After Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan ends its run on July 14th, John Krasinski will have played the character for four seasons and 30 episodes. The fifth actor to have played Tom Clancy’s titular hero, he’s also leaving behind the longest-running incarnation of the character so far. While the final opinions of the fans will have to wait until next month’s grand finale, the cast of Jack Ryan have shared their feelings on how Krasinski’s portrayal will be remembered.
Don’t worry, you’re not venturing into any spoilers for the June 30th premiere of Season 4, or any of the subsequent two-episode drops leading to the Jack Ryan finale. However, there are some fun anecdotes and compliments, thanks to the fact that I was on hand to ask after such feelings personally.
The press day of the Prime Video subscription driver connected me virtually with cast members like Michael Kelly and Wendell Pierce, who respectively play Mike November and James Greer themselves. As two of the longest-running cast members on the series, Pierce and Kelly have seen John Krasinski’s handling of the Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan machine personally. They shared their feelings with CinemaBlend:
Michael Kelly: "I think he will be remembered as the guy who did it the best. Maybe I’m biased, I love what those other guys did. I think they were great. But I think given John had a slight advantage in that we were able to do the story in long format. All the other guys had to do it in an hour and a half, we were able to tell the story over four seasons of eight episodes a season, or six this season.
"To me, John I felt brought not just the humanity of Jack Ryan, and the intelligence. He’s an incredibly gifted action star as well. But the humor, right? He brings that little extra thing that he does so well, the ability to blend all three of those things: he’s an action star, funny, and very connected to humanity and the righteous way. I think that he was able to blend those three perfectly and that’s my opinion. And sure I might be biased, but I think he’s the best one."
Wendell Pierce: "John had the vision for the show. He’s a producer on the show, and he was able to pull together all the departments, and pull together all the actors and directors, and the scripts. And really, everyone shared the vision Jack Ryan. To be able to do that in the long form, so you can take advantage of it, so you don’t have to sell any element short, and really develop it in a way, like a visual novel, knowing that the audience is gonna stick with you. And he’ll be remembered for that, pulling together the vision."
Serving as an executive producer on the series, John Krasinski is not only a driving force in front of the camera, but he’s also lent his prowess to the production side of Jack Ryan’s streaming run. His respect for the material has always been apparent, right down to Krasinski’s reaction to meeting with the CIA on behalf of the show.
Someone who also appreciates that dedication is Abbie Cornish, as the hands-on approach of the Krasinski-era of Jack Ryan is part of why she thinks the Amazon Prime franchise will endure. Returning for Season 4, her Dr. Cathy Muller gets to pose more personal challenges to our hero, especially because of how she happens to reappear in his life.
Sharing the room, and the love, was actor Betty Gabriel, another returning figure in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. Reprising her role of Elizabeth Wright, Gabriel's character faces some huge obstacles through her and Dr. Ryan's new positions as Acting Director and Acting Deputy Director of the CIA. Even in the light of such gravity, Betty was able to still crack a joke when explaining to CinemaBlend why she thinks John Krasinski will be remembered as Jack Ryan:
Betty Gabriel: "Oh, I think he’ll be best remembered for his height. You know, you can see him from across the country. I think he’s just got this way of bringing levity to quite severe, serious situations. I think the newer generations have had the luxury of content and news, and that sort of being filtered through a humorous lens, if that makes sense. The Jon Stewart shows … and Trevor Noah. You have a lot of comedic news shows, and you have a lot of information coming at you. I think he’s able to operate on that wavelength that’s quite lightning quick, and slightly funny."
Abbie Cornish: "What a great character for him to play and embody. Even later on in the seasons, John was so integrated in terms of story, and writing, and co-creating, producing; all of this kind of stuff. It really is an empire, and I think he’s a great Jack Ryan."
The more serious piece of Betty Gabriel’s assessment makes perfect sense, especially when recalling the fact that during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, John Krasinski kind of had that gig carved out. Thanks to his creation of Some Good News, the former star of The Office became even more notable in pop culture’s landscape. Eventually, Krasinski had to sell the show, with part of the reason being that Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan tied up his schedule, and he could no longer host.
Who knows what the future holds now, as Dr. Ryan’s days of adventure are coming to a presumed end? I say presumed because while Jack Ryan is packing up, the in-development spinoff with Michael Peńa could always bring John Krasinski in as a guest star, should it need to do so.
As he helped wrap this collection of memories, Peńa was joined by co-star Louis Ozawa. Playing the role of antagonist Chao Fah, Ozawa’s character eventually gets to know his enemy through a Clancy-verse chess match that’s reminiscent of Clear and Present Danger. But in real life, the actor actually has a personal connection to Krasinski, which he used as part of how the series lead will be remembered:
Louis Ozawa: "I think his cerebral nature. He’s a smart dude. I first met John 20 years ago at Brown University, and he’s a smart guy. Witty, super sharp, as we all know. … I think that’s what people take from it. There’s always a little sense of humor, even in the most dire situations, and that’s great. Super charming. … I buy that he’s the smartest guy in the room."
Michael Peńa: "I think it’s the fact of, maybe it has something to do with his history, like he was on The Office. He was that guy and then he transitioned into the Jack Ryan of it all, maybe it’s the perception of who he is, and who he is as a person, that I think he just fits this character perfectly. Like when you see the first season, and you see him in the boardroom and he’s coming up with these ideas, you buy it. … That he’s thinking outside the box. Everyone’s looking at the same image, but he’s getting something different out of it. I love that. That’s something that you still see, even in this season. It’s hidden in plain sight. And that’s what’s great about the show, is that you can solve it along with Jack, if you can think like Jack."
No matter which version of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan you favor, you need to believe him both in the field and in the boardroom. When the actor who plays him next has to say he’s “just an analyst,” they’re clearly going to have a tough act to follow. Maybe for those reasons, John Krasinski might be able to stick around for some follow-up appearances, as the world of the Ryan-verse is still going, whether he’s at its center or not.
Considered to be one of the best Prime Video series, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan kicks off its fourth and final season in the 2023 TV schedule, starting June 30th. Unlike previous seasons, the six episodes will be rolled out in pairs, over three weeks leading to July 14th’s explosive wrap up. So if you need time to dig into why James Greer is so thankful about Jack saving him in Russia, there’s an opportunity to do just that.
