Alan Ritchson is the star of Reacher, Amazon's mega-hit series about a hulking former army major who wanders around the country helping people in need. He's getting a lot of attention for the role now, but Ritchson has been working in Hollywood for a long time, just rarely at the center of the action.
Although it wasn't for lack of trying. As Ritchson explained to Men's Health, he once auditioned for the role of Thor, god of thunder, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but "didn't take it seriously."
"I was like, ‘They’ll throw me the part if I look like the guy; nobody really cares about acting.'"
Ritchson apparently had an entertainingly low opinion of the acting business in his '20s. Or maybe a low opinion of superhero movies, which at that time weren't quite the cultural juggernaut they are now. Or maybe both; scholars remain divided. In any case, the Marvel casting team disavowed him of such notions, saying he hadn't shown "the craft" necessary to play the part. As we all know, the role went to Chris Hemsworth, and a young Alan Ritchson started to rethink his choices.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the loss of the role plagued Ritchson, and he rededicated himself to acting lessons. And now he can write his own ticket. “I had about 50 offers the weekend after season one of Reacher,” he said. “I knew my life had changed.”
At 6'2" and muscled like an ox, Ritchson is known for his looks; his intimidating physique is one of the things that makes him convincing as the character of Jack Reacher. But it's good to learn a lesson that looks alone aren't enough to get you where you need to go. As for Reacher, it's between seasons right now, but will definitely be returning to Amazon Prime Video sooner or later.
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