'Reacher', 'Hunger Games' Actor Alan Ritchson Stands for Movies That Honor 'the Name of Christ'

Actor Alan Ritchson says he has a passion for faith-based movies and wants them to succeed at the box office so even more will be produced. 

"I want to be a part of stories like that," Ritchson said, according to Christian Headlines. 

As CBN News reported last month, Ritchson, 40, known for his roles as Jack Reacher in Amazon's Reacher series and as Gloss in the movie The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, will star alongside two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank in the new motion picture titled Ordinary Angels. It is scheduled to be released on Oct. 13. 

The movie is being produced by the Erwin brothers' Kingdom Story Company. They're the producers behind the faith-based box office success Jesus Revolution. The production company also produced American Underdog, I Can Only Imagine, and I Still Believe.

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Described as a remarkable true story, Ordinary Angels centers on Sharon Stevens (Swank), a fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed Schmitt (Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters. With Ed's youngest daughter waiting for a liver transplant, Sharon sets her mind to helping the family and will move mountains to do it, Deadline reports. 

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports the story took place in 1994 during a record-breaking snowstorm. Stevens had "raised tens of thousands of dollars for the family's growing medical expenses and arranged for a private jet to fly the family from Louisville to Omaha when the time came."

Ritchson, a Christian, told Christian Headlines the movie is a story of God using broken people to accomplish His will.

"God continually shows up in our world in a way that kind of boggles our mind," Ritchson said. "Because we, for whatever reason, I think we continue to buy into the idea that ... God chooses heroes to do His work. And it's just never been the case. It's the broken and the dysfunctional that God proves His power and strength through. And this a story of that, too."

"It's important that we remember that those who may be struggling to follow the rules, who don't look like the perfect Christians, who are the broken, are the people that God has a funny way of expressing Himself through," he added. "And that story is very much told in Ordinary Angels."

The Grand Forks, North Dakota native made the comments during a recent Zoom "prayer call" involving cast and crew from Ordinary Angels, according to Christian Headlines. 

Ritchson, a 19-year veteran of the entertainment business, recognizes that some studio executives are only interested in the bottom line of faith-based films. But that "doesn't change the fact that people are hearing the name of Christ in movie theaters," he told the outlet. 

"And if that's where the pulpit is for people who wouldn't normally step foot in a church, then that's still a great way to have that conversation," the actor said. "...It matters that these films get supported." 

When Christians support faith-based movies, he added, "Other people in {Hollywood} watch this and a groundswell kind of takes place in Hollywood that changes things in a real meaningful way."

Ritchson resides in Florida with his wife Catherine and their three children. He has spoken openly about his struggles with bipolar disorder. He even has his own inspirational YouTube channel titled Instachurch. The channel's description reads: "Daring to awaken the other half of us. Let's take a look at scripture and how it relates to our lives today." 

His latest video was posted on Easter Sunday. His message is described as "The most powerful picture of who you really are is discovered through the story of Easter."

EDITOR'S NOTE: In reporting about steps that high-profile individuals are taking to follow Christ, CBN does not endorse past or current behavior that may not line up with the Word of God. As we report positive developments in celebrities' spiritual journeys, we encourage our readers to pray for everyone in the news, that the fruit of God would grow in all of our lives.