Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
This episode features actor Alan Ritchson in a wide-ranging conversation with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman about mental health, early struggles in Hollywood, and navigating fame. The guest opens up about his ADHD, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder, connecting his hypervigilance and need for perfection to a turbulent upbringing. Throughout the discussion, the guest and host explore the heavy tolls of past trauma, modeling industry predators, and the tension between holding onto righteous anger versus seeking inner peace. The guest also shares behind-the-scenes stories from making Motor City and Reacher, reflecting on how a pivotal professional rejection completely shifted his acting career.
Dax Shepard welcomes Monica Padman and introduces Alan Ritchson, highlighting his acting career and upcoming projects.
Alan discusses his current Nashville residence, his nomadic past, and his family dynamics with his wife and children.
Alan explains his experiences with hypervigilance, ADHD, and rejection sensitivity disorder, and how they affect his relationships.
Alan shares his history of childhood trauma, diagnosis of CPTSD, and the therapeutic methods he uses to process and heal.
Alan recounts his upbringing, schooling, ballet background, and the decision to leave college for modeling and acting.
Alan describes the predatory environment of the modeling industry, his decision to quit, and how Alan Ritchson’s support helped launch his acting career.
The hosts cover Instagram teen accounts, safety features, and Alan reflects on broader societal issues and personal resilience.
Final reflections on personal growth, the impact of past trauma, and encouragement for listeners to confront their own challenges.
The conversation opens with a critique of societal complacency and the need for passionate activists.
Alan and Dax discuss coping strategies for resentment, the role of anger in motivation, and the importance of addressing emotional baggage.
Discussion shifts to the idea that society needs both empathic protectors and warrior-like figures to address injustice.
The speakers explore the concept of the ‘giver’ from The Giver, linking it to the responsibility of artists to create beyond commercial motives.
The guest recounts his path from American Idol to roles in Smallville, Blue Mountain State, and beyond, highlighting pivotal career decisions.
A conversation about how physical demands and body image expectations shape an actor’s career, especially in roles like Jack Reacher.
The speakers discuss a silent film project, its creative challenges, and its impact on storytelling possibilities.
Struggling With Rejection Sensitivityinsight
The guest explains how his ADHD and fear of criticism lead to extreme hypervigilance and a visceral bodily reaction to perceived rejection, driving him to overcompensate in relationships.
Confronting a Childhood Tumorstory
The guest shares how a large tumor growing in his jaw during high school caused his face to grow sideways and made him a target for bullying before it was surgically removed.
Escaping Modeling Predatorsstory
The guest details the predatory system within the male modeling industry and describes nearly punching an agent who knowingly sent him into abusive situations.
The Safety Conversationinsight
The host shares a realization after an altercation on Sunset Boulevard, noting how his wife explained that his aggressive protection made her feel unsafe rather than secure.
Failing the Thor Auditionstory
After a disastrous audition for Thor where the casting director noted he lacked craft, the guest dedicated himself to intense study and completely transformed his approach to acting.
The guest shares an anecdote about buying a Tesla after walking out of an audition for Titans, only to be offered a different role as a pill-popping vigilante instead.
The Neighborhood Body Camstory
The guest describes the harrowing incident where a belligerent neighbor attacked him on his motorcycle and explains how a body camera he impulsively put on that day saved him from going to jail.
“Hypervigilance? Yeah, you learn to read the room real quick.”
“I don't want to bring this shit up, but it was denied and settled in all those cases that were brought up, right?”
“They operated, they took the wisdom teeth out.”
“I have a feeling looking at you probably better if you don't have a big scar like that for whatever you're going to do in life.”
“I think what Jesus came to do was less establish a religion and more establish a way of leading with self sacrificial love. It costs you something to love like that.”
“And that was the breakthrough for me where I was like, well, fuck me, cause my goal is to make you feel safe.”
“I had never been to LA before and everything about it was, to me, the energy of this town was just full of passion. It was infectious.”
“I think if we lived in a world where everybody's looking for opportunities to sacrifice a little bit of themselves or a lot, to make other people's worlds better, that's heaven.”
“It was great. He's really impressive. We had a great time.”
“I want to continue to tell stories that resonate with people. And there's like a real symbiotic relationship there, right?”
Alan Ritchson (War Machine, Reacher, and Motor City) is an actor. Alan joins the Armchair Expert to discuss growing up in a military family, the surprising path from ballet to action movies, and unpacking newly diagnosed ADHD and CPTSD. Alan and Dax talk about the exploitation he experienced as a young model, surviving childhood bullying, and learning to separate self-worth from success. Alan explains the power of EMDR therapy, the complicated role resentment plays in his life, and why he believes some people are called to carry the fight for others. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
26,175 words · 6 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
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