Robert Patrick has encountered some big tough guys on screen, but there is one TV star that terrified him more than any of them.

SUMMARY

 Robert Patrick admits that James Gandolfini was the most intimidating actor he worked with, even more so than action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Cena.
 Patrick recalls a scene in The Sopranos where Gandolfini’s intensity made him fear for his safety, and the experience was similar to working with Alan Ritchson in Reacher.
 Despite being known for playing tough guys, Patrick enjoys playing good guys and appreciates the opportunity to go against type in roles like that of Davey Scatino in The Sopranos.

Robert Patrick should be taking things a little easier as a 65-year-old, but he hasn’t given up his tough guy ways just yet.

Although he is often seen playing bad guys with a penchant for violence, as he does once again in season two of Prime Video’s Reacher, there is one person he played opposite that terrified him more than any of the man-mountain stars he has been pitted against.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Patrick opened up about his tough guy persona, which has seen him take on the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Cena, and most recently Alan Ritchson in Reacher.

But it was his casting in HBO’s The Sopranos that brought him into contact with the actor who was much more intimidating than any of those action heroes. He said:

“As much as I get cast playing bad guys, I do enjoy playing a good guy. But David Chase, when he did The Sopranos, he was thinking about that role. We had met for a film a couple of years prior to him creating The Sopranos, and for some reason, he thought of me for Davey Scatino.

He called me and said, “This isn’t a part you’d normally get cast in, but for some reason, I think this would be a good thing for you to do. It’s against type, you’re gonna get your a– beat by James Gandolfini.

I’m gonna be honest with you. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alan Ritchson, John Cena — the guy who terrified me the most was Jimmy Gandolfini. God rest, Jimmy — He’s f—-n’ intense! I thought he was going to bite my head off! We did that scene in one take, and it was against type.

There’s something similar here, with the way it went with Ritchson. The first time I ever groveled in my career was to James Gandolfini.

And the second time I ever groveled in my career was to Alan Ritchson, because I’m pleading like a little b—h! You know what I mean? I’m like, “No, please! Wahhhh!” And it’s fun!”

Robert Patrick Shared His Thoughts on His New Costar, Alan Ritchson

Although no one would want to throw shade at the mighty Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a recent interview Patrick was asked to compare the Terminator star to his Reacher costar Alan Ritchson.

Having taken a beating from both of them, Patrick is certainly in as good a place as any to give an opinion on the two giants of the action genre, and he had and answer – even if he hopes Arnie doesn’t hear about it. He said:

Alan’s bigger. Don’t tell Arnold I said that. . But right now, Alan in his present state and age, he’s bigger. … Alan encompasses a lot of similarities in the size of his massiveness of muscle gain. And he moves very well. And Arnold moves very well. They’re both athletic guys.