Alan Ritchson, the star of the Prime Video series 'Reacher,' recently shared a harrowing experience from the set of the show's third season, revealing that he suffered a serious accident while filming a fight scene. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ritchson described the moment when he was thrown against a table with such force that he went through it, rendering him unconscious for more than 24 hours.
"I was lifted up, we adjusted the camera a few times, and he threw me with so much force against the table that I went through it and ended up in the seventh circle of hell. I woke up a day and a half later," Ritchson recalled. The actor explained that he had to reassure his children, who were present on set, that he was okay, as he didn’t want them to think, "Dad died and won't be alright." He described those moments as the worst of his life.
The fight sequence, which took three weeks to film, was designed to showcase Ritchson's character, Jack Reacher, being thrown around like a rag doll for five minutes straight. Ritchson insisted on performing the stunt without a double, despite warnings from the crew about the potential dangers. "Everyone was like, 'You’re going to kill yourself and we’re not going to do this because it’s going to hurt you too much.' And then they said, 'Let’s do it with a double and a camera on the ground.' And I said, 'No,'" he shared.
This intense dedication to his role exemplifies Ritchson's commitment to authenticity in his portrayal of Reacher. He wanted the audience to feel the impact of the stunts and to see his face throughout the action. "I wanted the camera to stay on my face the whole time while I was being thrown through a table on the barn floor," he explained.
The final cut of the fight scene included only three seconds of footage, highlighting the extensive effort that went into creating just a brief moment of action. Ritchson noted, "That was a moment of three seconds in 28 minutes of content, just to give an example of how my life was for those three weeks. It was fun," he concluded.
As for the third season of 'Reacher,' it is based on Lee Child's third book, titled 'Acerto de Contas.' In this season, Jack Reacher finds himself embroiled in a vast criminal organization while attempting to rescue a DEA informant whose time is running out. Working undercover, he uncovers a new world of secrets and violence, all while confronting unfinished business from his own past.
Nick Santora, known for his work on 'Scorpion,' serves as the showrunner for the series. The cast of the third season includes Maria Sten, Anthony Michael Hall, Sonya Cassidy, Brian Tee, Johnny Berchtold, and Roberto Montesinos, all of whom contribute to the gripping narrative that fans have come to expect from the series.
Ritchson's experience on set has drawn attention not only for its intensity but also for the dedication he shows to his craft. His willingness to perform stunts himself, despite the risks, speaks volumes about his character as an actor and his commitment to bringing Jack Reacher to life.
As the anticipation builds for the new season, fans can expect a thrilling ride filled with action, suspense, and the complexities of Reacher's character. 'Reacher' is available for streaming on Prime Video, and with Ritchson's compelling performance, viewers are in for another exciting season.
