In many beloved books, movies, and TV shows, enduring characters seem to have discovered a mythical fountain of youth. When these characters age, it happens at a remarkably slow pace, with a decade for them resembling a mere year. But that may not be true for Alan Ritchson’s character in his popular TV series.
An exception to this norm may be found in the character of Jack Reacher, a military veteran drawn from the extensive works of author Lee Child. Ritchson is captivating fans in Amazon’s Reacher TV series, where his aging process is more pronounced.
Alan Ritchson Is Happy To See His Character Age
When Lee Child started the Jack Reacher book series, he introduced his protagonist at the age of 36 and allowed him to naturally age through a series of gripping adventures. Interestingly, for actor Alan Ritchson, who takes on the role of Reacher in Amazon Prime’s series, this aging process is a welcomed aspect.
Ritchson told Empire:
“I think in the first or second book, he mentions Reacher’s hair is thinning. I think I cheered out loud! There’s no pressure here to, like, maintain my youth as we go through this, so I don’t care. I’ll keep shooting as long as people will have me.”
With a library of over 25 books dedicated to Reacher’s adventures, Amazon’s adaptation has an abundance of source material to draw upon. According to Ritchson, they’ve also found the ideal platform for this endeavor.
Before the current Amazon series, Jack Reacher was brought to the big screen in two films featuring Tom Cruise. While these movies were generally well-received, there was a significant aspect where they fell short in their attempt to stay faithful to Lee Child’s novels. According to Alan Ritchson, the Reacher series on Amazon genuinely pays homage to the books.
Alan Ritchson Avoided Watching Tom Cruise’s Jack Reacher Films
Interestingly, Ritchson received a more favorable response from the audience for his Jack Reacher portrayal compared to Cruise’s. However, recognizing Cruise’s undeniable talent as an actor, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable for Ritchson to watch those movies. Nevertheless, he made the choice not to do so.
Ritchson said (via The Wrap):
“Those were just movies that I missed, and when I got involved [in the show], I just decided I didn’t want to risk picking up any of the choices that he made,” Ritchson explained. “And it would be easy to do because Tom is a legend, and I grew up watching him. I revere his work. I think it would be inevitable that I’d try and steal something of his because he’s so good.”
Ritchson acknowledged the complexity of Tom Cruise’s performance, recognizing that Cruise’s status as one of Hollywood’s top stars is well-earned. Ritchson’s primary goal was to portray the character in a genuine and personal manner. Therefore, he intentionally avoided watching Cruise’s movies to prevent any unintentional influence on his own performance.
Reacher is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
