‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson Took a Real Punch from 7-Foot ‘Monster’ Olivier Richters on Set
Filming intense fight scenes can be tough, but for Reacher star Alan Ritchson, one scene became a little too real. While shooting season three of the hit Prime Video series, Ritchson accidentally took a punch from his towering co-star, 7-foot-2 bodybuilder Olivier Richters.
The upcoming season follows Jack Reacher (Ritchson) as he goes undercover in a criminal organization, where he faces off against Paulie (Richters), a massive enforcer who doesn’t trust him. With Paulie’s incredible size and strength, the fight between the two characters is one of Reacher’s toughest challenges yet.
Ritchson recalled the moment when a choreographed fight turned into an actual hit. “I took a punch accidentally one time, and I was like, ‘I don’t think I would want to get in a fight with this guy in real life,'” he said.
Richters, recognized as the tallest bodybuilder in the world, stands at 7 foot 2, towering over Ritchson, who is 6 foot 3. Even Jack Reacher author Lee Child was shocked by their size difference. “I was stunned by how Richters made Ritchson look tiny,” he said.
Despite the accidental punch, Ritchson had nothing but praise for his co-star’s hard work. “He’s a monster, man, and he worked really hard to come in and be ready for the Reacher world. He trained for like four months before we got to set together, and hopefully, it shows.”
The new season, based on Child’s novel Persuader, promises intense action and high-stakes fights. “I think audiences are gonna get to see something they’ve never seen before,” Ritchson said. “In the book, you get the sense that Reacher’s gonna die fighting this guy, and there’s no way he can figure out a way to win.”
With scenes taking weeks to perfect, Ritchson hopes the effort pays off. “Filming those kinds of fights, the amount of time we spent invested in that—three weeks for one fight in particular—hopefully, we give TV audiences the same kind of feeling.”