Should you’ve been having fun with Reacher (the third season premiered on Prime Video on February 20), you would possibly wish to see the early days of Alan Ritchson profession — and also you may not understand that the motion star auditioned for American Idol Season 3 again in 2004.
Some followers had been shocked to find this early in 2024, quickly after the second season finale aired. “As we speak I realized that whereas his first credited function as an actor was Aquaman in Smallville in 2005 (which I did know), Alan Ritchson was truly on community TV a 12 months earlier than… as himself auditioning for American Idol,” one X person wrote on March 9 of that 12 months. “And he made it to Hollywood! Actually!”
“Wait, how am I simply discovering out Alan Ritchson was on American Idol?!” one other individual posted on March 14.
“I’m wondering if this Idol look led to him getting work as an actor,” a 3rd X person wrote a day later. “Let him sing already!”
Ritchson was only a 20-year-old from Niceville, Florida, when he tried out for the singing competitors — and he had Paula Abdul smiling even earlier than he began singing, as fellow judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson famous.
Cowell and Jackson even left the judges’ desk in order that Ritchson may give Abdul a one-on-one serenade, and the long run TV star sang Stevie Marvel’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” whereas caressing her face.
“He’s completely sizzling.” Abdul mentioned in a behind-the-scenes interview. “Now pay attention, I’m knowledgeable, and [the serenade] didn’t sway my resolution… a lot.”
Later within the tryouts, Ritchson sang The Drifters’ “On Broadway” whereas gyrating his hips.
“That was my first time to L.A.,” Ritchson mentioned on Jimmy Kimmel Stay in December 2023, reflecting on his time on Idol. “I used to be … a semi-finalist, like, Prime 32 or one thing. I made it virtually to the very finish, proper?”
Ritchson additionally mentioned Idol producers shot B-roll of him frolicking with a mannequin within the lodge pool after which edited the footage to make it look like he was shirking off a songwriting problem, when actually, he was serving to his fellow contestants craft lyrics. “I used to be serving to folks!” he exclaimed.
American Idol, Sundays, 8/7c, ABC
Reacher, Season 3, Fridays, Prime Video