Alan Ritchson vs Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Battle of Muscles

The Battle of Size and Muscle

Terminator 2 legend and Reacher star Robert Patrick gives a candid response when asked to compare Alan Ritchson to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Patrick achieved his breakout role as T-1000, the unforgettable antagonist of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and has since become a familiar presence in action movies and shows. He continued his foray into the genre by being cast in Prime Video's Reacher season 2, playing the villainous Shane Langston in the Lee Child adaptation and sharing the screen with Ritchson's titular character.

Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in a shot from Reacher season 2, episode 2

In an interview with Cinemablend to discuss Reacher season 2, Patrick was asked who was bigger between Schwarzenegger and Ritchson. Though he answered that Ritchson was bigger and elaborated on the reason, Patrick joked that he didn't want his Terminator co-star to know about it.

Alan's bigger. Don't tell Arnold I said that. But right now, Alan in his present state and age, he's bigger. ... Alan encompasses a lot of similarities in the size of his massiveness of muscle gain. And he moves very well. And Arnold moves very well. They're both athletic guys.

Ritchson's Transformation and Preparation

In an interview for Terminator: Genisys, Schwarzenegger mentioned that he weighed 228 pounds in the original Terminator. This is roughly the same weight he had in the famous sequel Terminator 2. Ritchson has been candid about his physique for Reacher season 2, sharing that he exceeded 240 pounds in an Instagram post that's since been deleted. He also shed light on his preparation and how he changed a room into a full-sized gym to be able to train.

Ritchson shared that his diet involved a lot of smoothies and proteins. He also admitted to using testosterone therapy and defended its benefits for older men. The actor acknowledged that his Reacher regimen significantly impacted his role choices.

Ritchson detailed how the extensive training damaged his body, elaborating on how his previous regime left him ravaged and underlining how he has had to change his methods if he hopes to continue playing the titular character in the long run. The actor is already filming Reacher season 3, showing his dedication to his biggest role yet.

Comparison of Transformations

While Schwarzenegger maintained a consistent weight of 228 pounds for the Terminator movies, Ritchson exceeded 240 pounds for his role in Reacher season 2, showcasing a significant difference in their physical transformations. Ritchson's dedication to his physique and the challenges he faced during training highlight the immense effort he put into preparing for the role. Additionally, the use of testosterone therapy and the impact on his body shed light on the complexities of achieving and maintaining a larger-than-life physique for a character like Jack Reacher.

The comparison of Ritchson's transformation to Schwarzenegger's emphasizes the commitment and physical demands involved in portraying iconic action characters. It also underlines the evolving standards of physicality in the entertainment industry and the toll it takes on actors. The dedication of both Ritchson and Schwarzenegger to their respective roles serves as a testament to the rigorous nature of embodying larger-than-life characters on screen.