Key Takeaways:
– Hollywood star Alan Ritchson missed out on the role of Thor due to his mistaken assumption about the casting process.
– Ritchson believed that physical appearance was more valued than acting ability in the casting for Marvel's Thor.
– Despite losing the Thor role, Ritchson found eventual success and made a breakthrough in the industry with Amazon's Reacher series.
Despite his major successes, Alan Ritchson, esteemed for his iconic portrayal of Jack Reacher, has experienced his fair share of setbacks in Hollywood. Astonishingly, this leading figure in the entertainment industry once missed a potentially career-changing role—a part in Marvel's Cinematic Universe as Thor— due to a light-hearted approach towards the audition.
Alan Ritchson's Brief Encounter with the God of Thunder
Ritchson, presently 41 and being hailed as one of the hottest current celebrities, has been in the entertainment industry for decades. Before clinching the character of Jack Reacher, his most recognized role to date, this multi-talented actor had been on a determined quest for fame.
The actor's early acting debut was found in Smallville, where he portrayed Aquaman aka Arthur Curry in guest roles from 2005 to 2010. Interestingly, Ritchson's thoughtless misstep happened during one of his auditions for the role of MCU's Thor in 2011. The star's somewhat lax attitude towards the opportunity had him believing that acing the audition was less about acting and more about looking the part.
During an interview with Men's Health, Ritchson openly confessed his previous misconception about the casting requirements for the Norse god, saying, “I didn't take it seriously. I was like, ‘They'll throw me the part if I look like the guy; nobody really cares about acting.'”
Little did he realize, that this approach would end up costing him the role. Despite having the fitting physical features for the character, Ritchson ended up losing the part due to what was explained as a lack of “the craft.”
The Road from Asgard to Reacher
Despite losing out on Thor, which Chris Hemsworth fabulously took on, Ritchson continued pushing for more roles. He made attempts at clinching the part of Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and made brief appearances in several shows, including Black Mirror, New Girl, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
In 2014, Ritchson found his way into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe as the voice of Raphael. His journey continued with auditions for the Titans, which paved the way for his casting in Amazon's Reacher series.
This was the role that changed Ritchson's career trajectory tremendously. He is currently basking in the glow of the hard-earned recognition and success that came with his depiction of Reacher. The actor gleefully revealed the impact of the series on his career, explaining, “I had about 50 offers the weekend after season 1 of Reacher opened [in 2022]. I knew my life had changed.”
The series, now in its third season and boasting a phenomenal 95% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, has garnered Ritchson immense praise and success.
From Thor's Loss to Reacher's Gain
Alan Ritchson's journey in Hollywood is a testament to the proverb that hard work and patience indeed payoff. Though he initially lost out on Thor due to a misunderstood approach in 2011, he managed to create a lasting name for himself with his role in Reacher.
For those interested in catching Ritchson's praised performance, Reacher is currently available for streaming on Prime Video. And for those curious about the role he missed out on, Thor can be enjoyed on Disney+.
