Alan Ritchson Sees God’s Faithfulness After Sexual Assault, Suicide Attempt
By Movieguide® Staff
REACHER star Alan Ritchson is opening up about the highs and lows of his career, how he sees God’s faithfulness throughout his life and why he serves others.
Ritchson got his start in modeling, an industry he says has “very few redeeming qualities.”
“Let’s be honest, it’s like legalized sex trafficking,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “The industry is not regulated, and it’s a widely known secret that if you’re hired on a job, you’re basically being passed off to a photographer to be trafficked.”
He experienced that personally.
“The number of times and situations where I was put in horrific environments where sexual abuse was the goal and the paycheck that you were desperate for in order to survive was the carrot, I can’t count on two hands. It was quite often,” the actor explained.
One time, he booked a shoot with a famous photographer. He revealed that he was sexually assaulted by the man. “I left and drove straight to the agency that I was at in L.A.,” he said.
“I quit the industry and it was the last photo shoot I’ve ever had,” Ritchson revealed. “Those pictures were never seen or published. That was it. I swore it off and thank God acting found me at the exact same time so I was able to make a switch to a new career, but it left some scars.”
His acting career didn’t take off right away, but he slowly began booking roles. His first was in a horror movie called THE BUTCHER. That was followed by SMALLVILLE, BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE and eventually THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE.
While attending the Atelier Versace runway presentation at Paris Fashion Week in 2014, he was harassed sexually by another photographer, “a nightmarish flashback to his modeling days.”
While the photographer offered Ritchson a Vogue shoot in exchange for sexual favors, the actor adamantly rejected. “I was like…‘I don’t give a…about whatever opportunity you want to dangle in front of me.’”
His career’s momentum continued to build, but at the height of his success in 2019, Ritchson attempted suicide after “sinking further into a dark place.”
“He attributes what happened next to divine intervention. His sons, who are now 11, 10 and 8 years old, appeared in a vision from the future in their mid-30s, just a few years younger than he was at the time. ‘They calmly asked me not to do it, and told me that they wanted me to be here, alive and part of their lives,’” he revealed.
He was diagnosed with bipolar and eventually ADHD.
“My family was there for me, some doctors were there for me, and I got help and pulled through,” he told The Christian Post. “But I had to find what meaning and purpose look like after that, and it looked like serving others and having a real relationship with God.”
Ritchson didn’t think he would work in the industry again, but “lo and behold, God’s like, ‘I’m going to give you the most insane career you could ever imagine.’ I continue to try and honor Him, and it’s been a real gift,” he said.
He’s since led Amazon Prime’s hugely successful REACHER series and starred in Angel Studios’ ORDINARY ANGELS. The actor has several other major projects in the works.
But despite the success he’s found, fame isn’t his focus.
“I’ve come to learn that it’s not what matters most,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I try to keep my eyes fixed on opportunities to serve others.”
“It’s faith, family, mental health, business practices, all of it is sort of prioritized in the right way that it can work together well in concert,” he explained.
One way he does this is through his InstaChurch videos, where the actor reflects on faith and scripture and how they relate to daily life.
“I’m a Christian quite simply because of what Jesus calls us to do,” he explained. “Love other people until death. It doesn’t mean we’re all to be hung on a cross, but how can I suffer for you? That is a beautiful thing.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Ritchson’s InstaChurch:
In an Easter Sunday message, REACHER star Alan Ritchson compared our need for God to an egg hunt.
“I think in something as simple as children searching for Easter eggs we get a glimpse of that relationship between humankind and God in a way that makes it all make sense for us,” the actor said.
Ritchson and his wife, Cat, hosted a large Easter egg hunt for their family and friends. The actor noticed his oldest son, Calem, giving away his eggs to younger kids who weren’t getting as many.
When it came time to open the Easter eggs, Calem realized he was giving away money rather than candy.
Ritchson said that that type of “self-sacrificial love” exemplifies the “high calling” Christians have on their lives as they follow Christ.
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