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Alan Ritchson, the star of Reacher, isn’t holding back when it comes to his childhood classmate, former Congressman Matt Gaetz. In a recent interview with GQ, Ritchson made it clear he has nothing but disdain for the controversial politician, calling him an adversary and using some choice words to describe him.
Ritchson, who grew up in Niceville, Florida, alongside Gaetz, expressed his shock that the Florida Panhandle continues to support the former congressman despite his history. “That mother******. We are adversaries,” he said bluntly. “It’s shocking to me that the Panhandle of Florida continues to vote for somebody—knowing everything we know about him and the promises that he’s made behind closed doors about pardoning certain criminals—he’s just not a good dude!”
The actor even hinted at the idea of stepping into politics himself, saying he has considered running against people like Gaetz. However, he admitted he’s not sure he has the level of duplicity needed to be successful in the political world.
Though the GQ interview covered a range of personal and professional topics—including Ritchson’s struggles with drug use, a past suicide attempt, his Hollywood career, and fatherhood—it was his comments about Gaetz that stood out the most.
Gaetz, who served as a congressman from 2017 until his resignation last year, has been at the center of controversy for years. Initially, he was tapped by former President Donald Trump as a potential pick for Attorney General.
However, a House Ethics Committee report accused Gaetz of engaging in sexual activities with a 17-year-old, among other serious allegations. The scandal ultimately led to his withdrawal from consideration.
Ritchson’s words indicate there’s no love lost between the two men, and it’s safe to say Gaetz might want to steer clear of his former classmate. Given Ritchson’s Reacher persona, some might even joke that the politician wouldn’t want to find himself in a real-life face-off with the action star.
