Alan Ritchson Responds to Critics of His Role in Reacher

Alan Ritchson's Defense of Playing Reacher

Alan Ritchson, the star of Reacher, has responded to 'supposed Christians' who’ve criticized him for playing a character who isn’t 'saintly.' The actor debuted as Jack Reacher in 2022, stomping into Georgia and instantly becoming the best on-screen version of Lee Child’s iconic character. He’s basically Sherlock Holmes and the Hulk mixed together, moving from town to town across the US and solving mysteries with his singular brand of justice – which usually involves someone getting punched in the face.

Ritchson is also a devout Christian, having launched his own YouTube channel in 2022 focused on discussing matters of faith and his relationship with religion. Reacher is undoubtedly the hero of his stories – but there’s more to the character than black or white, and that 'moral ambiguity' attracted backlash from some Christians online. In a new video, he explained: 'I love playing Reacher. I love telling this story. I love playing a character who creates a kind of moral ambiguity that we should struggle against as we consider whether or not what he’s doing is good all the time or morally right. But it’s funny to me how a lot of people criticize me, supposed Christians especially, criticize me for playing Reacher. As if the only TV that should exist is seeing people silently folding their hands in the pew of a church. I mean, what kind of stories are we supposed to tell?'

Ritchson's View on Complex Characters and Faith

In Ritchson’s eyes, stories with complex characters that challenge the established understanding of right and wrong are representative of the Bible – so the criticism doesn’t make much sense. 'If you look at scripture, what do you find? You find a thousand years of an infinitely holy god holding tension with human beings as he tells the story of who he is, and reveals who he is through an imperfect people,' he continued, noting tales of 'paganism, of war and bloodshed and ghost stories, mysticism' in religious texts. 'We see miracles and magic. We see life and resurrection and death, and we see this incredible canvas where God is completely unafraid to tell the story of who He is through less than morally ambiguous characters, through pure evil sometimes.' Just like other Christian-centered movies and TV shows, like the Left Behind series and The Chosen, Ritchson believes Reacher and other stories 'can start conversations and we can reach people through these mediums in a way that I think God enjoys.'

The Impact of Ritchson's Response

Alan Ritchson’s response to criticism of his role in Reacher has sparked discussions about the portrayal of complex characters in entertainment and their relationship to faith. His defense of playing a character with 'moral ambiguity' has shed light on the parallels between storytelling in entertainment and the themes found in religious texts. By emphasizing the potential for these stories to start conversations and reach people in a meaningful way, Ritchson has brought attention to the intersection of art, faith, and storytelling. His perspective has prompted reflection on the diverse narratives present in religious texts and their ability to convey profound messages through imperfect and morally ambiguous characters.