Alan Ritchson's 'Thor' audition misstep becomes turning point

In a recent interview with Men's Health, actor Alan Ritchson opened up about a past missed opportunity: nearly portraying the mighty Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Ritchson, known for his roles in Reacher and Smallville, revealed that he auditioned for the titular role in the 2011 Thor film, a role ultimately won by Chris Hemsworth.

However, Ritchson admitted his own lack of seriousness at the time cost him the chance. "I didn't take it seriously," Ritchson confessed. "I was like, 'They'll throw me the part if I look like the guy; nobody really cares about acting.'"

He further stated that feedback from the casting team confirmed his lack of dedication was evident in his audition, noting they felt he hadn't shown "the craft" necessary for the role.

Ritchson's revelation comes as a surprise to some fans, who might have envisioned him wielding Mjolnir. He acknowledged the lost opportunity had a lasting impact, leading him to take acting more seriously. He pursued further training and went on to audition for other notable roles, including Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

While Ritchson's journey to superhero stardom took a different route, he has found success with his current projects, including the critically acclaimed Reacher series.

Actors who have spoken out about their first abortive effort to join the MCU are not limited to Ritchson. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live last year, Chris Pratt said that he also tried out for the role of Thor from Marvel Studios, "not even to be Thor but to be one of the sidekick guys!"

“I didn’t get a callback,” Pratt continued. “Usually they give you a little bit of feedback, and I remember the casting director goes, ‘Wow. You really made a big choice there.’ Which is code for being like: ‘Hey, dial back the acting there, guy.’”