The hallowed audition halls of American Idol have long been home to some truly iconic moments, from hilarious retorts by former host Simon Cowell to some questionable renditions of “She Bangs” by Ricky Martin. Among the more memorable moments across the reality competition show’s 21-season run is the appearance of soon-to-be-famous faces, with everyone from Aretha Franklin’s granddaughter to Glee’s Naya Rivera auditioning for the series throughout the years.
Perhaps an even starrier contestant arrived way back in 2004, when Alan Ritchson — who would go on to star in blockbuster titles like The Hunger Games, Fast X, and the television series Reacher — waltzed into the American Idol audition room with his vocal range in tow. So how did Ritchson fare in the singing competition, and how did it impact his future career in Hollywood?
Alan Ritchson’s ‘American Idol’ audition, explained
Alan Ritchson auditioned for American Idol in 2003, when the reality series was filming its third season to be aired the following year. According to Ritchson, the audition process took place in Atlanta and arrived at a time when the then 20-year-old was three years into his modelling career and feeling unsatisfied with its trajectory.
Ritchson auditioned for American Idol season three with a performance of Stevie Wonder’s 1972 song “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”. Paula Abdul, Cowell and Randy Jackson, who each served as judges for season three, each voted “yes” for the actor’s performance, progressing him to the Hollywood Round. Ritchson’s audition was notable for his chemistry with Abdul, who he performed for while Cowell and Jackson left the room.
Ritchson remained on the show for a few more episodes — performing the George Benson song “On Broadway” in the Hollywood Round — but did not make it to the judges’ top 32 contestants. For reference, the third season of American Idol was home to future EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson, so Ritchson, a model by trade and aspiring actor, faced tough competition.
While it was an unsuccessful stint, Ritchson has credited American Idol with kick-starting his acting career, since he remained in Los Angeles after his time on the show and eventually landed acting auditions and booked commercials. During an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Ritchson said he was tricked by American Idol producers into filming a poolside scene with a fellow model contestant, and joked the editors portrayed him unfairly.
While he has since become known as an actor, Ritchson kept his vocal cords warm since American Idol. In 2021, Ritchson re-shared a ten-year-old video of himself performing a cover of the song “Black Bird” on Facebook. Who knows, maybe a debut album is on the cards for Jack Reacher himself.