Alan Ritchson talks ‘The Hunger Games Catching Fire’ and ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ reboot

A regular on Blue Mountain State and TV’s Smallville, Alan Ritchson, will now be jumping to the big screen in a big way with roles in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and next year’s reboot Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

Backlot began their interview with Ritchson by asking about the jump to film.

“I think we could have quite easily stayed in TV.And it was a conversation. Do we stay in TV and try and get a show that has a broader fan base, where we can reach more people [and] build a bigger name and brand and then branch out? Or, do we take the risk and go now? And within two weeks of leaving Blue Mountain State all these great opportunities came in TV , making it a really hard decision. I ended up going with the show Super Fun Night [created and starring Rebel Wilson] on CBS.”

Hunger Games is described as a ‘game changer’ in the interview and Ritchson can’t deny the franchise’s impact.

“Yes. However, whatever capacity I’m involved in this [film], it’s so big that it takes everybody with it. I don’t think that I quite realized that even after doing the big PR tour and traveling and meeting everybody. There’s definitely a frenzy and a hunger for it, no pun intended.”

Ritchson was a fan of the Hunger Games books, but had to answer about TMNT and playing Raphael.

“I was already a fan of the books before the first film was ever shot. [Nina Jacobson, Producer] did such a great job of painting the picture of this world and these characters, their dilemmas. It wasn’t a lot of work for me to do. I mean, it was a challenge to bring the character alive, especially Gloss from District One is in a grey zone. A little bit different from like Katniss, who is way out in District Twelve who has no allegiance to Capital…There is some interesting inner conflict creating that kind of humanity in a character that really was created to be a villain. It was a challenge, but I went straight to the source material and stayed true to that. I think Francis Lawrence [Catching Fire Director] and everybody involved has – even more than the first picture – stayed very true to the novel, which I think is a good thing.”

 Then Raphael and TMNT:

“I actually didn’t read any of the comic books– and I really hope I don’t offend anyone  saying that– but for me, I think we all know who Raphael is. He’s known as the angry hothead of the group. He is quick tempered and is quick to act. He is less thoughtful of people’s feelings and emotions and consequences. That’s something I can relate to as a person. I am very quick to act, like, ‘okay, decision’s made, let’s go for it.’

So I can relate to him in that sense, but I think just zoning in on who that guy is and then understanding the back story… how these guys were formed in the context of our story and where they came from, and the feelings of abandonment or betrayal. All those very real human feelings are something that are contained within that world, and I think we did a good job of creating a setting and a foundation for that.”

Check out the full interview HERE

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire opened in theaters November 22 and the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film is set to open June 6, 2014.