Alan Ritchson’s Unbelievable Reddit Discovery of ‘Reacher’ Villain!

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In the third season of “Reacher,” the main character confronts a more menacing antagonist than ever before. As Reacher journeys to Maine in pursuit of an old adversary, he crosses paths with Paul “Paulie” Van Hoven, a formidable enforcer for the elusive Beck family. The role of Paulie was portrayed by Olivier Richters, affectionately referred to as “The Dutch Giant,” standing at 7’2″. Compared to Alan Ritchson, who plays Reacher and stands at 6’2″, Richters appears towering.

It was Ritchson who had Richters join the cast of ‘Reacher’. The way Richters encountered Ritchson was quite unconventional, yet it proved to be extremely successful.

‘Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Found Olivier Richters on Reddit

In a chat with ScreenRant, Olivier Richters shared the story of how he landed the role in Reacher: “Ritchson spotted me on Reddit. Someone had shared my name and he inquired with casting, ‘Is it possible this tall fellow can act?’

It isn’t explicitly stated what Ritchson may have observed, but it could have pertained to Richter’s bodybuilding, acting roles, or business ventures. In relation to the inquiry about Reacher, Richter participated in two scenes from Season 3 of Reacher during the casting process. He elaborated on this, stating that…

In simpler terms, “I received two video scenes from the casting team, one of which was the gym scene and the opening scene of the season where I first encounter Reacher at the gates. I shared these videos with my agents, and they confirmed that I looked like Paulie. However, I played the scene in a more playful manner to make Reacher appear childish, but the directors wanted a serious expression instead. After giving them another take, I was told a few weeks later that I got the role, which made me incredibly excited.

Olivier Richters Was Already a Fan of ‘Reacher’

Upon learning that he’d been given an audition for the role of Reacher due to lead actor Alan Ritchson, Olivier Richters decided to connect with him via social media, sending a message instead.

As a film enthusiast, I reached out to him via Instagram, but I suspect he didn’t catch my message. I shared with him, “Hey there, I’ve just learned that I might have an audition for Reacher, and it seems like it’s all thanks to you! Whether or not I land the role, I wanted to express my gratitude for this opportunity so far.

For Richters, it was a chance to be on a show that he really enjoyed. He told ScreenRant,

I had finished watching season one, and was halfway through season two as new episodes came out weekly. This made me a fan of the show. It seems incredibly unlikely that someone could be a fan and then, just a few months later, not recognize the main character they used to watch. At times, it feels like I’m living in The Matrix–it’s hard to tell what’s real anymore.

It wasn’t just Ritchson that believed Richters could excel as Reacher; even author Lee Child recognized that it would be tough to cast someone suitable for Paulie, given his portrayal in the Reacher novels.

Childs shared with Forbes that Richter was an ideal choice, saying, “When I saw them side by side, there was no digital enhancement or creative camera angles. That’s exactly what Oliver looks like. The man is huge, and I wanted to present Reacher with a challenge – visually, he immediately proved to be a formidable opponent.

Stream Reacher on Prime Video.

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2025-05-24 22:03