Alan Ritchson is the star of Spike TV’s hit show “Blue Mountain State”, which is returning for season two this month. Alan also has a recurring role on The CW’s “Smallville” playing the character of Aquaman. Also little known fact, but he provided the facial image and movement for the title character in Robert Zemeckis’ “Beowulf”. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Alan about his roles and his love for what he does.
Click here to purchase “Blue Mountain State” DVD or Blu-Ray
Mike Gencarelli: Tell me about your role in Spike TV’s “Blue Mountain State”, you play Thad Castle?
Alan Ritchson: Thad Castle is the overzealous captain of the team. People think he is crazy when they watch the show. I find the character as somebody that has a different set of logic. He cares about the football team and leading them, just in a different way. That is where a lot of the hilarity ensues. It is funniest character I have ever had a chance to play. Before we even shot the pilot, I am reading the script and I thought this is the funniest thing I have ever read. I thought there was no chance they would be able to keep some of the stuff in the show that made it so funny. There is no way you are going to be able to have a cookie race with oreos in your butt-cheeks and running down field. But there we were shooting the episode and I asked “How are we going to do the cookie race?”. They told me “You are going to wear a jock strap and run down the field”, [laughs] I was shocked. We are waiting to get to the point where the writers come up with an idea that basically is a challenge for Spike’s standards department. We haven’t been able to get to that point yet.
MG: With the show entering its second season, what is in store for this season?
AR: Oh man, there is some good stuff. It is a more explosive season. Some episodes we did were just so epic. I do not want to give away what happens but some of the situations we get into are just so crazy. All I can say is it is a hard hitting season.
MG: What has been the hardest part of working on the show?
AR: That is a great question. I do not think anyone has ever asked me that. It is such a fun show. It has such a great cast and crew, it is such a collaborative effort. We have so much input in the show. If I were to complain about something on the show, I have to be the worst person alive because there is really nothing to complain about. As far as difficulty, there was a scene we did where we were tunneling out of a facility in the ground. We are shooting this scene where we are coming out of the mud. They built this giant mud stage. It was physically insane. I was wondering if I was going to die in this mud. I had no idea how I was even going to get out. The rain was like two degrees, it was freezing. It had to be the most physically demanding thing I have had to do on the show. It was still fun though. I slept like a baby that night.
MG: Tell about about working on the show “Smallville” as Arthur Curry/Aquaman?
AR: It has been a really cool run for me. I started out as a little guest star. It has been really well received. I mean a show that has been on for ten years, are you kidding me? It is so rare. As far as coming back for this last season. I think this is where is it going to get really exciting. They are finally starting to take some of those layers off and you are really getting to the gritty stuff. That is exciting for me as an actor. It is going to be re
ally cool.
MG: Tell us about your involved with the film “Beowulf”, your were the character model?
AR: What you were looking at on the screen that was me. I didn’t get to do the voice though. I was fresh into LA and would have loved to have been a part of that though. You have someone like Ray Winston to come in and voice it, which is great. The main difficulty for them is that he was the only actor voicing the part who didn’t look anything like their character. They brought me in to be Beowulf. It was great for me since it was one of my first projects. Getting to work on a Zemeckis film and getting to be around all the great talent. It was a really cool start. The process is so insane. They are photographing you moving, not moving, with clothes and without clothes. It was unbelievable.
MG: What else are you currently working on?
AR: I have worked on a couple of projects that have yet to hit. There is a comedy called “Spring Break ’83”. I do not know exactly when it will be done. That was a fun project to work on. It was sort of a Thad-esque character but in the 80’s. It is like a throwback to “Animal House” and “Revenge of the Nerds”.
Click here to purchase “Blue Mountain State” DVD or Blu-Ray