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Reacher's Alan Ritchson's weight loss and hair transformation revealed in must-see new role


The 6ft 2 actor has made a name for himself as the super buff star of the Amazon Prime show Reacher


Alan Ritchson buff premiere shirt undone
Hannah Hargrave
Hannah HargraveUS Deputy Editor
September 1, 2025
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Alan Ritchson has a brand new role and he looks a far cry from his Jack Reacher character. The dedicated actor has transformed himself for upcoming thriller Motor City, and detailed his makeover in an Instagram post. For the movie, Alan rocks long hair, fake teeth and had to lose weight from his buff frame. Alongside the photos, Alan wrote: "How do you completely transform when you only have a few days to transition from Reacher to your next role in period action piece extraordinaire, #MotorCity? You bring out the big guns. @thomasdelauer to help me drop weight fast. The one-of-a-kind Sandy Sokolowski for new hair. And the great Gary Archer ( teeth_by_archer ) for a less pearly set of pearly whites. And of course @katvonpire on some new character specific tats."

He added: "My goal is always to make a character as real for you as humanely [sic] possible. Not having days off between jobs makes it hard to go as far as I want, but I’ll get as close to unrecognisable as possible. I refuse to play myself. You’ve never experienced anything like Motor City."

Alan Ritchson attends the Lionsgate's "Ordinary Angels" New York Premiere at SVA Theater on February 19, 2024 in New York City© Getty
Alan had the help of a personal trainer

Alan still looks ripped in certain scenes from the flick. But insists he had to drop some pounds with the help of his trainer. The movie also stars Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster and Pablo Schreiber. The plot revolves around the story of a man in the 1970s who plots revenge against the criminals who framed him for a crime he didn’t commit. The incident leads to him losing his love, played by Shailene. Shockingly, the flick only has five lines of dialogue. 

Recommended videoYou may also likeWATCH: Alan Ritchson in Motor City

Ben told Deadline: "This is not a silent film. There are about five lines of dialogue. If we think about what makes us human, it's behaviour and how we behave with each other. So it was a fun challenge to tell a story without telling the story in a traditional manner. We were able to relate physically as actors."

Alan with long hair for Motor City wearing vest in jail
Alan with long hair for Motor City
Alan Ritchson and Sydelle Noel are seen filming scenes of the Amazon Prime Video TV series "Reacher" season 4 on June 18, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania© Getty
He bulked up for his role on Reacher

Alan wasn't able to make the Venice Film Festival premier due to filming of Reacher, but he's expected to appear at the Toronto Film Festival on September 4. He's had a long road to stardom and faced troubling experiences while modeling before catching his break in acting.  Alan has also been open about his mental health battles and praised his wife, Catherine, for her unwavering support. 

Alan shaved head smile younger © Getty Images
Alan was a model

They were teenagers when they met and have been together since high school. "Thank GOD for someone with the unspeakable strength, persistence, resilience, patience, grace, love, compassion and forgiveness to suffer through the valleys with me," he said in a tribute to Catherine. "And I am eternally grateful that God knew well enough to gift me a life with her."

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