The Secret Letter Reacher Star Wrote to Tom Cruise

Alan Ritchson, the star of the upcoming Prime Video series based on Lee Child's best-selling novels, recently expressed his admiration for Tom Cruise's portrayal of the titular character in the 2012 film Jack Reacher and its 2014 sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. Ritchson disclosed during an episode of The Rich Eisen Show that he had initially written a letter to Cruise to express his gratitude for his work, but was ultimately dissuaded from sending it by his producer Don Granger, who had also worked on the Cruise films. Ritchson's comments on the topic can be found in the video below, starting at the 3:20 mark.

My boss, Don Granger from Skydance, is the producer for all of Tom Cruise's projects. He has been partners with Tom for many years and helped me put this show together. Out of respect, I asked Don if I should reach out to Tom. I wrote a letter expressing my gratitude for what he did for the brand and asked if it would be inappropriate to give it to him. Don advised me that Tom wants to move on and gave his blessing for the show. Therefore, I did not speak to him about it. Regardless of whether people think he was right for Reacher or not, Mr. Cruise brought attention to the show, and I have a huge debt of gratitude for what he brought to it.

Why Tom Cruise Was Underrated As Jack Reacher

The announcement of Tom Cruise as the lead in the film adaptation of the Jack Reacher books caused a stir among fans. In the novels, Reacher is described as a towering figure, standing at 6 feet 5 inches and weighing over 250 pounds. Cruise, at just 5 feet 7 inches, seemed like an unlikely choice for the role. Fans were concerned that his lack of physical presence would detract from the character's intimidating nature.

However, Cruise's eventual casting received Child's approval, indicating that Reacher's size was more of a representation of an unstoppable force, which Cruise effectively portrayed in his own way. Despite not having the same physical stature as other contenders like Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, Cruise's intensity and charisma made him the perfect fit for the skilled warrior who relied on his intellect as much as his physical prowess. Furthermore, Cruise's immense star power helped to broaden the appeal of the film beyond just fans of the original novels.

Despite Ritchson's portrayal being more faithful to the source material, he acknowledges that his tenure as Reacher would not have been possible without Cruise's successful portrayal first. While Cruise's version of the character did not initially exude the same level of threat as Ritchson's, he expertly conveyed a sense of experience and skill that had been honed over the years. It is reassuring to know that the new Reacher star also holds respect for the work of his predecessor.