If you’ve watched season two of the hit Amazon Prime series, you know the moment. It’s that visceral, "oh crap" realization when Jack Reacher—a man usually depicted as an unstoppable force of nature—runs into someone who actually makes him look like a middleweight. That someone was Paulie. Ever since that brutal showdown in the driveway, fans have been scouring the internet to figure out who played Paulie in Reacher because, let’s be honest, finding a human being that big isn't exactly easy.
His name is Olivier Richters.
He’s not just an actor. He’s a Dutch professional bodybuilder and fitness entrepreneur who stands at a staggering 7 feet 2 inches tall. In the world of bodybuilding, he’s known as "The Dutch Giant." When Lee Child wrote the Reacher books, he described Paulie as a "human mountain" hopped up on steroids, someone so massive that even Reacher felt a pang of genuine physical intimidation. Casting Richters was probably the most "book-accurate" decision the showrunners ever made.
The Man Behind the Mountain: Olivier Richters
Most people assume the camera was doing some heavy lifting with angles or forced perspective to make Paulie look that imposing. Nope. While Alan Ritchson is a massive guy himself—standing about 6'3" and weighing in at a shredded 235 pounds—he looks almost "normal" next to Richters.
Richters weighs around 350 pounds.
Think about that for a second. That is over 100 pounds of additional mass on a frame that towers nearly a foot over Ritchson. When we talk about who played Paulie in Reacher, we are talking about a man who holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest professional bodybuilder.
Richters didn't just wake up this way. He was born with a condition called pectus excavatum, where the breastbone is sunken into the chest. He’s been very open about how this fueled his drive to transform his physique. He didn't just want to be healthy; he wanted to be a titan. He underwent a pretty intense surgery to correct the bone structure and then spent years consuming upwards of 7,000 calories a day to build the muscle mass he carries now.
Why Paulie Mattered for Season 2
In the context of the story—specifically the book Bad Luck and Trouble which Season 2 is based on—Paulie serves a very specific narrative purpose. Up until that point, Reacher wins through sheer physical dominance. He’s the hammer; everyone else is the nail.
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Paulie changes the math.
When Richters steps onto the screen, the vibe shifts from an action-thriller to something bordering on a monster movie. The fight sequence between the two is messy, grueling, and uncomfortably loud. It wasn't about flashy martial arts. It was about two massive objects colliding until one of them broke.
Honestly, the casting worked because Richters has this uncanny ability to look menacing without doing much. In his scenes as Paulie, he’s mostly just there, a looming shadow in the background of the villains' operations. But when he finally engages, the physical stakes for Reacher have never been higher.
Beyond Reacher: Where Else Have You Seen The Dutch Giant?
If Richters looked familiar to you while you were watching Reacher, it’s probably because he’s been popping up in major franchises for the last few years. Hollywood has finally realized that if you need a "big guy," you might as well get the biggest guy on the planet.
- Black Widow (2021): He played Ursa Major in the prison scene. Even in a room full of Russian convicts, he stood out like a sore thumb.
- The King's Man (2021): He had a brief but memorable role as a huge shackled guard.
- Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023): He played Hauke, one of the henchmen chasing Indy.
It’s a niche, sure. But it’s a niche he owns. When casting directors ask for who played Paulie in Reacher, they aren't looking for a classically trained Shakespearean actor; they are looking for a physical presence that requires no CGI to intimidate the audience. Richters brings that in spades.
The Reality of Being a 7'2" Actor
Living at that size isn't all Hollywood glamour and crushing protagonists. Richters has talked at length about the logistics of his life. He has to custom-order almost everything he wears. Airplanes are a nightmare. Standard doorways are a constant threat to his forehead.
On the set of Reacher, the production team had to account for his scale. While Alan Ritchson often uses "lifts" or stands on boxes to look taller than his co-stars (a common trick for the 6'5" character), he had to do the opposite with Richters. They wanted the height gap to be glaring. It emphasizes Reacher’s underdog status in that specific fight, which is a rare treat for fans of the series.
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Breaking Down the Paulie vs. Reacher Fight
Let's get into the weeds of that fight. If you go back and re-watch it, notice the choreography. Reacher can't use his standard power moves. He can't just shoulder-charge Paulie and expect him to fall over.
Richters played Paulie with a sort of slow, inevitable momentum. He didn't need to be fast. He just needed to land one hit.
The production team, including stunt coordinators, reportedly had a blast figuring out how to make a 6'3" powerhouse like Ritchson look vulnerable. They utilized the environment—cars, walls, gravel—to show that Reacher was fighting for his life. It’s one of the few times in the series where Reacher’s face shows genuine "I might actually lose this" concern.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Character
There’s a common misconception that Paulie was just "muscle for hire." In the books, he’s a bit more complex—a man whose entire identity is wrapped up in his chemical enhancement and physical size.
While the show didn't spend twenty minutes on Paulie’s backstory (it’s an action show, after all), Richters managed to convey that singular focus. He wasn't there to talk. He was a biological weapon.
Some fans complained that the fight ended too quickly or that Reacher "cheated" to win. But that’s the point of the Jack Reacher character. He isn't a sportsman. He doesn't care about a fair fight. If he’s facing a 7'2" monster played by Olivier Richters, he’s going to use every dirty trick in the book to survive.
The Future for Olivier Richters
Now that the secret is out regarding who played Paulie in Reacher, what’s next for the Dutch Giant?
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He’s heavily involved in his business, Muscle Meat, which provides specialized nutrition for athletes in Europe. But his acting career is clearly on an upward trajectory. He has expressed interest in playing more "human" roles—characters that have depth beyond just being "the big guy."
However, as long as Hollywood needs someone to make their leading men look small, Richters' phone is going to keep ringing. There is a certain charm to seeing a real-life giant on screen in an era where we usually just use a green screen and some digital trickery.
Final Thoughts on Casting Paulie
Casting the right person for Paulie was make-or-break for Season 2’s physical tension. If they had used a 6'5" guy and tried to trick the camera, the audience would have felt it. By hiring Richters, the show gave us a moment of genuine awe.
It’s rare to see a show commit so hard to the "larger than life" descriptions in a book series. Usually, "huge" in a script translates to "slightly above average" in reality. Not this time.
Actionable Next Steps for Reacher Fans
If you’re fascinated by the physicality of the show or the casting of Olivier Richters, here is how you can dive deeper:
- Follow the Source: Read Lee Child's Bad Luck and Trouble. It provides a much more internal look at how Reacher calculates the danger when he first sees Paulie.
- Check the Stats: Look up Olivier Richters' YouTube channel. He documents his "Giant" lifestyle, including the insane amount of food he has to eat to maintain his Paulie-level physique.
- Watch the Behind-the-Scenes: Amazon Prime often releases "X-Ray" content during the episodes. Re-watch the Paulie fight and check the trivia sidebar for notes on the stunt work and Richters' casting.
- Monitor Season 3: Casting news for the next season is already trickling out. Given the success of the Paulie fight, expect the showrunners to keep looking for unique physical performers to challenge Ritchson.
The mystery of who played Paulie in Reacher is solved, but the impact that Olivier Richters had on the series will likely influence how villains are cast in the show for years to come. Bigger is usually better in the Reacher-verse, and it doesn't get much bigger than the Dutch Giant.