A lot of times when the reel and real world collide, it can lead to unexpected results. Such was the situation for John Krasinski when he met with members of the CIA during filming of his Amazon Prime series Jack Ryan. Tom Clancy's frequently brought-to-screen character is a former Marine who joins the CIA. Suffice it to say, speaking to real members of the CIA was a must. Going in expecting Hollywood, Krasinski discovered reality. Recounting the experience, Krasinski said:
And, I think that's how I feel about going to the CIA, I went in there wanting to meet spies and wanting to meet officers, and instead I met incredibly dedicated people and very honorable people and people who are putting their lives in the line in a whole different way. And, if chosen to do that selfishly -- I don't know, there's nothing more heroic than that for me.
That's quite a testament, per Fox News, and it was not the first time that John Krasinski went in expecting something different, only to be surprised. The actor shared that he went into his meeting with CIA members with a similar approach to the one he had, doing a comparable session for the movie, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. A meeting, Krasinski recounts, began with him wanting to "learn about the warrior" and ended with him walking away proud he had gotten to know the men.
Ahead of the meeting John Krasinski also said that he "completely nerded out," which is a completely understandable reaction to have. He also expected to come away with few answers due to the covert nature of the CIA. Instead, he found them to be both giving and generous. Krasinski did not reveal the specificity of their assistance. But whatever they shared, it seems to be working. The show has been met with a lot of positive feedback from critics.
John Krasinski also expressed that he felt "inspired" to have the chance to play a character, who represents the CIA community. And the good news for fans of Krasinski's take on Ryan is that they are already guaranteed the opportunity to see more of him in the role. Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan was greenlit for a second season before its first one, even premiered. So, clearly Amazon Prime was confident in the show and presumably, Krasinski's performance in the high-profile role.
It is always intriguing to get the backstory on actors' research for a role. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of that meeting between John Krasinski and the staff of the CIA! It would be fun to learn what Krasinski asked and what they answered. Plus, there is the question of how well the CIA believes real-life stacks up with the accuracy of Jack Ryan's storylines. There is a lot to delve into.
John Krasinski may not believe he can play Superman, but he is certainly making the most of playing Tom Clancy's character. A character, that's adventures are largely comparable to that of a superhero's. Jack Ryan's first season is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, along with tons of other content. There is really no shortage of things to watch, especially as fall television gets underway.
