Ritchson made a brief appearance as Hawk in Arrowverse crossover Crisis On Infinite Earths, via archival footage from Titans.
Smallville
Before Titans, Alan Ritchson had another superhero role under his belt: Smallville’s Arthur Curry/Aquaman.
This character is a long-standing DC Comics hero, having first appeared in print back in 1941.
Also known by the Atlantean name “Orin”, Aquaman is the son of Atlantis’ queen and a human lighthouse keeper.
His most well-known power involves communicating with marine life – although this later changed to a telepathic link.
Alan Ritchson debuted on The CW series in 2005, during Season 5 and guest-starred in four episodes altogether.
Speaking to GQ Magazine, Ritchson reflected on landing the role, saying: “I was the only guy out of probably 3,000 people they auditioned that didn’t come in with some kind of affectation.
“I was just coasting on these instincts to be natural. He just happens to be a superhero, but he’s also just a guy.”
Blue Mountain State
Admit it: when thinking of Alan Ritchson nowadays, “sitcom star” probably wouldn’t come to mind, right?
However, the actor’s varied resumé includes three seasons as linebacker Thad Castle on comedy series Blue Mountain State.
Airing on Spike from 2010 to 2011, the show’s premise followed “the Mountain Goats”, football team of the fictitious titular university.
Ritchson’s role, Thad, was the high strung, bullying linebacker/team captain – who also had a great love for his team.
The character is also known for his homoerotic behaviour – while the show explored hazing, sex, binge drinking and drugs.
A fan wrote on Reddit: “Thad Castle is also much better of a character than he has any right to be and a large part of that is due to Ritchson.
“On paper, the character is an a*****e. But the way he plays him, he’s still kind of an a*****e but he’s the kind of a*****e who would take a bullet for others.”
Another agreed: “Thad Castle is a top ten TV character of all time.”
Despite the show’s short-lived run, Blue Mountain State subsequently developed a cult following.
Ritchson reprised his role as Thad in Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland. This was a 2016 follow-up feature film.
Discussing his character, Ritchson said in an interview: “I guess I’m similar enough to Thad to bring him to life on screen.
“But to be honest, and I’m sure many of Thad’s fans will be dissapointed to hear this, but I’m not much like Thad when I’m just being me.
“In fact, I tend to be so reserved when I’m out that most people don’t even recognize me.
I think the thing that people connect so deeply with through Thad is their inner-child. Thad is silly, he can play, but he is volatile, and immature, he has no filter so he is unpredictable…
I can go on but the point is, all of these qualities are something we can all relate to because we were all this way as children.”
Follow writer Conor O’Brien on X.
A lifelong TV and Film buff, Conor founded Courageous Nerd in 2019. He has conducted hundreds of interviews for the site, as well as written comprehensive feature articles on a variety of topics. You can find him on X: @conorrcn.
Leave a Reply