"He's so kind of emotionally unavailable"- When Alan Ritchson revealed the biggest fear he had while portraying Jack Reacher

Alan Ritchson’s portrayal of Jack Reacher has sparked considerable discussion among fans and critics alike. He recently spoke about the challenges of playing the character, especially since he was afraid Jack Reacher would come off as boring because he doesn't show much emotion.

Alan Ritchson, during an interview with Inside of You, said Reacher's brain is like a computer: calm, calculating, and not very emotional.

This made the role interesting but also risky. He didn't want Reacher to be someone people would lose interest in when things slowed down. Ritchson said:

"He's so kind of emotionally, unavailable compared to most, most human beings."

He's thankful he got to explore more than just the action side of Jack Reacher. The trick, he said, was to make Reacher relatable but still true to his quiet nature.

---

Exploring in detail Alan Ritchson's take on Jack Reacher

During his interview, Alan Ritchson admitted he was scared to play Jack Reacher. He said his main challenge was making such a closed-off character interesting to watch.

"My big fear was that I would not be able to create an interesting character for the screen that people would be like bored out of their mind watching the show, Ritchson said in the interview.

He explained that even though Jack Reacher is strong and well-known, he's hard to play because he doesn't show much on the outside. Jack Reacher is calm and thinks like a computer, so he doesn't come across as charming or emotional.

The goal was to make every pause and look contribute to a bigger picture of a man defined by what he does and what he struggles with silently.

He said,

"I mean, my big fear was that I would not be able to create an interesting character for the screen that people would be like bored out of their mind watching the show. Cause this guy's not charismatic or interesting enough."

He added:

"Cause there's. physically, externally, there's not a lot going on until there's just until there's an explosion of action that we kind of look forward to, but really, he's a rather still character, externally, and, I'm glad to hear you say that you enjoy watching him so much and you feel those layers that are going on, you know, but, Yeah."

---

Alan Ritchson on Reacher season 3

About season 3, Ritchson shared his worries about a scene from Lee Child’s Persuader that he wished they could skip. In it, Jack Reacher has to swim out of a compound in his underwear to meet Susan Duffy, which Ritchson found hard.

“It was tough. That water work was pretty tricky,” he said to Entertainment Weekly, mentioning that being in cold water with little clothing, and crawling on wet rocks, wasn't fun.

Despite his feelings, the team wanted to stay true to the book, which Ritchson understood but still had mixed feelings about.

Moreover, Ritchson expressed confidence in the direction of the series under the guidance of showrunner Nick Santora and the executive partners at Skydance, emphasizing that these collaborators have played a key role in shaping Reacher into a character that he feels was born to play.

He also mentioned that despite the strenuous nature of some scenes, he views his role as the cornerstone of his career. Ritchson reflected on the impact that playing Jack Reacher has had on his professional trajectory, noting that it has opened up opportunities for other roles and projects that differ significantly from Reacher’s character.

---

What is Reacher about?

Jack Reacher, as adapted from Lee Child’s acclaimed series of novels, is a former military policeman with a strong sense of justice and an unyielding determination. The character is known for his physical strength, sharp intellect, and an almost nonchalant demeanor.

The series follows Reacher as he travels across the United States, encountering dangerous criminals and solving intricate problems along the way. His approach is methodical and precise, often relying on his instincts and analytical mind to navigate complex situations.

The television adaptation seeks to capture both the physicality and the internal conflict of Reacher.

---

Interested viewers can watch the latest season of Reacher on Amazon Prime Video.