According to the actor, he was under the impression that his agency “knew what was going to happen,” and he also said that he attempted suicide in 2019.
It was at a photoshoot when Alan Ritchson disclosed that he had been the victim of sexual assault. This was the event that ultimately led to his decision to leave the modeling business entirely.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ritchson, who is most known for his work on the Prime Video series Reacher, began his career as a model. He referred to the profession as “legalized sex trafficking” in his statement.
“The industry is not regulated, and it is a widely known secret that if you are hired on a job, you are basically being passed off to a photographer to be trafficked,” the actor, who is 41 years old, said in an interview with the journal. “I can’t count on two hands the amount of occasions and scenarios in which I was placed in horrifying conditions where sexual assault was the aim and the money that you were eager for in order to live was the carrot. I’ve been in situations where I was forced to endure sexual abuse. It occurs pretty often.”
After then, the conversation shifted its focus to his own experience with sexual assault. According to him, there was a time when his agency scheduled him for a session for a “very famous photographer.” However, he did not provide any names for the photographer.
“I was sent into a hotel room to do nudes with the promise that if I did the shoot, he would offer me a very lucrative campaign for a magazine and a clothing line,” he said to reporters. Ritchson, on the other hand, claims that this was not the outcome of the whole situation.
This individual was responsible for my sexual attack. After leaving, I drove directly to the agency that I was working at in Los Angeles. “I stormed in and said, ‘F–k you for sending me there,'” I said. Recalling the incident, Ritchson said that he was under the impression that his agent was aware of the individual’s predatory conduct.
“You were aware of what was about to take place, yet you went ahead and did it anyhow. Despite the fact that he was aware that he had been apprehended, this spy wore a sly grin. He said, “It’s fine.” It’s not a huge issue, so try to relax. You will not be sent back there by me. I’m aware that he may be a little bit hostile. My response was, “No! F–k you!” I demanded that they never give me another call. Ritchson said, “I decided to leave the industry.”
When asked about his salary, Ritchson said that he was “one of the highest paid” at his agency. The actor further said that it was the last photoshoot he had ever done, and that the photographs were “never seen or published.” He shared this information to the source, saying, “That was it.” I made a solemn vow to stop, and I am grateful to God that acting came into my life at precisely the same moment. As a result, I was able to transition into a new line of work, but it left me with some scars!
In addition, Ritchson disclosed that he had attempted suicide in 2019, which was discussed in the same interview.
“I did it to myself. According to what he shared with the magazine, “I was dangling there as it all happened so quickly.” He said that the event took place in the attic of his house.
Ritchson said that he then had a vision of his three boys, all of whom are less than 12 years old, in their thirties, urging him “not to do it, and told me that they wanted me to be here, alive, and a part of their lives.” Ritchson’s kids are all much younger than them.
Having performed “a million pull-ups,” the muscular actor was able to lift himself up by drawing on his previous expertise. After that, he was given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which he has previously discussed in public.