The Jacks of Hollywood always seem to find their way into trouble, whether it’s Ryan or Reacher. So, when it came to bringing Lee Child’s iconic creation to life on the small screen, casting had to be spot on. The moment he stepped onto the screen, he needed to be Reacher. And boy oh boy, did Alan Ritchson reach that bar (pun absolutely intended).
While Tom Cruise took on the role in the films, even Child himself admitted, that Ritchson might just be the most perfect Reacher he’s ever seen. And it all started with a handshake!
How Lee Child knew Alan Ritchson was the perfect Reacher!
Jack Reacher, the brainchild of Lee Child’s novels, has been a fan favorite for ages. Over the years, only two actors have stepped into Reacher’s boots, Tom Cruise and Alan Ritchson.
Now, while Tom Cruise is undeniably the Tom Cruise, there’s no escaping the fact that he didn’t exactly match the physical description of Reacher in the books. Who everybody knows is a six-foot-five, 250-pound force of nature who can make bad guys rethink their life choices with just a stare. Alan Ritchson, on the other hand? The glove fits perfectly!
Thus, for Lee Child when casting for the now-hit TV series, there was one massive condition that had to be met, Reacher’s fists had to be the size of “Thanksgiving turkeys.”
In an interview with GQ, Child recalled the moment he knew Ritchson was the Reacher he had been looking for. He explained,
I’ve shaken his hand and it was pretty impressive, That’s what we were looking for. I wasn’t interested in his dialogue or anything like that. I just wanted that first second that he’s onscreen: Does he have it or not? He nailed it.
And fans see exactly what Lee Child sees, when it comes to Reacher, Alan Ritchson is the man, no questions asked. Sure, he’s got the size, but keeping that powerhouse physique is a full-time job, one he’s never off the clock for. And let’s be real, fans couldn’t be more grateful for his dedication.
How Alan Ritchson does it!
Ritchson was no rookie when it came to playing larger-than-life characters (literally!) he’d already tackled the role of a football player in Blue Mountain State. But even with that experience, getting into Reacher shape was a whole new level of commitment.
In an interview with Men’s Journal, he admitted that transforming into the towering drifter was nothing short of a “full-time job.” He explained,
I try to stay lean, so I’m usually walking around at 205 pounds. For this I wanted to bulk up though, and I ended up putting on 30 pounds to end up at 235 pounds. I was grinding it out five days a week for the eight months that we had to prep. I don’t usually use weights because I get big so quick but I pulled them out for this.
He further added,
The real requirement is you need to get the calories, proteins, and macros, so it was a conveyer belt of food. It’s a full-time job to get 4,500 calories and 300 grams of protein in your body. I was lucky that I had the help.
Even with all his experience, Ritchson’s body wasn’t ready to handle Hulk-level training all at once he revealed in a conversation with Men’s Health. Pushing himself to the limit left him “utterly fatigued and broken,” with an injured shoulder to prove it.
A few months after wrapping Season 1, his doctor suggested testosterone-replacement therapy to help ease the strain, but don’t be mistaken, he’s still hitting the gym pretty hard. And all that sweat and effort? Totally worth it, because fans truly believe he was born to play Reacher!
Reacher Season 3 is now streaming on Prime Video.
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