Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault and suicide which some readers may find distressing
Alan Ritchson has opened up about the dark side of his days as a model.
The actor - known for roles in Smallville, Blue Mountain State and Reacher to name a few - began his career as model for well-known brands, before it all came crashing down when he was sexually assaulted by a 'very famous photographer'.
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During a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ritchson recounted being invited to meet with the unnamed photographer in a hotel room 'to do nudes with the promise that if I did the shoot, he would offer me a very lucrative campaign for a magazine and a clothing line'.
But not all was as it seemed, and as the now 41-year-old said the shoot ended with him being sexually assault by the photographer - something which he claims the agency representing him at the time 'knew was going to happen'.
“I was sexually assaulted by this guy. I left and drove straight to the agency that I was at in LA," Ritchson said.
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"I stormed in and said, ‘F*** you for sending me there. You knew what was going to happen, and you did it anyway.’ There was a coy smile [on this agent’s face], knowing he got caught."
After being told to 'calm down' by his agent, the actor not only told the agency never to contact him again, but left the modelling industry as a whole and said the photographs taken that day were 'never seen or published'.
"That was it. I swore it off and thank God acting found me at the exact same time so I was able to make a switch to a new career, but it left some scars," Ritchson continued.
"There are very few redeeming qualities to working in that industry. Let’s be honest, it’s like legalized sex trafficking. The industry is not regulated, and it’s a widely known secret that if you’re hired on a job, you’re basically being passed off to a photographer to be trafficked."
The Reacher star also recounted an uncomfortable experience with another well-known photographer, Mario Testino, who Ritchson claimed touched him inappropriately at Paris Fashion Week in 2014.
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The actor claimed when he rejected Testino's advances, the photographer attempted to bribe him by offering him to shoot the cover of Vogue.
At the time, the law firm representing Testino told the New York Times that the allegations made against him were made by people who 'cannot be considered reliable sources'.
While Ritchson was able to leave the industry, the effects of his experiences had on him were long-lasting and in 2019, prompted by the breakdown of a business relationship, he attempted to take his own life.
"I hung myself," he admitted. "It all happened so fast and I was dangling there."
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But while it was happening, Ritchson saw a vision of his three sons, currently age 11, 10 and eight, standing there as adults in their mid-30s, around the same age he was at the time.
"They calmly asked me not to do it, and told me that they wanted me to be here, alive and part of their lives," he explained, adding that he immediately pulled himself up and then blacked out.
Shortly afterwards, Ritchson sought help for his mental health and was diagnosed with bipolar. The actor recently received an additional diagnosis of ADHD.
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Fortunately, Ritchson is doing considerably better now and said his decision to stay alive has ultimately led to him finding his purpose 'to make the world a better place and serve others,' because 'that is what life is all about'.
UNILAD has contacted Mario Testino for comment.
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Topics: Celebrity