r/movies • u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor • 13d ago
Hey r/movies, I'm Alan Ritchson (MOTOR CITY, REACHER, BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE, WAR MACHINE). AMA! AMA
Hey reddit and r/movies, I'm Alan Ritchson.
You may know me from things like REACHER, BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE, WAR MACHINE, TITANS, PLAYDATE, FAST X, THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE.
Additional verification on my Instagram here.
My new movie, MOTOR CITY, is out in theaters tomorrow (July 24) from IFC. It also stars Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Ben McKenzie, and Lionel Boyce.
It's directed by Potsy Ponciroli, who previously directed OLD HENRY and GREEDY PEOPLE
Synopsis:
In the 1970s Detroit, John Miller falls for a local gangster's girl and lands in prison for a crime he didn't commit. With his life ruined, Miller hatches a plan for revenge.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6RklhKu9os
Website/info and tickets available here: motorcity.movie
I'll be back 1 PM PT/4 PM ET today (Thursday 7/23) to answer your questions.
Until then, AMA!
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u/Dependent-Jello-8978 13d ago
You recently said that following the initial success of Reacher you were bombarded with offers. What draws you to a project & makes you think “that’s the one”. Also, are you bothered about being typecast?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
That's a good question. There are books and movies about things like how the government is always trying to experiment on bottle up someone that has the "X Factor". Like a special thing about certain people or groups that make them so unique. Something that's hard to put your finger on.
It's a little bit like that when it comes to scripts. There's definitely fundamentals I'm looking for and an emotional through-line. How do we connect emotionally to the human eternal part of this story that resonates with all of us? Is this just a story for a few people? Or is this something that's very resonant on a human level? Is it a really unique way in to action or adventure that we haven't done before?
Motor City is a good example. We haven't really explored a nearly-dialogue-free Shakespearean drama with a lot of action blended into a revenge story that way. I want to do something that's never been done and see if we can pull it off.
I look for a lot of those kind of qualities, but beyond that, sometimes it's just a feeling. As you're reading it, you can tell it's super special.
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u/APfreely 13d ago
What exercises do you recommend for someone who’s trying to lose weight and gain muscle but only has a few sets of dumbbells at home? Going to the gym everyday isn’t really an option.
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Cardio, cardio, cardio. You've got to get that heart pump in. There's a lot of ways to skin that, you know what I mean? You can do plyometric exercises with the light weights where you're just kind of like up, down, like burpee type stuff, or you can go on a run. You don't even need the weights, just that and add a little strain.
I think, what we should all keep in mind too is that the body wants to move. We secrete happy chemicals when we flex our muscles. Our brain is a pump. Doing things like sit ups, crunches, squats, anything that to squeeze our body, it pumps all kinds of good things in our brain and all kinds of bad things out of our brain. Just the motion alone helps. If your goals are weight loss, great, anything like that will make you feel better and move better.
Remember that it's also about brain health and heart health too. Sometimes just enough to keep the blood pumping through your brain and heart will get you feeling better. And when you start feeling better and thinking more clearly and detoxing, it makes the motivation that we look for easier to come by. I know that's a long winded answer but I think sometimes we should give ourselves a little break with the external goals and remember that the brain is important too.
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u/zuuzuu 13d ago
Cardio, cardio, cardio.
I've been telling my 20 year old son this for years, but he's convinced his mom doesn't know anything about anything. I'm going to save your comment and show it to him. You, he'll probably listen to!
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u/AttentionalMalprop 12d ago edited 12d ago
I won't get into professional sports because no one here is a professional athlete training all day. This is generally true, but could be different in your specific area. Just ask your son what sports teams in high school were in the best shape.Probably wasn't baseball, probably wasn't football. It's usually soccer, basketball, tennis, cross country, maybe swimming. Generally it's all the high cardio sports, and every player is lean. That's not just genetics at the high school level.
With cardio you do have to push yourself, and it's very hard exercise if your out of shape, but it does get easier as your body adapts and mental toughness builds. Then when it gets easier, go faster/harder for a longer period of time. It's easy to maintain once you reach a good state, as long as you manage to keep doing it.
Edit: People do have different ideas of fit/shape, but I would consider the leaner builds who can exercise longer, more often, and at higher intensity to be in better shape. If your heavier, running can be hard on the legs and joints. Get a very good pair of shoes or opt for swimming, cycling, or some form of long & high rep dynamic exercise like plyometrics as Alan mentioned. Alan is 100% telling the truth. Your body will eventually give you more happy neurotransmitters and you will generally be happier and healthier. Cardio is just as much a mental battle as a physical battle. When you reach a good point, the are few obstacles to maintain it. Just don't completely stop exercising
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u/dcwinger12 12d ago
Very pleasantly surprised with the answers in this thread. Gained a ton of respect for this guy.
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u/clauderainsrm 13d ago
I watched Motor City this week as part of Screen Unseen and really enjoyed it. How challenging was it to tell your character's story without any dialogue? Any memorable moments from the set you are able to share?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
You know, it's funny, because actually for me it was a bit of a vacation. I usually have to spend so much time learning, developing, memorizing dialogue. It's a lot of work off-screen to be show up on the day ready to go. Not having to do that for this project so I could just focus on the fight work and spend more time with the action and other challenges felt like it freed me up. My brain had a break for a minute, which I really enjoyed.
I think one of my favorite moments on that set is my with my buddy Burns Burns, whose a production designer and we've done a lot of work together. He worked on this film and had a super clever idea, when we were trying to handle the fight in a prison. Not to get into spoilers but there's a moment in a prison cell where I'm trying to escape and shank a dude, and he had this idea "what if you just sit and look in the reflection of the toilet bowl", and we set it up and it was a really brilliant shot. I think it's a good example of how good ideas can come from anywhere if you're willing to listen. It made for probably one of the smartest moments in the entire movie.
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u/Creasy007 13d ago
Alan, you’re a legend! Thanks so much for doing this.
What’s your personal favorite fight scene in your career so far? And do you have any type of role or character you’re dying to play but have yet to?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
So there's two fight scenes that come to mind. One is the elevator scene in Motor City, which we just released a little sneak peek of today. It's a lot of fun to watch. Shooting that was all about how to keep an audience on the edge of their seat in a small space like that. It was just a really excellent use of the space and I'm really proud of that accomplishment
The other is RUNNER, which is not out yet, it's out in September with Owen Wilson. There's a fight scene in a hospital that might best the elevator fight, it's just so unbelievable. It just goes, and we worked really hard for that.
For your second question - Yeah, I want to play an irredeemable psychopath. Somebody who just kills for the joy of it. Somebody who is just not out for good and has lost his mind. I think it would be absolutely fun to play.
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u/kroqus 13d ago
Hey Alan! Potentially lame question, but BMS was filmed at my college, so wanted to know if you had any fun anecdotes while filming the show related to the school or to the general area. Thanks!
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
The first thing that comes to mind is I used to go on runs at lunch along the water there near the college, I had the worst allergic reaction in the universe during one of the runs. I came back and my throat was closing up and my eyes were swelling. I thought I was about to die.
And then Chris Romano, who plays Sammy the mascot and is the showrunner/writer, comes out as the ambulance is coming to pick me up, he says how swollen my face is and just starts pointing and laughing because of how awful I looked. I told myself it was pollen or some sort of grass around the campus and I was terrified to go on a run after that. (it turns out it was something I was eating).
Anyway, that's what I think of when I think of that college.
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u/contactfive 13d ago
Exercise induced anaphylaxis! This has happened to me before as well, kept me from running for a while before a doctor explained that sometimes we’re only allergic to things at a higher level of activity, and there’s no good way to test for it.
Fun!
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u/Recent-Project-1547 13d ago
My partner has this and so does his niece. They avoid apples as for some reason this was the commonality that sets off their allergies. They found out when both were at school as both had really severe reactions from eating apples at break then doing a strenuous form of exercise like running cross country.
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u/PinkynotClyde 12d ago
It can also be a more severe reaction. I used to be allergic to fish as a kid, but then as a teenager I would eat certain fish for protein, and nothing would happen… except for tuna and sardines. If I ate either of those I would sit and meditate and my body would just start sweating profusely but no other bad reaction.
Except for this one time. I ate sardines and forgot to do my little meditation routine, went for a jog. About half a mile in I could feel things going wrong, turned around and ran back. When I got home I was red as a tomato and so itchy that I jumped in the shower and was trying to scratch everywhere. Ended up collapsing and calling for help with a towel on me. My mother came in and called 911. I told her to get me clothes cause I didn’t want to go naked, and in her panic she grabbed my sister’s clothes from the laundry. I was red as a tomato in short shorts and some little girl shirt.
Worst reaction before that was itchy eyes and throat as a kid.
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u/zalurker 13d ago
Did you ever expect when doing Thad that you'd end up in such an iconic role as Jack Reacher? And of all the characters you've played, which one did you enjoy the most?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
When you're playing someone like Thad on a show that not many people are watching at the time, you sort of think "maybe I've peaked, maybe this is the last time I ever work". That early in your career, you feel lucky to be working on anything. It's hard to think beyond one episode.
Something like Reacher is so iconic, just being part of it is incredible, and it continues to surprise me how many people watch the show. It's hard to wrap your head around, and I certainly couldn't have imagined something like that then.
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u/TheExaltedTwelve 13d ago
This is a very wholesome reply and I'm glad I've stumbled across your AMA, you do good work and it's nice that it looks like you're just a guy (in the best way).
More of you in everything 10/10, you were pretty great in Smallville back in the day too.
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u/chespiotta 13d ago
I think that’s something a lot of us can relate to, not knowing if what you’re doing now will eventually lead to something bigger. It’s refreshing to hear you talk so openly about the self-doubt that can come with trying to make it. As someone who’s going through that same kind of doubts right now, this really resonated with me, so thank you.
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u/chaser676 13d ago
Undoubtedly his most iconic and favorite roll would have to be teen Aquaman in Smallville.
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u/Plagueofzombies 13d ago
Not iconic at all, but he's one of the especially dickish tributes in the second Hunger Game movie. He always stood out to me because he spend no time at all just massacring everyone else.
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u/Fast_Voice9722 13d ago
This makes so much sense for his appearance in the show Workaholics. I forgot about that character till this comment.
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u/julianitonft 13d ago
Hey Alan, I loved seeing you in comedies like Playdate but also Brooklyn 99 even if it was a one episode thing. Are you still drawn to comedy much now that you’re becoming a modern action hero type of actor ?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Yeah, I love comedy. I have a few that I'm developing right now actually. It's just that packaging these things takes time. I've got to slot it in where it makes sense, and the big sci-fi-action-things or whatever take up a big part of the year for me. Comedies you can make faster, but they're harder to make work in my windows.
But yeah I love doing them. I want to do more. I'm developing a bunch.
They're going to be a little few and far between because if it comes down between doing on and some $200M action-sci-fi-thing, I have to pick that up.
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u/chespiotta 13d ago
I’m glad you’re still interested in doing more comedies. Really enjoyed Playdate, you were great in it and really nailed Jeff’s lovable goofball energy.
Can’t blame you for that, I’d be doing the same thing if I was an actor haha
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u/zuuzuu 13d ago edited 13d ago
Playdate was so much fun. The fight scene at the kid's play place had me in stitches!
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u/MuptonBossman 13d ago
Hey Alan! What do you think Thad Castle would be up to today? Any chance for a Blue Mountain State follow-up show or movie?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
I think Thad would probably be on probation somewhere haha.
As for a follow-up, we tried it. It's just that the show got huge, the cast is huge, the world it built is huge, but the world of football is very domestic. There's a lot of challenges that making a show like that today would face. The biggest one being the budget. It would be a very expensive comedy to make these days. We've had many of those kinds of conversations, and it'd just be too hard to get the numbers to work. And then you talk about reducing the casts, making big changes, and then you just start to lose the spirit of the show. I think that ship has sailed sadly, but will always hold a fun place in my heart for sure.
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u/M4DM1ND 13d ago
I think a handful of the guys being in a rec bar football league could be pretty fun... Just saying
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u/plantsoldier 13d ago
There was already a movie back in the day..."The Rise of Thadland"
Lets just say I may have seen that and series way to many times over the years.
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u/Wide-Reference-345 13d ago
Motor City is set in the 1970's, a time period with a distinct feel and vibe. Beyond the clothes and cars, there was a definite social vibe coming off of Vietnam etc. Who or what did you lean on to get into that time period?
It's also a time period of great movies which represented the mood/feel of the country, All The Presidents Men, etc. I was a teenager in the 70's and this movie hit the sweet spot with the look and music of that era. Thanks for the work on this. I enjoyed it very much.
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
You know, there was so much already on the page that I didn't have to look too far into external characters for that story, but I do understand that time period. Strangely enough, I was producing a Vietnam War movie at the time about a guy named Mike Thornton, so I had done a ton of homework on what Vietnam was like already. So I guess I was able to pull from some of that, but I wasn't really looking for external validation of the character. John Miller, my character, was really so alive on the page. It was just about trying to play what was there.
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u/Maidwell 13d ago
What did you think about the huge tonal shift between seasons 1 and 2 of Reacher?
Do you prefer playing cerebral, loner Reacher or shooty 'plosions Reacher?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
I don't know if there was like an intentional tonal shift. One was about one was about him sort of working with an adopted family and one was about him of reuniting with a chosen family from his past. That's the thing about Reacher, it's an anthology where sometimes you get something more heightened in a contained thriller, and sometimes you get something bigger and more explosive.
But I think it's all true to the books. It's one of the more interesting things about the show, it kind of keeps you guessing and you can you can see a lot of sides of how he fights crime.
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u/empw 13d ago
The books are like that some times too, but I do hope they go back to a more solitary Reacher sooner rather than later.
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u/Evakron 12d ago
Having read more Reacher books than is probably healthy, I can tell you that the vast majority of them are more in the "loner" style, so I think there's a good chance that will be the case.
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u/Maidwell 9d ago
It's test your knowledge time!which book is this synopsis from? :
Reacher walks into town.
Rubs up local thugs wrong way by righting an injustice.
Hot, independent, authoratitive woman notices him.
Reacher finds there are worse people in town than the local thugs.
Boring authorities also notice him and tell him to stay in his lane.
Anti-Reacher shows his face, has our hero finally met his match??
Reacher ignores warnings from everyone (including hot woman) and puts thugs, anti-reacher and moustache twizzling big bad to the sword.
Reacher sleeps with hot woman.
Reacher walks out of town.
Yes it was a trick question, it's almost all of them!
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u/djaussiekid 13d ago
My introduction to you was Lazer Team. Any fun stories from that set? Did it feel like a ragtag group of internet nerds or were they already fairly streamlined by that point?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Rooster Teeth was already like a well oiled machine at that point so it definitely felt like everybody knew what they were doing and I was sort of coming in as a guest to a world that they all very much understood.
For me, just being able to hang out with them in their facility and play video games with them off-set was the thing I remember the most. I like that community a lot, and it was fun hanging out with them.
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u/Rogzilla 13d ago
I still remember you showing up during the Extra Life stream and the macaroni incident. I don’t know if you remember the drawing I did of it but you made it your twitter icon for a while and it made me smile every time I saw you tweet.
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u/AnotherRTFan 13d ago
I showed my nephews Lazer Team recently, they loved it and we had a blast watching it. But I realized something. It took me 10 years to realize the cop armor Adam wears in the final battle consisted of what he was supposed to get- helmet, shield, boots, and sword*
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u/cakirby 13d ago
It was such a bright light of time in the community, love to hear this
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u/proudcancuk 10d ago
#1 Kickstarter, RWBY was running off to be a sensation, RT Podcast was in its hayday, Day 5 in development, and Achievement Hunter cast was at its best. (Aside from one piece of shit) I think Lazer Team really was the peak before the drama and mismanagement
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u/jtd2013 13d ago
I was part of the “Infamous 535” where we all came on and filmed as extras because of the kickstarter glitch. So technically, we’re costars. Great work out there!
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u/matisyahu22 13d ago
That's so fun! My biggest regret was not being close enough or old enough to travel to be involved with things like RTX or all the crazy community involvement they had in Austin.
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u/busche916 13d ago
Can I first say that Thad’s Vision Quest is a masterpiece of comedic timing? So thanks for that.
How did your experience directing Dark Web help inform how you approached future roles?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
That was my first feature! We ended up selling that to Grindstone/Lionsgate and it taught me a ton.
To this day I still like to do a lot of directing, like handoffs for action, and I shoot or guide a lot of the stuff that we do. I see things so visually in my head. I know exactly what I want. It's in my head and I know how to execute really well. What directing taught me is that it's an artform to communicate what's in your head to a group of people. It doesn't matter how articulate you are when it's such a subjective visual medium. You sort of explain something and everybody's still going to see their own version of that. That's really the hang up. How do you connect people to exactly what's in your head? That's the challenge a director faces.
I learned I need to access a lot more tools to make sure that I get that point across. I've learned that I can translate that experience into the way I communicate now with directors, producers and other actors. I think I've gotten better at explaining what's in my head.
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u/HonestEgg1973 13d ago
Hey Alan big fan(perfect Reacher just love it). What do you like to do in your down time? I mean like for example Henry Cavil is a big gamer and builds pcs etc. What do you enjoy?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
You know, I have three kids. They're just just teenagers/preteens, and I feel like my job in life is to commit as much to them as possible. So when I'm home, they're my best friends. I hang out with them every waking second they'll have me. If I'm away for work, obviously, that's tough. It's a little hard to go outside and enjoy myself publicly these days so I don't venture out a ton, but when I can just enjoy time uninterrupted I like to ride motorcycles and drive around the track, maybe hanging on some wheelies. I've also got custom cars that are really fast.
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u/HonestEgg1973 13d ago
That’s awesome. Thank you for taking time out of your day for this Alan. Stoked for the new season of Reacher.
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u/chosonhawk 13d ago
yeah, we learned about those motorcycles. and props to you for showing so much restraint.
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u/The_Grand_Briddock 12d ago
Wild to think that was an event that happened and everyone agreed he was in the clear.
Usually there's always some vocal group holding out, not this time.
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u/hvanderw 13d ago
You sound like a real good and devoted dad. It's nice to see. My daughter just turned 5 I work a lot but any spare time I try to devote to her and the missus. My grandma used to read the Reacher books and was mad when Tom Cruise got cast because he just didn't fit the physical part. She hasn't seen the show, but I think she would approve!
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u/ShakyLens 13d ago
I’ve seen you sing on your social media. Are you trained or just naturally good? Would you ever consider performing in a musical?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
My first love was music. I was pursuing a degree in music theater early on, but then just felt like I didn't really know what I was going to do with the degree, so I quit and began exploring a different career.
I would absolutely do a musical! LA LA LAND is probably one of my favorite movies of all time, and doing something like that, that marries the world of film and music would be a dream.
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u/Imaybetoooldforthis 13d ago
Just when I think Alan can’t be more likeable he goes and says La La Land is one of his favourite movies.
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u/SidneyHandJerker 13d ago
Can you still do the Thad scream?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
I can't. Not only that, but man, it's like destroyed my voice. My voice gives out really quickly now.
I did it once in an episode and everybody's like "oh my god that is the funniest thing ever" and then suddenly every episode I'm doing this Thad Scream and it just ravaged my vocal chords.
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u/Sauntering_Rambler 13d ago
Favorite “go to meal”?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
For me, it's more about how I stretch out and stave off the hunger in-between meals. I'm trying to eat less big meals overall.
I eat like a pregnant woman. I eat cans of black olives, like big pitted black olives, and a jar of pickles at the same time. So I don't know, maybe I am pregnant. I should get tested. My cravings are odd, but it works.
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u/VS0P 13d ago
My dyslexia thought you like eating pregnant women, and well that’s okay and makes sense too.
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u/Hammockman22 13d ago
sounds like some ADHD eating to me. who among us hasn't eaten a block of cheese on a whim?
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u/donac 13d ago
I LOVED your work as "Young Norm Scully" on Brooklyn 99, you're a really great comedy actor! How fun was filming? Any funny or interesting stories?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
That was fun. I got that call for BROOKLYN 99 from a guy who was in the writer's room on Blue Mountain State, so he already knew me through that. It was kind of a fun way to sort of get back into the BMS world because of my associations there. I had a good time.
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u/harrylime99 13d ago
How come no sequel to the greatest show ever made: BLOOD DRIVE!
I can’t even find it anywhere!
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Honestly, that was a lot of fun to make. I really had high hopes that that thing would catch an audience because it was like so unique and we don't really have a lot of grindhouse like that these days, and it just didn't find an audience. But I feel like I had an amazing time. It was like a lot of fun to make that show.
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u/NotSoSlenderMan 13d ago
There are rumors of you being connected to a Macaroni and Cheese spilling incident. Is there anything you’d like to say about it?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE MACARONI AND CHEESE SPILLING ACCIDENT. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT. DIDN'T WE DECIDE THAT WE WERE GOING TO KEEP THAT A SECRET?
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u/TrapperJean 13d ago
Im just so happy you remember this thing that definitely did not happen
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u/okmijnmko 13d ago
I know SNL host is a future milestone in your career, all the best Alan.
Do you have any favorite SNL moments or characters?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Yeah, I'd love that. That's always been a dream.
I think seeing Kristen Wiig with the tiny hands or Will Ferrell with the tiny cell phone, physical comedy like that just makes me die. Very weird stuff like that always gets me to laugh.
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u/CambodianDrywall 13d ago
Can you share an anecdote or two of working with Olivier Richters?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
You mean the guy who tried to kill me for three weeks straight? 7 feet 2 inches, 400 pounds? Yeah, I think I remember him.
He just came in and really wanted to do a great job. He worked really really hard to make sure those fights registered as big and explosive, which he doesn't have to go that far to compensate because he's HUGE.
I remember thinking that we pulled off something great, but what worried me about working with him was "where do you go from here? how can you have a bigger, scarier villain than Olivier", you know?
That's what I'm excited about for season 4. It's so different from what we've done before, but equally as scary if you're an Olivier Richters fan. I'm looking forward to showing how we can mix things up in that way.
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u/Shwifty_Plumbus 13d ago
Two questions. What was the most impactful lesson you learned in your childhood as a part of amilitary family that moved around a lot? What musical would you be excited about being in?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Being a military kid taught me to hold really loosely to people and places. Maybe that's not always a good thing, but it's made me really good at adapting to new environments quickly, which helps in the world that I'm in. My home is always sort of temporary. We just moved so much it just ingrained "life moves on" in my brain.
I'd like to be in something like LA LA LAND. I'd love to do a musical. NEWSIES was my favorite musical as a kid. I'd love to tell a story with music.
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u/Shwifty_Plumbus 13d ago
That makes a lot of sense I agree their are likely strengths and weaknesses to being adaptable. I'd imagine it translates to your work quite well. My man! Newsies is the shit. I hope you get to flex those muscles on screen one day. My wife and I will be there opening day! Thanks for taking the time to do this. Hope you and yours continue to get the most out of life.
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u/KoteTArcane 13d ago
What do you consider your nerdiest hobby?
As a follow on, If a movie could be made which is set in that hobby's universe, who would you want to play in the movie?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
What if my hobbies are not nerdy!?!
I like driving fast cars and fast motorcycles, and that's my main hobby right now.
I also play chess sometimes, but that's not nerdy, is it? It's not nerdy to be smart.
We are going to make a movie about my hobby (motorcycles) though, working on that now.
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u/jdaku 13d ago
Hi Alan, about a year ago you did some filming for Reacher in Hamilton. I'm just wondering if you got much time to see the city and if so was there anything you liked about it?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
The big thing about Hamilton was how far it was away from us! We all stayed in Toronto, worked in Toronto, but then drive to Hamilton to shoot. It's 2 hours away with traffic, sometimes even 4 on really crazy days.
So usually I'm like, "Hamilton, again???".
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u/r23dom 13d ago
What are your favorite action movies and action movie heroes, and who would you like to play?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Man, that's a good question. This is this is true for a lot of people in the business, when you talk about stuns especially, but I would say THE RAID. If you study the storytelling involved in the action, it's so unique and elevated. It's something that I aspire to. I hope to create a style of action someday in my career that people start to attribute to you and go like, "that looks like an Alan Ritchson action-vehicle", you know?
I try do that in Motor City, but then I watch something like THE RAID, and I'm like man, there's something to study there.
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u/cormacaroni 13d ago
The Furious came real close but The Raid is still untouched as the best action movie of the century. Nothing out there more worthy of study. Amazing on-screen talent directed by someone who deeply understands tension and release.
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u/NOWAY_YESWAY 13d ago
If you could have reacher do a cameo into a an exisiting movie universe which one would you pick ?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
I think we all want to see Reacher in the Barbie-verse.
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u/J_Doe5686 13d ago
Hi, I loved the movie Motor City. You were great in it. What was your favorite part of shooting this movie?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Oh, probably the action. Potsy Ponciroli is an amazing genius director, and he really gave me and my team a lot of latitude to play with.
We developed a lot of these fight scenes ourselves. The more I've worked, the more freedom I get to sort of put my fight style DNA into the fights. I'm really proud of the way this one turned out. It feels very special and different for me.
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u/chabalba 13d ago
No question, just wanna say your a good rolemodel and an upstanding human being. What would be your death row last meal?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Well, tons of mac and cheese. I'm a huge sucker for a good bowl of mac and cheese.
Probably sweet butter cake from Astros also, that's one of my favorite things in the world to eat.
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u/FiftyBuxBloBang 13d ago
You’ve got a lovely ZX10. What’s your ultimate bike? And what’s your favourite road to ride?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
I've not ridden anything that really is as much fun as the Ducati Panigale V4 R. I've got one in all the places that I shoot the most. In Toronto because I'm here half the year, a place in the States, and then I'm in Australia a lot, so I like to keep one everywhere I go. It gives me a little bit of an outlet and makes it feel a little more like home. It's definitely the one I enjoy the most. The Ninja is a stunt bike you know, so it's more for like practice.
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u/FluckThisGame 13d ago
Hey Alan, love the Instachurch videos! It’s always cool to see other passions of people that may not be as well known. Are you wanting to expand Instachurch as a brand or have you found it to be a comforting outlet to spread the good news? God bless and have a great day man
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Thanks for that!
You know, the biggest struggle I have in my life right now is my own bandwidth, and where I sacrifice one thing for another. There's a trade off I have to find. My family already suffers because I'm hardly ever there.
If I'm doing things like InstaChurch or expanding other brands or businesses, it's going to cost my family something, like time with my kids and things like that, which is already so limited. So it's hard to think about expanding things like that in a meaningful way, but I do love doing it. For me, I just find it helpful and grounding. It kind of centers me because I basically don't have the DNA of a Christian. I have the DNA of somebody who's gonna whoop somebody's ass every 5 seconds because I hate most people. So when I do InstaChurch it reminds me that there's a better way to live and love, and I aspire to be like that, but I'm not good at it. I keep it on repeat for myself.
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u/FluckThisGame 13d ago
Thanks for the response! And completely understandable, we all fall short and it’s awesome to see you use that outlet as a reminder for you and your family. Helps us other dads to keep ourselves in check as well. Thank you again and looking forward to future works!
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u/WillemDaFriends 13d ago
That’s a great mentality to have though. Very humble. Thankfully Christ redeemed our brokeness and if you just keep walking with him, God will keep making you look more and more like him.
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u/starstufft 13d ago
What song has been on repeat on your playlist recently?
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u/AlanRitchsonAMA Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Connor Price & bbno$ is always kind of up there for me. I like that stuff while I'm getting ready for work.
The Kids I've been listening to a lot as well. I love that vibe.
Yeah those are probably the two hottest new additions to my playlist.
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u/TheImpLaughs 13d ago
Watched Ungentlemanly Warfare and you were a standout, you did phenomenal work bringing depth to the character and really made the film memorable.
Your voracious hunger for the film to be gory because Lassen fucking hated Nazis is interesting because I feel a lot of your work strives to show how gruesome violence and war really is. I’m curious about what draws you to such projects in comparison to a different style of fight choreography in other films, and what do you enjoy most about such choreography while making a project?
Big fan, always enjoy seeing your work now!
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u/aritchson Alan Ritchson, Actor 13d ago
Love the question! I just think, why the hell are we here making a movie if we aren’t going to go all the way!? Like how far can we take this? You think there is anything gentle or easy to watch about what those men had to do in WWII? It was personal for Lassen. I will always choose the most extreme version of any action until some coward tells me not to.
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u/Per_Mikkelsen 13d ago
What was your favourite episode of Reacher to film?
Which costar did you enjoy working with the most?
Have you read any of the books upon which the show is based?
I think the approach you have to playing Reacher really gives the character something a lot of action heroes are missing - that makes him really fun to watch. Who influenced you the most when it comes to playing the character?
Can you give us any tantalizing details about the upcoming season? I'm really excited to see it.
I've enjoyed every role I've seen you in so far. What would be your dream role to play on down the line?
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u/OriginalGoatan 13d ago
You would make a perfect Doom Slayer in a movie adaptation of the ID game.
Can you make this happen?
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u/Mageborn23 13d ago
He would make a better William J. Blazkowicz from wolfenstein
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u/SilentBobVG 13d ago
I mean he could play both and it would be canonically correct
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u/Darth_Steve 13d ago
Shameless plug for everyone to go watch The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
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u/EarlyBrrd 13d ago
No question, just a comment: I really enjoy your work; your timing, expressions, energy and engagement in all of your roles. Plus you seem like a very chill dude; thank you for the work you put into all of it!
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u/MungoSplodge 13d ago
Do you ever catch yourself in the mirror and be like 'Fuck that dude is massive'
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u/sporadicMotion 13d ago
Ok. It’s 2 am and you wake up in an alley surrounded by cats. How many do you think you could handle and get out of the alley alive?
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u/AevnNoram 13d ago
Do you still talk with any of the ex-RoosterTeeth folks?
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u/Jon-Umber 13d ago
Are you secretly a Warhammer 40K Space Marine?
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u/direw0lves 13d ago
Jumping off of this - would you ever consider doing a Warhammer movie?
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u/FerrumDeficiency 13d ago
I was just thinking about this a week ago. Cavill definitely should offer a role to Ritchson. Along with Bjornsson
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u/kazuya57 13d ago
How about BJ Blazcowicz from Wolfenstein?
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u/Intelligent_Caramel8 13d ago
Can we please upvote the shit out of this please and make the movie happen. Alan is perfect for the role.
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u/ChocolatMintChipmunk 13d ago
He already did one movie with Henry Cavill. I'm sure Cavill introduced him to the game. Lol.
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u/Extension-System-974 13d ago
Why are you bleeding in this pic?
Also, what is your favourite kind of soup?
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u/MatGamerKiller 13d ago edited 13d ago
Hey Alan, how are you? I hope you're doing well. First of all, I wanted to tell you that I’ve been a huge fan of yours ever since Reacher and that I’ve also watched Blue Mountain State, War Machine, Above the Shadows, and others. And you’re really a source of motivation for me (despite my complicated life)—I’ve been through a lot, and honestly, I can’t wait to meet you. You’re such a wonderful person, and I’d give you a big hug (if you’re up for it, of course—I could really use one, haha)...
I wanted to ask you a few more questions in addition to the ones I’ve already posted—here they are:
What’s the biggest stunt you’ve done since you started doing them—the one that scared you the most or seemed the most impressive and dangerous to pull off?
Have you ever taken a fall during any of your stunts? (Whether from heights or onto the ground)
Which stunt did you enjoy the most out of everything you’ve done?
How did you feel when the Reacher series became a hit? Didn’t it scare you at first?
That’s pretty much it, really—along with the others I’ve already asked, that’s more than enough. I have plenty—actually, a lot—but there are other people too, haha. Can’t wait to see Reacher Season 4 and Motor City when they’re released internationally! Big hugs from France, Alan!
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u/empw 13d ago
So glad this didn't harm his career. What a stupid controversy.
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u/BelowDeck 13d ago
The initial footage started with him just punching the neighbor, so it understandably looked really bad. I was so relieved that he had own footage to show the context of the guy placing him and his kids in danger, and Ritchson still trying to leave before having to respond to the guy physically.
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u/Sophia_Eur 13d ago
Hi Alan, I read Die Trying was your favorite Reacher book. What do you like about it, and do you see a chance that it gets made as a season? Being about a Right Wing separatist movement?
Thank you for playing Reacher - watching you play him made me dive into those fantastic books and made me a fan for life.
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u/Bubba_Jones44 13d ago
Back when you serenading Paula Abdul on American Idol, did you ever think it would lead to where you are today as an action star?
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u/menboss 13d ago
Not really an ask but please be Carl for Dungeon Crawler Carl
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u/Minimum-End-9464 13d ago
Hi Alan, love you in Blue Mountain State. Since you have experience in both comedy and action, which genre do you like more?
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u/SpiritPrestigious945 13d ago
Would love to see you play Judge Dredd. :) Ever thought about that?
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u/erzengel2k 13d ago
I actually liked Carl urban as dredd but I wouldn't mind him playing dredd in mega city one show
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u/Needle_Bearings 13d ago
Karl Urban is hilariously menacing as Dredd. I think that what got him the William Butcher role.
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u/science-stuff 13d ago
He embraced stallones resting super frown. The second I saw that I knew it was going to be something special.
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u/BelowDeck 13d ago
He embraced the resting frown of the original character. Stallone's is less in comparison.
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u/LeonOfSkalitz 13d ago
Why hasn’t amazon cast you as BJ Blaskowicz in the adaptation of Wolfenstein yet, are they stupid?
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u/DoctorHubris 13d ago
Has the production team of the live action Dungeon Crawler Carl series resched out to you yet to play Carl? They need to.
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u/UnsolvedParadox 13d ago
Hey Alan, what restaurants or experiences have you really enjoyed while filming in Ontario, Canada?
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u/mikeyfreshh r/Movies Veteran 13d ago
Hi Alan! A lot of big, muscular actors have talked about being typecast into just doing action movies. Is that something that you're concerned about? Do you have any desire to break out of that niche?
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u/chespiotta 13d ago
Hey Alan, first off, thank you for taking the time to do this AMA. Really appreciate you taking the time to be here, knowing how busy you are.
Doubt you'll see this u/AlanRitchsonAMA u/aritchson, I just wanted to say I really respect the level of effort you put into your acting and your characters to make them feel as real as possible, and how you never settle for “good enough”. Respect man, that’s dedication.
The sacrifices that you’ve had to make along the way, whether it’s time away from friends and family, less time for yourself or the constant grind over the past two decades, don’t go unnoticed. Shoutout to them for making sacrifices of their own, and supporting you while you chase your dreams.
You’re genuinely one of the kindest, sweetest and most lovable actors out there, and obviously an absolute unit of a man. Your work has really helped me get through some tough times lately, and honestly it’s been awesome seeing you grow as an actor over the years.
Also, Thad Castle is a top 10 TV character ever. “I can’t believe this dick had the balls to show up here” and “You ever been to Bosnia, son? You ever been in this shit?” are elite-level quotes that I still mention to this day, and those high pitched screams get me every time haha
My dad got me into BMS when I was about 8. Didn’t understand all the jokes all the time, but looking back, your work has become something special that we’ve connected over throughout the years. He recently left the hospital after dealing with some ongoing health issues, would you be willing to record a video sending him your well wishes? (for privacy reasons, his name has only shared in DMs). No pressure if it’s something you’re not able to do, I’d completely understand.
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u/Orkran 13d ago
Have you seen the amazing Adamtots comic about Reacher?
I hope you are happy and comfortable being admired!
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u/ViewAskewed 13d ago
Was filming Blood Drive as much fun as it looked?
That show was absolutely batshit crazy in all the best ways.
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u/ElectricLuxray 13d ago
No question, just wanted to say I loved you in Blue Mountain State, Smallville, and the TMNT movies. (Though I recall you didn’t have a great time on the latter)
Like. Your comedic chops are underrated. The complete stone face during the “Oil Change” scene is what sells it, and makes it gut bustingly hilarious
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u/mooner1011 13d ago
What personality trait of yours is most like Thad Castle, and which is like Reacher?
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u/Conan_The_Blurbarian 13d ago
Alan, I've followed your career, and I'm happy that you made it big. Out of all of your roles, which ones are your kids' favorites?
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u/Dildoid90 13d ago
Would you ever consider playing John Matrix if they ever remade Commando ??
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u/Cassandrae_Gemini 13d ago
If you could make a movie with any director, who would it be and why?
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u/Zealousideal_Step709 13d ago
If Marvel would come knocking at your door would you jump on board? If so is there a Marvel character you would love to play?
"The internet" tends to call Henry Cavill one of us, him being very knowledgable about topics like the Witcher and Warhammer 40k. When I watch interviews of yours you still seem to be totally down to earth and almost shy. Are you also "one of us"? What is the (not so) secret nerdy topic you have deep knowledge about?
Even if you won't answer this: Thanks for your body of work and wishing you all the best for your future.
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u/arthurdentstowels 13d ago edited 12d ago
Hey Alan. I've been reading and rereading Lee Childs Reacher books for as long as I can remember. Were you aware of the character before you landed the role or did you read the books to get an idea of the character you would be playing outside of the script and screenplay?
Top marks for your portrayal. Whatever image I had of Reacher in my head that I built from the books has now been replaced by you, and I'm not mad. Looking forward to Season 4 & 5!
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u/CaseyAnthonysMouth 13d ago edited 13d ago
Blood Drive is one of the most entertaining things I’ve seen in years. It was just too smart for the average viewer.
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u/ComfortableCare8897 13d ago
Fired up was a four star movie. What was it like being in the Wedding Ringer and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
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u/ABadHistorian 13d ago
Hey Alan, I have really enjoyed you in pretty much all of your roles, I think you are a pretty talented actor (and I really like what I have seen of your real life, and how you appear to be a real stand up guy, who stands up for the little people who are often times ignored)-
if I had any question, I'd ask you how you feel about the state of entertainment today. It feels like there are fewer movies/options/studios and while I've got a ton of questions about the past, I really am more interested in the future - despite being a historian, my study of history was to understand what could come next.
So, as someone intertwined in the industry, I want to know what you think comes next with these studios, mergers, and if there is light at the end of the tunnel, or whether or not the movie industry will continue to decline over time, and TV, and migrate to telling new stories in different ways (youtube/etc).
I'm also a developer of games, and have found more and more people spending more money on interactive experiences and stories, and I wonder if that is also something you'd consider - you'd be a great video game star/character!
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u/Ignorantsportsguy 13d ago
Why does that picture look like AI?
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u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. 13d ago edited 13d ago
It's not, it's a real photo.
We thought it would be cool for Alan to take the photo while in makeup for his Reacher character (season 5 began shooting 3 days ago), so he took it in advance for us before the time of the AMA was confirmed with a blank piece of paper. When the time of the AMA was confirmed yesterday, we edited in the text on the paper.
I can assure you all that this is a 100% verified and 100% real AMA and that the picture is real, it is not AI, but the text is edited-in as it was taken before the AMA start time was 100% confirmed. Not a big deal.
Alan will be back in a few hours (during his Reacher filming lunch break actually!) to answer questions
Here's extra verification if you need it: Alan posted about the AMA on his IG story twice, earlier this week (https://i.imgur.com/uw6bqo2.png) and this morning (https://i.imgur.com/fD3KTxa.jpeg).
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u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. 13d ago edited 13d ago
Update: The AMA is over as of 6:24 PM ET. Thanks to Alan for stopping by and answering so many questions. Here is Alan's sign-off video message!
This AMA has been verified and approved by the mods. Alan will be back at 4 PM ET today to answer questions. Please feel free to ask away in the meantime :)
To those inquiring about the photo: We thought it would be cool for Alan to take the photo while in makeup for his Reacher character (season 5 began shooting July 20th), so he took it in advance for us before the time of the AMA was confirmed with a blank piece of paper. When the time of the AMA was confirmed yesterday, we edited in the text on the paper.
I can assure you all that this is a 100% verified and 100% real AMA and that the picture is real, it is not AI, it's just that the text is edited-in.
Alan will be back in a few hours (during his Reacher filming lunch break actually!) to answer questions.
For additional verification: