Page 14 - aruba-today-20220204

a14 people & arts
Friday 4 February 2022
Amazon's 'Reacher' brings character closer to author's book

By ALICIA RANCILIO ly arrested for murder when
Associated Press he shows up, and he basi-
NEW YORK (AP) — Adapta- cally has to solve his own
tions of books to film and case."
television often take liber- Willa Fitzgerald and Mal-
ties or stray from the origi- com Goodwin play local
nal text. Tom Cruise played authorities who team up
Jack Reacher twice on film with Reacher in the inves-
but didn't match the physi- tigation. The hope is that
cal description of the char- future seasons will follow
acter described by author where Reacher goes and
Lee Child. who he encounters.
Child's Reacher is 6 foot, 5 "It feels a little bit like an an-
inches tall. Cruise is under 6 thology where Reacher re-
feet. mains the centerpiece and
A new Amazon Originals those vibrant, interesting
series " Reacher " has found characters that orbit him
an actor closer to the au- change and the settings
thor's profile of the former change."
U.S. Army officer who trav- Ritchson says he's well-
els the country without aware that the role comes
a plan, but finds trouble with a responsibility to
wherever he goes. please the fans.
Alan Ritchson, ("Titans," "There are a lot of people
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Tur- This image released by Amazon shows Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in a scene from the Ama- that were right for this and
tles") who stars as Reach- zon series "Reacher." wanted to do this," Ritchson
er in the series, is 6 foot, 2 Associated Press said. "
inches tall. In the series, his There's a chip on my shoul-
Reacher towers over just Where the TV Reacher of demonstrating how his seriously that we miss that der to prove every day I
about everyone he meets strays from the books is with mind works." sense of humor," he said. show up to work that I am
and draws attention for his dialogue. "Reacher said One of the actor's favorite The debut season of the right guy, and they
size wherever he goes. This nothing" is a common writ- parts of portraying Reacher "Reacher," premiering Fri- made the right choice."
Reacher is referred to regu- ten phrase in the book, but is bringing to life how funny day, is based on "Killing To prepare, he made a
larly out loud by adjectives Ritchson's Reacher, while the character can be in Floor," the first book in the point to read all the Jack
about his height, such as an observer, speaks his the books. series. Reacher books and soon
"giant" and "stretch." mind. "When you read the books, "He's a minimalist," says became a devotee. (There
Ritchson says he can relate "Lee Child in the books (the humor) is sometimes Ritchson of the character. are 26 books in Child's se-
to that and deals with "size- had the luxury of explain- hidden between the lines, "The kind of guy that walks ries.)
ism often" in his own life, de- ing what's going on in- or you see it in the way that around with nothing but a "As I read each book, I
scribing his height and girth. side Reacher's head," said characters in the book sort toothbrush and a passport, couldn't wait to get to
"I took my son to a trampo- Ritchson. "But that's a little of react uncomfortably to but trouble finds him wher- the next one. I think I'm
line park with his friend re- tougher to adapt to the him, and he's comfortable ever he goes. So he just on par with the super fans
cently and my son told me screen without literally hav- in that space. I would laugh happens to stumble into out there. I really wanted
his friend said "your dad has ing a narrator. So I think out loud reading the books. circumstances. He arrives to get every detail right,
gotten fat," laughed Ritch- (showrunner) Nick San- .. I wanted to make sure this off a bus in a small town in and I want to honor this
son in a Zoom interview. tora did an incredible job show didn't take itself so Georgia and is immediate- character."q

'Ozark's' Jason Bateman feted as Hasty Pudding Man of Year

man is being feted as 2022 Robert De Niro and Sam- Bosses" movies, "Game
Man of the Year by Har- uel L. Jackson. The 2022 Night," and "Identity Thief."
vard University's Hasty Pud- Woman of the Year, Jenni- At age 18, he became the
ding Theatricals. fer Garner, will be honored Directors Guild of Ameri-
Thursday evening's festivi- Saturday. ca's youngest director for
ties will mark the first time Bateman, 52, earned a directing three episodes
the award has been pre- Primetime Emmy for out- of "Valerie," according to
sented since the corona- standing directing in a Hasty Pudding Theatricals,
virus pandemic began in drama in 2020 for "Ozark," which dates to 1844 and
2020. two SAG awards for acting calls itself the third oldest
The "Arrested Develop- in "Ozark," and a best ac- theater group in the world.
ment" star also produced tor Golden Globe in 2005 The Man of the Year
and directed "Ozark," a for his portrayal of Michael Award has been handed
popular Netflix series. He's Bluth in "Arrested Develop- out since 1967, and the
the 55th recipient of the ment." Woman of the Year Award
theater troupe's coveted Bateman, whose acting was established in 1951.
Actor Jason Bateman arrives at a special screening of "Ozark"
Season 2 at Arclight Hollywood on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, in pudding pot. career dates to the early The awards recognize
Los Angeles. The last Man of the Year 1980s, has appeared in people who have made
Associated Press was Ben Platt in 2020. Past multiple television shows lasting and impressive
recipients include Clint and starred in several films contributions to the world
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — "Ozark" actor Jason Bate- Eastwood, Tom Hanks, including the "Horrible of entertainment.q