Alan Ritchson has revealed that working alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger on the upcoming holiday comedy The Man With the Bag taught him a valuable lesson about fame, gratitude and treating fans with kindness.
The Reacher star appears opposite Schwarzenegger in the upcoming Amazon Prime Video film, directed by Adam Shankman and scheduled for release on 2 December.
Speaking on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, Ritchson said his biggest takeaway from the project wasn’t about filmmaking, but about Schwarzenegger’s approach to life.
“It was a treat,” Ritchson said. “He taught me a lot about how gratitude should manifest in the life of somebody dealing with fame.”
The actor admitted he is entering a stage in his career where he has become increasingly aware of “how present fame is and how toxic and intrusive” it can be—not only for himself, but also for his wife, Cat, and their children.
Ritchson said he was inspired by how Schwarzenegger, despite decades of global fame, never hesitated to make time for fans.
He recalled that during filming, people would gather outside the set asking for photographs.
“We would be in the middle of a scene in a diner and people would be banging on the glass because our lockup wasn’t tight enough,” Ritchson said. “They’re like, ‘Oh my God, will you take a picture with us?’ He’d say, ‘Oh, be right there,’ then he’d go outside and take a picture with them.”
According to Ritchson, Schwarzenegger’s willingness to pause and interact with fans changed the way he thinks about celebrity.
“I look at that and I’m like, ‘Cat, if this is his attitude, I have no excuse.’ He showed me something really interesting in the way that he approaches life and his lot in life. I really deeply admire how he treats people.”
In The Man With the Bag, Schwarzenegger stars as Santa Claus, whose magical bag is stolen just before Christmas.
To retrieve it, Santa recruits a former thief—played by Alan Ritchson—from his naughty list, sending the unlikely pair on a festive adventure.
The family comedy is directed by Adam Shankman and premieres on Prime Video on 2 December.
