Movies - TV
Alan Ritchson Lost A Huge TV Opportunity Before Starring In Reacher
By RYAN SCOTT
Alan Ritchson's path to playing Jack Reacher, the lead in Amazon Prime's hit series “Reacher,” encountered a setback early in his career due to decisions made by studio executives.
Initially promised a spinoff from The CW's Superman series “Smallville,” where he portrayed Aquaman, Ritchson's prospects were dashed due to a network merger, leaving him behind.
Per Hollywood Reporter “[Ritchson] was thrust into [...] Smallville where I was promised a spinoff right away. The ratings were record-setting in season five when I came in.”
He elaborated on the setback, stating, “The president of UPN took over, looked at the slate and said, ‘Who is this dude with no résumé at all? He's not getting his own show.'”
Ritchson persisted in his career despite this with diverse experiences. He portrayed Hawk in "Titans," which ultimately prepared him for the action-packed role of Jack Reacher.
Grateful, he concluded, "It gave me a 20-year career of building a foundation of gratitude and the opportunity to build a foundation of experience that included many areas."