Alan Ritchson is back as the unstoppable Jack Reacher but what did the actor look like before taking on the iconic role?

Alan Ritchson has reprised his part as former US military police officer Jack Reacher in the Prime Video drama with fans curious to know what he looked like prior to joining the cast.

Reacher season two has made its debut with the first three episodes released on Friday, December 15, and a new instalment coming out every Friday from then on.

Based on author Lee Child’s Bad Luck and Trouble, Reacher, accompanied by some of his ex-teammates, investigates the mysterious murders of others who were in their military unit.

With someone killing off the team one by one, Reacher needs to get to the bottom of the killings before the culprit puts a target on their backs.

Season two consists of eight episodes in total with the finale expected to air on Friday, January 12.

Alan Ritchson before Reacher: What did Jack Reacher star look like before Prime drama? (Image: PRIME VIDEO)

What did Reacher actor Alan Ritchson look like before the Prime Video drama?

Reacher in Child’s novels is described as a former US military officer that’s 6ft 5in and “extremely tall, extremely broad, long-armed and long-legged” with “hands the size of dinner plates”.

The character makes a big impression whenever he walks into a room because of his stature and Ritchson is definitely a looming presence whenever he appears on screen.

While Ritchson is fairly close in height at 6ft 2in, he wasn’t always as built up as he is in the first and second seasons of the Prime Video series.

Back in February 2020, Ritchson attended the premiere of the action-comedy movie Spy Intervention California and he looks a lot thinner than he does now.

Alan Ritchson at the premiere of Spy Intervention in February 2020. (Image: GETTY)

Wearing a black tuxedo and matching tie, Ritchson is seen on the red carpet, clutching his hands with a big smile plastered on his face.

It is clear to see though that the actor was a lot skinnier prior to him being cast as Jack Reacher.

He reportedly weighed 205 lbs before Reacher but needed to gain another 30 lbs so he could live up to fans’ expectations of what the character should look like.

To do so, he needed to stick to a tough training regime and eat more than a whopping 4,500 calories a day in order to prepare.

Reacher season two continues every Friday on Amazon Prime Video. (Image: AMAZON PRIME VIDEO)

Explaining on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Ritchson said:  “I don’t know if you’ve ever done [it].

“It’s a full-time job to eat enough to put on 30 pounds.”

“I had an assistant whose only job was to bring me food. It was like a conveyor belt of smoothies and protein.”