Alan Michael Ritchson (born November 28, 1982) is an American actor. He made his acting debut as Arthur Curry / Aquaman on The CW superhero series Smallville (2005–10), where he appeared as a guest star between the fifth and tenth seasons. He subsequently had a starring role in the Spike TV sitcom Blue Mountain State (2010–2011), a role he reprised in the 2016 film sequel. He also headlined the SyFy action series Blood Drive (2017), and returned to superhero television as Hank Hall / Hawk on the DC Universe/HBO Max series Titans from 2018 to 2021.
He gained wider recognition for portraying the title character in the Amazon Prime Video action thriller series Reacher, beginning in 2022. His latest film appearance is War Machine (2026), where he plays an Army Ranger candidate fighting an extraterrestrial killing machine.
Outside television, Ritchson played Raphael in the 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot and its 2016 sequel, along with appearances in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), Lazer Team (2015), and Fast X (2023). He made his directorial debut and co-starred in the action-comedy Dark Web: Cicada 3301 (2021).
Early life and education Ritchson was born on November 28, 1982, in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He is the son of Vickie Ritchson, a high school teacher, and David Ritchson, a retired U.S. Air Force chief master sergeant. He has one older brother and one younger brother, and was raised Catholic. The family moved around for his father's work. When he was two, his family moved from Guam to Rantoul, Illinois. When he was 10, Ritchson's father was transferred to Eglin Air Force Base and the family lived in nearby Niceville, Florida. At Niceville High School, Ritchson became interested in performing; he performed in school musicals and regarded Jim Carrey as his idol. In 1999, while still in high school, he began taking college-level music theater and dance classes at Okaloosa Walton Community College, now Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. He graduated from Niceville High in 2001.
After graduating from high school, he received a full scholarship to study music and theater at Okaloosa Walton, where he was a member of the Fine Arts Division's Soundsations and Madrigal Singers. However, Ritchson dropped out after two years "because [he] didn't feel fulfilled".
He worked at a gas station for a short time before signing with Next Management in Miami Beach, Florida, to work as a model for a few years.
Career
Modeling During his modeling career, Ritchson was an underwear and runway model. He also worked with Bruce Weber, a photographer for the Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue.
Television
Ritchson gained celebrity status in 2004 when he appeared on American Idol as one of the top 87 contestants in the third season before being cut during the Hollywood round. His appearance on the show was noted for his striptease in one episode in which he charmed judge Paula Abdul during his audition. He decided to stay in Los Angeles and pursue an acting career.
His television acting credits include a recurring guest star role on the television series Smallville as superhero Arthur Curry / Aquaman. His role in Smallville marked the first time Aquaman was portrayed by an actor in an officially licensed live-action production. His future Smallville co-star, Justin Hartley, later portrayed Aquaman in an unaired pilot of the same name before joining the cast of Smallville as another character. Ritchson reprised his role as Aquaman in the final season.
Ritchson had a starring role as an army officer in the Hallmark Channel movie Though None Go with Me (2006) alongside Cheryl Ladd, and the role of Lucian Manet in the Lifetime film Nora Roberts' Midnight Bayou (2009). In 2009, he appeared on a third-season episode of Starz's Head Case in which he played a stripper. Ritchson also appeared on CSI: Miami, in which he played a dead victim in episode 19 of season 8. In 2011, he appeared in an episode of season 3 of 90210 as a love interest for main character Teddy Montgomery (Trevor Donovan).
In 2010, he started playing the main role of Thad Castle, the captain of a college football team, in Spike TV's Blue Mountain State. He stayed on the show until it was cancelled after its third season in February 2012. He also appeared in several television shows, including Hawaii Five-0. In 2015, Ritchson became a regular on the NBC variety show I Can Do That (based on the Israeli variety show) alongside Nicole Scherzinger, Ciara, Joe Jonas, Cheryl Burke and Jeff Dye, and hosted by Marlon Wayans. In 2016, he appeared in "Nosedive", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror.
In 2017, he played the main character in the Syfy series Blood Drive. In 2018, Ritchson played the recurring role of Hank Hall / Hawk in the DC Universe series Titans. His initial deal was for just two episodes but he was promoted to a series regular for the second season. Producers decided to reduce the number of characters and Ritchson was written out of the series.
In 2020, it was announced that Ritchson would play the role of Jack Reacher in an eponymous series on Amazon Prime.
Films
His movie credits include a role in the 2006 film The Butcher, as well as a minor role in 2009's Fired Up! In 2007, director Robert Zemeckis used Ritchson for his facial image, physique, and in movement for actor Ray Winstone of the title character of Beowulf.
Ritchson portrayed Gloss, a tribute in the 75th Hunger Games, in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013). Ritchson also portrayed Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a reboot to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film series after the four previous films. Ritchson would later criticize producers of the new TMNT live-action films, claiming they mistreated him and other actors portraying the turtles during and after filming. He returned to the role of Thad Castle in the Blue Mountain State movie, Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland. Ritchson co-starred in Rooster Teeth Production's first feature-length movie—the science fiction comedy Lazer Team in January 2016. He also played a medium role in The Wedding Ringer.
In 2018, Ritchson was announced as the director, co-writer, and producer of Dark Web: Cicada 3301, a comedy-thriller film inspired by the eponymous organization. He also co-starred in it as an NSA agent. The film is the first original project of Phreaker Films, a film fund run by Ritchson. The rights for Dark Web: Cicada 3301 were acquired by Lionsgate in 2020, who released the film digitally on March 12, 2021. In 2022, he joined the cast of Fast X.
In 2024, Ritchson appeared in Jon Gunn's drama movie Ordinary Angels, written by Meg Tilly and Kelly Fremon Craig, as well as in Guy Ritchie's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, an action comedy film. In 2025 he starred in the buddy action comedy film Playdate.
Ritchson appears in a web series titled Enormous Friends with his Blue Mountain State co-star, Rob Ramsay.
Personal life Ritchson met his wife, Catherine, while he was taking a dance class at a college and they married in 2006. They lived with their three sons in Florida for years. In 2023, the couple decided to sell their home and live on the road, allowing Ritchson to spend more time with his family. The family stayed in Airbnbs and hotels; Catherine, a financial analyst, homeschooled their sons. In September 2026, Ritchson announced he and Catherine had separated.
Ritchson has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has spoken openly about his struggles with the condition.
In March 2026, Ritchson was involved in a physical altercation with neighbor Ronnie Taylor in Brentwood, Tennessee; while Ritchson rode his motorcycle through the neighborhood, Taylor stepped in front of Ritchson, blocking his path and chastising Ritchson for this being a danger to children playing in the area. Taylor then initiated a physical confrontation and Ritchson acted in self-defense. The police were called, but Ritchson declined to pursue charges.
Religious and political views Ritchson is a practicing Christian. He frequently discusses the significance of his faith, and has expressed a desire to support the development of Christian films in Hollywood. He started the YouTube channel InstaChurch, in January 2022, where he discusses his convictions. Though raised Catholic, he does not consider himself as such, stating "I can't for one second support the Catholic Church while there are still cardinals, bishops and priests being passed around with known pedophilic tendencies."
On April 3, 2024, The Hollywood Reporter published an interview of Ritchson in which he says that he had once been sexually assaulted by a "very famous photographer" and for this reason, he left his modeling career. He described the modeling industry as "legalized sex trafficking" for photographers. In the same interview, Ritchson also criticized Christian supporters of Donald Trump, saying: "Trump is a rapist and a con man, and yet the entire Christian church seems to treat him like he's their poster child and it's unreal. I don't understand it."
In a February 2025 interview with GQ, Ritchson indicated that former congressman Matt Gaetz had been a classmate of his. Ritchson called Gaetz an "adversary" and "not a good dude". In the same interview, he expressed admiration for US senator Bernie Sanders, calling him a "hero".
Ritchson has expressed support for psychedelic therapy, and credits MDMA with treating his suicidal ideation.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2006 The Butcher Mark 2007 Steam Roy Beowulf Beowulf Body model for Beowulf 2008 Rex Chase 2009 Fired Up! Bruce 2013 The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Gloss 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Raphael Voice and motion capture 2015 The Wedding Ringer Kip Loyola / Carew 2016 Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland Thad Castle Also producer and writer Lazer Team Adam Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Raphael Voice and motion capture 2018 Office Uprising Bob 2019 Above the Shadows Shayne Blackwell The Turkey Bowl Ronnie Best Also executive producer 2020 Ghosts of War Private Butchie 2021 Dark Web: Cicada 3301 Agent Carver Also director, producer, and writer 2023 Fast X Agent Aimes 2024 Ordinary Angels Ed Schmitt The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Anders Lassen 2025 Motor City John Miller Also producer Playdate Jeff Eamon Also executive producer 2026 War Machine 81 Runner Hank Malone Also producer Vince Post-production; also producer TBA Michael E. Thornton Filming; also writer and producer
Television Year Title Role Notes 2004 American Idol Himself (contestant) Episode 3.1 2005–2010 Smallville Arthur Curry / Aquaman Guest role; 4 episodes 2006 Though None Go with Me Army officer Television film 2009 Head Case Male Stripper Episode: "Tying the... Not" Midnight Bayou Lucian Manet Television film 2010–2011 Blue Mountain State Kevin Devlin "Thad" Castle Main cast; 39 episodes 2010 CSI: Miami Paul Arnett Episode: "Spring Breakdown" 2011 90210 Tripp Wilson Episode: "The Enchanted Donkey" 2012 Fred: The Show Expired Cow Episode: "Expired Cow" 2013 Hawaii Five-0 Freddie Hart Episode: "Olelo Paʻa" 2014 The Rebels Tyler Stokley Episode: "Pilot" New Girl Matt Episode: "Micro" Infomercials Kent Ross Episode: "Alpha Chow" 2015 I Can Do That Himself (contestant) 3 episodes Workaholics Troy Torpey Episode: "Speedo Racer" 2016 Black Mirror Paul Episode: "Nosedive" 2017 Blood Drive Arthur Bailey Main cast; 13 episodes 2018–2021 Titans Hank Hall / Hawk Recurring role (season 1), main cast (seasons 2–3); 18 episodes 2018 Alexa & Katie Robbie Episode: "Thanksgiving" 2019 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Young Norm Scully Episode: "Hitchcock & Scully" Supergirl Hank Hall / Hawk Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part One" 2020 Legends of Tomorrow Episode: "Crisis on Infinite Earths, Part 5" 2022–present ReacherJack Reacher Title role; 32 episodes (also executive producer) 2026 Neagley Guest role; 2 episodes
Video games