‘I’m a Lone Wolf’: Alan Ritchson on Relating to His Reacher, Ordinary Angels Characters

Actor Alan Ritchson opens up about being able to relate to his Reacher and Ordinary Angels characters’ lone wolf mentality.

Reacher Season 2 promo featuring Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher

Reacher and Ordinary Angels star Alan Ritchson recently discussed how he relates to the lone wolf mentality displayed by his characters Jack Reacher and Ed Schmitt in the Prime Video series and Lionsgate movie, respectively.

During an interview with MovieWeb to promote Ordinary Angels, the actor shared how similar he is to Reacher and Ed, admitting, “Look, I’m a lone wolf. Like, I work with a psychiatrist, a therapist, and we meet every week or two.

And the biggest theme in our conversations is her saying, ‘Your life would be much more fulfilling if you let other people in and had friends and did activities with other people.’ And I’m like, I don’t know, I don’t have the time. I can’t, there’s a million reasons why I can’t. And so, it’s a big mission in my life right now to find a way to expand my community.”

What Is Ordinary Angels About?

“Based on a remarkable true story, Ordinary Angels centers on Sharon (Hilary Swank), a fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed (Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters,” reads the official synopsis for the Lionsgate movie.

“With his youngest daughter waiting for a liver transplant, Sharon sets her mind to helping the family and will move mountains to do it. What unfolds is the inspiring tale of faith, everyday miracles, and ordinary angels.”

Although Ritchson has been working in Hollywood since the early 2000s, he is arguably more famous than he has ever been thanks to Prime Video’s Reacher, which recently wrapped up its second season earlier this year. The success of Reacher has led to Ritchson being sought out for film roles like Ed in Ordinary Angels.

He appeared as a secondary antagonist in 2023’s Fast X, the tenth installment in The Fast Saga, and has a supporting role in Guy Ritchie’s upcoming action spy comedy film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, which hits theaters in April. He also has a multiyear first-look movie deal with Amazon MGM Studios.

David O'Donnell, Karla Dixon, Jack Reacher and Frances Neagley look over a staff photo on the hood of a car.
Jack Reacher sitting in a chair, handcuffed with guards around him from SEason 2
Reacher characters, including Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher in Season 2
Jack Reacher walking through a large metal gate with an empty parking lot behind him from Season 2 Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Season 2 of Reacher

Alan Ritchson Teases Reacher Season 3

Reacher was secretly renewed ahead of its Season 2 premiere last year, with Ritchson revealing in December 2023 that production was already underway on Season 3.

Now, during a recent chat with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, Ritchson shared that “we are nearing completion of Season 3.” While it’s unknown when the third season might drop on Prime Video, with production almost over, it’s looking likely that fans could see new episodes of Reacher as early as this year.

Season 3 of Reacher will adapt the fan-favorite novel Persuader, which is set in Maine and follows the title character going undercover to rescue an informant being held by a haunting foe from his past.

Maria Sten, who appeared in the first two seasons, is set to return as Frances Neagley, while new additions to the cast include Anthony Michael Hall (The Breakfast Club) and Sonya Cassidy (The Man Who Fell to Earth).

The first two seasons of Reacher are available to stream on Prime Video. Ordinary Angels is scheduled to hit theaters on Feb. 23, 2024.