14 DAY TRIAL // If you’ve seen “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” in a theater near you, you probably know already there’s a new hunk actor on the scene to keep an eye out for: 29-year-old Alan Ritchson.
If the name already rings a bell with you, you’re in luck because he recently sat down for an interview with Da Man magazine to promote the movie and, what do you know, pose for a few photos like the one attached to this article.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, in case his role as Gloss has not convinced you yet that he’s an incredibly fit man, the Da Man photospread and accompanying interview should do just that.
“I’d be lying if I say genetics don’t play some part of that, but at the same time, I think people take for granted how hard it is to achieve any kind of success,” Alan reveals for the publication.
“I do work really hard, I work out five days a week and I’m very disciplined about my regimen. I focus on cardio; it’s the foundation of my workout. The best of me is poured into that and the rest of it goes into resistance training. If anyone wants to get ripped, I recommend sprint training,” he continues.
Speaking of hard work, he says training for the role was one of the most challenging things he’s ever done because, you know, Gloss is a pro when it comes to throwing sharp objects around.
“The other side of it is the physicality. He is a dagger specialist and I prepared for months with the best in the industry, to train and study how Gloss would move and how he would handle his weapons. I even practiced at home. At first I didn’t know how I was ever going to pull it off. It was hard, but by the time we were shooting, I surprised myself with how good I was,” he explains.
Initially, Alan auditioned for the part of Finnick Odair because, he says, he resonated more with that character. He never heard back from the casting director so, desperate to be on the franchise, he wrote her a letter asking her about the role. She replied by offering him the part of Gloss.
Alan hopes that being part of the biggest film franchise of the moment will offer him whatever exposure he needs to finally leave his mark in the industry. He’s been acting for about 9 years and he’s thrilled he’s getting to reap the fruits of all the hard work.
Still, ripped as he is, which makes him ideal for action movies, Alan says he’d rather do comedy. He will be in Michael Bay’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” next, so keep an eye out for him.
