"Reacher" star Alan Ritchson says he had auditioned to play Marvel superhero Thor but lost out on the opportunity because he didn't take the gig seriously.

The actor, who has tasted success with Prime Video's series "Reacher", said he had tried out for Marvel Studios 2011 action-fantasy movie "Thor". The titular role was eventually played by Chris Hemsworth.

Ritchson said he didn't pay much attention to acting as he believed the studio would hand him the project if he looked the part.

"I didn't take it (the audition) seriously. I was like, 'They'll throw me the part if I look like the guy; nobody really cares about acting'," he told Men's Health magazine.

The casting team of "Thor" later told Ritchson's representatives that the actor hadn't shown that he had "the craft".

After the setback, the actor enrolled in acting classes and went on to book series such as "Black Mirror", "New Girl", "Brooklyn Nine-Nine", and "Titans", before making a breakthrough with "Reacher".

"I had about 50 offers the weekend after season one of 'Reacher' opened. I knew my life had changed," he added.

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