Alan Ritchson

Alan Ritchson Instagram – In the world of Reacher, there are many people to thank. But one pair of boots on the ground has had an outsized impact on the psyche and behavior of Reacher, Sam Hill. ⁣
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I should back it up a bit. ⁣
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When the brilliant @jensalke at Amazon made the bold move to reinvent Reacher as a series, she made a call to legendary producer Don Granger at Skydance who was the first in Hollywood to see the potential in Lee Child’s seminal work. ⁣
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Together, they brought on Nick Santora as showrunner (the most important and unenviable role in TV). Nick, both an attorney and a well-established writer/showrunner was a genius call. When a protagonist famously, “says nothing” and computes cases in his mind, Nick has created a pattern of speech for Reacher that is both entertaining and effective. ⁣
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Still with me? So, who was the first person Nick called? It sure as hell wasn’t me. It was Sam Hill. ⁣
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Lovingly known as the Energizer Bunny. He seems to have an endless supply of stamina and enthusiasm. I remember being on set those first chaotic days in Margrave. He saddled up next to me, a producer I hardly knew, with a big appreciative smile on his face as we surveyed the immense set before us. He said, “7 seasons from now we’re gonna look back on these first days fondly.” I drank in his slight build, gentle demeanor and kind eyes and thought, “This guy’s awfully sure of a lotta things!” I found his confidence amusing at the time. ⁣
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Years later, that memory serves as a humbling reminder that sometimes you truly never know when you’re in the presence of angels or kings. Sam is something of both in the Reacher world. Don’t let his self-deprecating humor fool you. He is completely indispensable to the show. ⁣
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He is one of a small handful of people that has cart blanch to tinker with the inner workings of my instrument. He is something of a savior season 3 as he has taken on the heavy yolk of directing every episode so that we can cross shoot the entire season due to the fallout of the strike. It would take us months, maybe years to untangle the mess the strike caused otherwise. ⁣
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I’ve wanted to say this for years. Sam isn’t 6’5” 240lbs… but he’s the real Reacher. | Posted on 26/Jan/2024 01:24:47