Reacher Star Alan Ritchson Talks Lee Child, Not Watching Tom Cruise's Movies | Full Interview 

For anyone who has read the books, this guy truly incarnates the character of Reacher unlike anything that Cruise could do. I liked Cruises Reacher in a way but always knew he wasn't really Reacher.

They finally nailed Reacher’s character. Allen also seems like a genuinely nice guy.

As a Lee Child fan, I think this Reacher is the right choice, Alan played brilliantly, wonderful cast, great job!

This is by far the best and smartest action show around. I stayed up all night watching all the episodes. Hats off to Amazon for making this possible. I’m glad to see it’s getting rave reviews. The cast is perfect.

He's the perfect choice, hits all the high notes and has the screen presence to bring the character to life. Love that he's genuinely interested in the books and uses them to plan ahead.

He is the perfect Reacher! He played that first six minutes where he didn’t talk exactly like I pictured it n my head when reading the book. Everything about the first season was awesome an I hope it goes for a long time!

This guy seems like a genuine human being - I wish him and this series all the success it deserves - the Reacher series is 100% ALL great !!

Watched the first 4 episodes tonight. The best series since Justified! Alan is WAY more believable than Tom Cruise if you’ve read the book and the character description. I hope there are at least a dozen moe seasons. This series rocks!

We binge-watched this Reacher series.Terrific series and we look forward to Season 2.

Alan is the perfect Reacher. I really liked him as Aquaman in Smallville back in the day....I thought this guy's on screen presence was bigger than life...surprised he hasn't made a bigger splash so to speak in Hollywood before now....let's hope the Reacher series has a long run!

Perfect Casting .. Mr Ritchson seems like a real intelligent insightful guy. Only saw him as Hawk in Titans .. He nailed the Reacher role.

Having read the Reacher books you can appreciate the choice of Alan Ritchson as Reacher. He’s smart, a good actor, fits the demeanor of Reacher, and of course matches his size for the necessary intimidation when necessary. Could never watch the movie with CRUISE, maybe a good actor but at 5’7” could never see him as Reacher.

The dude is at least 9" taller than Tom Cruise, and his physicality is soooooo much more plausible. This is the dude Lee Child had envisioned in his character and he has said in many interviews that Tom couldn't carry it. It was about why Reacher is the way he is. He always felt he was tough enough to take what the world threw at him and being really big for his age, and then almost 8" taller than the average person once he was his full height, it changes your perspective. I was 6' at 12, 6'2" by 13 years of age, and I kept growing. Being the biggest person in the elementary school you attend, including the teachers, it changes how you view the world, the perspective is literally quite different. Being the biggest person in the room 99% of the time either makes you feel like you are the protector, or the bully. In my personal experience, most big people (5+" taller than average) tend to fall generally in those two camps, and most as the gentle-giant protector type. Reacher just cannot tolerate malicious deceit, injustice, bullying, abuse, or neglect. The more innocent or harmless the victim, the more compelled he feels to intercede. He has always felt the responsibility to speak out, to advocate, to seek justice, and was willing to take the risk personally. He has always felt compelled to intercede, to be the bigger person both figuratively and literally. His life-path started in the orbit of the military, direct action, telling the truth regardless of personal consequences, honor. Being constrained to play by the same rules the abusers use to hide behind is ultimately why he ended up becoming a "Hobo". Great character, great writing, great adaption, great actors, Amazing fit with the main character as Alan Ritchson absolutely nails it!

Alan Ritchson nailed Jack Reacher. The whole cast was phenomenal. Especially the one who played Finley. As a Reacher fan, I am so glad to truly see the book come alive. Grateful the books are a series and not a 2-hour movie.

Great interview. This very intelligent actor was given a chance to talk about the specifics of camera work and fight choreography that elevated the discussion. It’s easy to admire an actor who freely talks about his parents and his family and admits to reading all 24 of the Reacher books. Looking forward to season 2-and action isn’t even my “thing”.

Finally someone who resembles Reacher the way the books describe him. A huge man and a great character. Loved all the books. Can't wait for the second season.

So glad Amazon made something that is accurate to the source material, and respectful of the creator and fans. I think if you're going to dramatically change the characters in the source material, you should just write a new story. It's so rare these days to see any show that respects the creator of the story and the established characters.

I have all Lee Child's Reacher books, and I learned to treat Tom Cruise's films as enjoyable films that were nothing to do with Jack Reacher. But when I first saw Alan Richson, I immediately saw as the Reacher I had in my mind's eye when I read my first Reacher book, which I think was One Shot. Alan utterly nailed it. I would love to see them do Echo Burning next.

Alan is great in this interview, you can tell he's a very relatable down to earth person. I've never seen this kind of interaction in one of these interviews with the actor shows an interest in the interviewer. I've read the majority of the Reacher books and he is absolutely in line with the character in the series. On top of that the series is incredibly well done and nuanced, all the way down to the sound of the thunder on the title screen of each episode. Because that is what Reacher is, he is the storm, he's inexorable and relentless. When he says he's going to find everyone responsible and kill them, he isn't lying. He basically just told you the ending. That menace, like an 80s slasher film antagonist is all tied to the physical menace inherent in the character as written and while I enjoyed the Cruise movies it wasn't something he could bring to the screen.

He did an amazing job, he nailed the essence of Reacher, really good job of showing him and his brother as teenagers to give some background of who Reacher is . Well done !!!!

Have to give credit to this crew for absolutely nailing the "feel" of Reacher from the books. I highly doubt anyone could have done a better job of getting the character so perfect. Looking forward to more seasons coming out.

Alan's physical presence is massive... compelling... and absolutely pivotal to the DNA of this character

Alan was awesome in this. Just finished. I can't imagine this not getting picked up for another season.

Such a likeable guy.

I've read all the books. They really did ace this with the Ritchson hire. Guys a giant, grew up on military bases, etc. Much more true to the books than the Tom Cruise hire. While Cruise has a big personality, he does not have the physical presence of Ritchson, which is an important part of the character.

This actor is perfect for Jack Reacher! I hope the series lasts a long time!

NOW THIS IS JACK REACHER!! Cant wait fpr season 2 or Movie Spin Offs..

I'm so glad that Alan Ritchson is seeing such success. I hope Reacher keeps going for many more years. I'd love to see more from him.

Alan nailed it. I enjoyed the movies, but it felt like something else. Finally Reacher has come to life on the screen. Can't wait for more seasons.

Ritchson seems the perfect choice for Reacher. It's that combination of very likeable and yet terrifying that not many people could pull off i think. You love him and you pray you'll always be on the same side as him. That's Reacher.

Alan was PHENOMENAL in BMS and I am so glad he got such a good role. I read the Lee Child book when I was around 13 on recommendation from my dad and I'm now 25 and I am so glad they did a series that actually does the book justice. Alan pulled it of great and the writing was also superb, I binged it in one sitting. Can't wait for a second season

the show was a home run

This guy made the series. He was great. It was a wonderful series because of him and his acting.

I have to say I've read several of Lee Child's books and this was an amazing series. I couldn't stop watching it. I burned through it. I loved every minute. Great job.

Dude's a class act

This is Reacher made real. I've read all the Child books multiple times and the series is very faithful to the book and even uses much of the dialog spoken in the book. Amazing. I hope they do all the books like this.

I believed he was Jack Reacher in the first 6 mins. When he stares at the guy being aggressive towards his partner, that stare is authentic Jack Reacher and he nails it.

I think Alan is terrific and his skills are just amazing. His character is so intelligent and has such insights, it makes watching quiet compelling. It's also sad in many ways. but very well done.

Alan's performance was SO GOOD in this that HE is now the Reacher character. Bravo!

Love the series and can't wait for more season's to come. The casting for me is finally perfect. You played and fit the role very well Mr Ritchson. The dry humor also worked very well. More please.

He is the perfect Jack Reacher...

BIG fan of the Jack Reacher character and Lee Childs’ Reacher novels. So glad to have a good actor who meets the physical description playing the role. Hope there are many more of these Jack Reacher stories brought to the screen. Also, appreciate a series because more of the story is portrayed. 90 minute movies have to skip too much from the written story! Thanks to the creators for the great Reacher entertainment, both written and visual.

Absolutely loved you as Reacher! The series was so so good. I really hope more series are in the process of being commissioned. Loved your supporting cast ❤. You are so like how I imagine Reacher to be from the books. Congratulations 🎊 👏

Watched Alan’s version on Prime…loved it. He reminds me by appearance of a younger Sean Bean from his ‘Sharps’ days. Tom Cruise was also good as Reacher, but you can’t stop seeing him as Cruise the actor, whereas I wasn’t familiar with Ritchson so he cemented firmly in for me, as being Reacher. Hope this guys career sky rockets…he’s good and has a likeable screen charisma….Way to go AR 👍

Best series I've watched in years! After watching a few of these interviews Ritchson seems like one of the few actors that would be just as entertaining and interesting off screen as he is while playing a character on it! 😄👍Seems like a genuine person, often getting off on tangents of personal stories or anecdotes that annoy the interviewer's pre planned question timeline... Love it 🤣👍

So often, the hero from the page and in our head is a disappointment on the screen. However, the casting for this series was inspired. The intelligent directing and camera work, combined with faithful story telling and a perfect balance of gravitas and humour, makes this a stand-out production. I hope it is so successful, that it demands more of Lee Child’s books to be transformed in this way. This was an interesting interview which I very much enjoyed. Thank you.

loved the show - Mr. Ritchson did an amazing job. He really embodied many of the elements of the character - including his smarts - it was awesome to see. The result of the collaboration was obvious - a great scene is contribution of the writers, producers, directors and talent - when it all comes together - you get great results. As a large actor myself (not quite his size - ONLY 6'2" but large frame- lot of theater and stage) - it is great to see a big guy that gets to be both big and smart. it was entertaining and very engaging - can't wait for another season.

I watched the show recently and I thoroughly enjoyed it, really hope we get a lot more seasons of it. And Alan Ritchson seems such a wholesome guy

I grew up watching Tom Cruise play REACHER but I could never except Tom's size as Reacher.......but Alan Ritchson is definitely a shoe in for the REACHER character.....WELL DONE

I need more Alan in my life

Really like this guy. He seems so different than his character, which means he's a terrific actor. Seems like the kind of guy you'd like to sit down and have a beer with. The guy doing the interview was excellent.

LOVED IT !!!!! We need a season 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 !!! and a movie !!! I love Cruise in the role but Alan is amazing !!

Lee Child can rest now peacefully. Alan is perfect for Reacher.

I have been a big fan of Lee Child long before the original Reacher movies came out and have also read all the books. Y’all have nailed this and I too hope this continues.

Having read the entire Reacher series, and now having binge watched season 1, I have to agree with the many other commenters here….. this is as close to the fictional character of Reacher as it can get! Alan looks pretty much like the Reacher I imagined from the book series, he talks like him, he walks like him. Nice interview, good questions! It’s always a pleasure to find out the actor whose performance you admire is an intelligent and likable human being. Hopefully there will be many more seasons!

great pick for Reacher. amazon really did a good job with this. Alan did a really good job on this

GREAT WORK!!! He made Reacher belivable. Hope to see many more seasons!!!

Wow didn’t think this show was going to be as good as it is... I really love it! Great cast and writing... would highly recommend

Why this actor isn’t bigger in Hollywood is beyond me. Then again, he seems very humble and kind which probably comes from not being sucked in by the industry

I read almost all the books, I may have missed one. I hope this guy does well. He seems to meet my def of Reacher. It has to be hard for a guy that is that huge to get parts that mean something. I hope not only does he do well but it leads to a lot more for him. He seems like a good guy.

AT LAST!!!!! He is physically perfect to embody the character of Reacher…. he’s everything I imagined the man in the book to look and sound like… YAY! I’ve loved what I’ve seen and can’t wait for more!!!

I discovered Jack Reacher well over a decade ago and I’ve read every book at least once. Alan doesn’t perfectly fit what I expected but he’s awfully close. One thing, and I realize this is nitpicking, but I had pictured Reacher as a really big man but in an athletic way. Alan looks more like a bodybuilder than a huge football or rugby player. I remember Arnold discussing his role as Conan the Barbarian when he said to prep for the role he had to hit the gym to change his body to look more athletic. This was completely lost on me back then but now I completely get it. It’s far from a deal breaker, more like just an observation.

Very glad I watched the interview. This makes me enjoy the character Alan has brought to life even more. Outstanding actor and outstanding show. So looking forward to more!

The guy interviewing Alan is exceptional. Not just dumb fluff, fan questions. Made for a great interview.

This role fits him like a (big) glove!

He is everything that I saw Reacher as. Size, decent man and a sense of humor.

What a wonderful interview, well done. I didn’t have much interest in seeing Reacher Until now, but Alan seems like such a perfect fit and so dedicated to the role. What a genuine guy. Time to go watch it

Alan, IS Reacher, full stop! So glad they picked this talented actor to play our hero!

My daughters van is the brown chevy van in the first scene that the couple is fighting in front of. So cool to see it on tv!!

Great interview. Thank you. I have also read all of Lee Child’s books including his last one in collaboration with his brother, Andrew “Better off Dead”. The beauty of books is that the main characters are created, with the help of the author, in one’s imagination. I see Jack Reacher as a man of large stature (I describe him as being built like a brick outhouse), a very hard man with great fighting skills. The sort of guy you don’t want to mess with. I became quite excited when I heard that a film was being made of one of his books but at the same with some trepidation thinking that the character created would not match the person I had created in my imagination. I have to say that I was disappointed when Tom Cruise was cast as Jack Reacher (albeit a great actor). Please excuse the pun but he did not measure up to my imagination of how Reacher has been created. I totally understand why he was cast in the role in order to provide a “big box office name” and the end product was good but sadly did not match the character I had in my head. I am therefore very excited to see your interviewee actually appears to match how I see Jack Reacher. I wish him all the success in the role of Jack Reacher in, I hope, many more films.

Alan Ritchson seems like such a nice, normal guy. I love his portrayal of Reacher.

My vote is for the book Persuader when Reacher has to fight a 7ft 400lb bodybuilder and nearly loses. It’s so well written.

Absolutely stellar match. I was mesmerized. Could NOT stop watching. You must keep on going with this!

Alan Ritchson, you hit the Lee Child bullseye. Glad you read up on Reacher, like many of us. You graciously paid homage to Tom Cruise, but your rendition of Reacher was so much better. Hoping for many seasons to come. Oh, and I hope Roscoe (Willa Fitzgerald) gets a recurring role as she earned respect in season 1.

Best show ever, perfect Reacher!

This guy is absolutely the right guy to play Reacher. He looks like I imagined Reacher to look. The story plays out on screen exactly as I imagined it when I read the books. Fantastic absolutely fantastic. The Cruise movies may as well be a different character all together. Nothing against Cruise, but he is / was definitely not Reacher. Great interview.

Reacher was a very nice surprise. Alan deserves all the success .

This show is dope!!! Reacher the Beast

An authentic Reacher! Awesome. I love that statement. That word. Authentic! If only more producers, writer, directors and actors shot for that instead of trying to rewrite a book, movie or game to meet their own personal agendas.

I love Reacher! Love Alan Ritchson! As much as I loved the fight scenes, my favorite was when he just stares down the guy abusing his wife, never says a word & the guy backs down & apologizes to Reacher! I think this says a lot about his character & we know what to expect in the coming episodes. Can’t wait for season 2!

I've met this guy..super humble

I have to say that we watched the Reacher series within three or maybe four days - we are certainly hoping that this continues on! I've never read the books - I have seen the movies - but I must say this series, and the humor in it, made me want to read the books for the first time! I love the dynamics between the the three main characters, and every one else who supports this series. You have all done an amazing job, and I look forward to both seeing more of the series, and also starting to read the books. Thank you all! :)

I just watched the first 2 episodes, amazing. I absolutely loved the books and Alan IS Reacher. I was worried about the casting after Tom Cruise in the movies. Reacher's size is so important to the story and feel.

What a smart interesting guy👍👍👍

He was so good in Smallville back in the day as Aquaman. I was wondering for years is he gonna get some big action role. And than boom-here it is. Reacher is amazing show. Alan is a great athlete, and hard worker. Love this dude

This is an actor who grows on you , the more you watch the more you are going to like him in that role because you find yourself comparing him to Tom Cruise which is unfair but it is what it is .

Man.... I totally enjoyed the series, actors were all on point, very cool action sequences, please give us a 2nd season.

My Dad and Mom read all of the Reacher books and then watched the movie….Dad said Tom Cruise was definitely not a Jack Reacher! 😹. Wish Dad was alive now to see this series!

I loved every Lee Child book I have read. The Reacher character is wonderful, believable, crusty and dedicated to getting the job done.

Alan Ritchson hit the nail on the head. A lot of bag guys too. Great job. Love the show.

I have seen Alan in blue mountain state and the Titans and had never seen him interviewed before. He is very well spoken and intelligent much like reacher in the series. Very nice interview.

I love that he read every book. That's a professional actor!

Never really seen him before, he seems so likable and humble. A regular nice guy that happens to be 6'3" 250 and good looking Wife, 14 year old son and I are enjoying so far. i enjoyed the 1st movie as well. i am not comparing them against each other because Alan and Cruise are so different Alan has the size, also thinking he isnt as "big" helps but Cruise is the vastly superior actor and gives off qualities that Alan cant. movie production VS TV production, 2 hr movie VS 8 1 hour shows

Alan Ritchson is fantastic as "Reacher". He was also great in "Titans".... 🙂....

Loved this series. I wasn't a fan of Cruise’s Reacher, so I almost didn't watch this. But after watching the first episode out of curiosity, I was so enamored that I binhe - watched the whole series in the course of 2 days. They had me from the very first scene. PLEASE do another season!

I’m new to Reacher, and I’m new to Alan Ritchson. Binged the series in 2 days, lol. Ritchson here is articulate, genuine and gracious in this interview. Count me a new fan. After watching him in the show, it’s hard to imagine Tom Cruise doing the same character.

Alan, you are the sum total of what Reacher is in all the books; I've listen to them several times and again, you are it...

I love when an actor is a genuine person in real life, Alan kills this role in the series. I hope it lasts long.

Alan is a great actor. I like Reacher movie... I watched all of them

Finally a believeable ‘Reacher' consistent with the novels’ character!! Loved you in Margrave/ Solitude… Thank you!