Before becoming a certified action star across four seasons of “Reacher,” Alan Ritchson played a DC hero in “Smallville.” The CW series that aired from 2001 to 2011 followed Clark Kent’s (Tom Welling) origin story and introduced a few key members of the Justice League before the protagonist embraced the red cape. Ritchson joined in Season 5, playing Arthur “A.C.” Curry, aka Aquaman. Although his take on the younger version of the King of the Seven Seas was well-received by fans, the actor was still a Hollywood newcomer, and studio executives were reluctant to cast him as a series lead in a “Smallville” spin-off about his character.
During his guest appearance on “Inside of You,” a podcast hosted by Lex Luthor himself, Michael Rosenbaum, Ritchson shared that he wasn’t upset by the decision. “I hadn’t done anything at the time,” he said, while pointing out that Aquaman was his big break. Given that his introduction in the series prompted record-breaking viewership, talks about an “Aquaman” spin-off emerged, and Ritchson was in consideration early on.
“We started working on a deal, and at the time, UPN and Warner Bros. had merged to create The CW. The president of UPN had taken over, and he was looking at this roster of shows and going, ‘Who the hell is that guy?’ Which is the same thing that I would do,” he said.
The rejection offered Ritchson a valuable lesson, proving that nothing is guaranteed in Hollywood. Roles can come and go, and some titles never get past the pre-production phase. “It taught me to hold real loosely to stuff, and I think that is a great lesson to have right out of the gate,” he told Rosenbaum.
Alan Ritchson and Justin Hartley were both part of Smallville’s Justice League
Although Alan Ritchson didn’t land the part in the Aquaman spin-off, another “Smallville” alum did. Justin Hartley, who was known for his role in the NBC soap opera “Passions,” starred in the “Aquaman” pilot. The episode was filmed but never aired. Still, Hartley made his way into “Smallville” as Oliver Queen, whose superhero alter ego is Green Arrow.
Ritchson and Hartley shared the screen in Season 6, Episode 11, titled “Justice.” Their memorable crossover also led to the series’ formation of the Justice League, as Clark joins forces with his superhero peers to take down Lex Luthor’s Level 33.1 project. The episode remains one of the highest-rated in “Smallville”.
Before the episode aired, Ritchson shared with TVGuide in 2007 that there was no awkwardness between him and Hartley after the latter played “Aquaman” in the canceled spin-off. “There’s absolutely no tension between Justin and myself,” he said. “I’m happy for his success…. He’s a really great guy. Business is business.” Hartley shared the sentiment, saying that Alan’s portrayal of the character was different from his own.