“Please, I have to do this”: Alan Ritchson Ditched His Wife on a Date to Stop Crime Proving He Was Born to Play Reacher
Alan Ritchson became a real-life Jack Reacher and helped solved a crime.
SUMMARY
Alan Ritchson recalled a real-life story where he chased and fought a burglar.
Alan Ritchson is the latest actor to play the iconic Jack Reacher on the screen, and he came to prove that the studio made the right decision to cast him for the role not only because of his physicality but also his personality. Indeed, the success of the series can be attributed to the likeness of the actor to the hero.
Alan Ritchson in Reacher
Based on Lee Child’s novel series, Amazon’s Reacher follows the titular hero’s crime-fighting exploits. The actor’s towering height, paired with his buff physique, is enough to make any criminal tremble on his knees, just like a real-life encounter shared by the actor.
Alan Ritchson Recounted A Real-Life Jack Reacher Moment
During his guesting at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, actor Alan Ritchson revealed he became Jack Reacher in real life. He was on a date with his wife when he witnessed a crime happening before his eyes. Despite the circumstances, he knew what exactly he had to do.
“So, this guy pulls out of this car, and he’s got like, four duffel bags of stuff. And he starts running towards us, and I was like, ‘That dude definitely just broke into that car.’ We lock eyes as he passes, and I was like, ‘Oh no.’
He’s definitely like an ACME villain, and I’m going to have to do something about this. [My wife] goes, ‘We’re on a date.’ I go, ‘Please, I have to do this.’ She goes, ‘Please don’t do this!’ ”
Alan Ritchson in Reacher
Ritchson went on to share how he chased the thief in the street, and somebody screamed he was hiding under the van. He looked down, and the guy started scooting, leaving the duffel bags to make his escape. The actor ran after him, but the burglar was ready to fight.
“He starts to ball up his hands like he’s going to punch me or something. I’m like, ‘Don’t touch me. I’m gonna have to end this.’ And he goes to push me, and I – lovingly, I love all people, I’m a pacifist at heart – I gently take him like a shot put, like a discus, and I twirl him right into the building, and he just slides down like a cartoon character.”
The police officers told Ritchson that the burglar had been on the wanted list for so long, and he managed to catch him. This is definitely a Jack Reacher move!
Alan Ritchson On Portraying Jack Reacher
Alan Ritchson in Reacher
In an interview with SlashFilm, Alan Ritchson shared how he managed to bring humanity to a legendary figure like Jack Reacher, which somehow reflects the actor’s principles as demonstrated in the anecdote above.
“I think there’s something very human driving him, this undeniable pursuit of righteousness in his own way. He’s got his own rules, his own set of laws, but there’s something very human about his desire to see right done and wrong eliminated in the world.”
The Reacher series became a massive success, and it is safe to say that Jack Reacher is the role that defined Ritchson’s career. The Prime Video show has been renewed for Season 3 but still awaits a release date.
