‘Reacher' star Alan Ritchson on childhood: ‘I was mortified'

Alan Ritchson has become a popular, intimidating person—thanks to Amazon’s Reacher. But his childhood was a different story as he was subjected to bullying due to his physique.

During an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the Titans star opened up about his childhood struggles, “Early on, I wasn’t physically built the way I am now, and I loved expressing myself through music, singing and in-line skating."

Adding, “Not ideal for a guy in an area where all the dudes wore mullets and pulled up to school in four wheelers.”

He continued, “As a very late bloomer, I used to pray that hair would grow on my legs and armpits."

Noting, "One day, I was in the high-school cafeteria in my gym shorts when a kid shouted. ‘Hey, everybody, Ritchson doesn’t have any hair on his legs!’ Everyone laughed. I was mortified.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Alan revealed he came across his high school bully who wanted a selfie after he became successful. 

“Before we left Florida, I ran into one of the guys who teased me in high school,” he remembered. “He wanted a selfie. I was happy to oblige, but it felt strange.”

Meanwhile, Reacher has become a massive hit for Amazon Prime Video as the new season has raked up record-breaking viewership.