Kathy Bates’ Matlock may be a weird reboot, but the series has proven itself to be more than just a reimagining of the beloved Andy Griffith-led show. On top of the suspenseful episodes and seemingly never-ending, there's also a stacked cast, with the incomparable Bates leading the charge. Also part of the ensemble is Jason Ritter, and despite being part of the Accused cast as well as other projects, one co-star didn’t know who he was, even considering his famous dad.
As the son of late actor John Ritter, Jason Ritter may look like his father and share his same last name, but he has been doing well in his own right. So it's interesting that not all of his co-stars were aware of the talented bloodline Ritter comes from or have seen some of his work. His on-screen wife, Skye P. Marshall, told Us Weekly about how she didn’t know who he was by the time they dove into reading session:
During the chemistry read with myself and the actors reading for Julian, to be honest, I did not know who Jason Ritter was before that. I have not shared that with anybody. I grew up with his father, and I adored John Ritter. When I popped up on the Zoom, I definitely knew Jason’s face but I did not know that that was him until after the fact.
It’s honestly funny to hear that Skye P. Marshall had no idea who her colleague was and the incredible familial connection he had Still, it seems she could sort of recognize his face. When it came to doing the reading together, Marshall noted how differently Jason Ritter played his character, Julian. Based on the comments the Olympia actress shared, her co-star didn't phone it in, given his show business ties:
He didn’t play Julian like the rich man who had a rich father and a beautiful wife. He played from a place that was very true and real for him — and that was somebody who was desperately trying to stand on his own. He wanted to create his own legacy and be different. I saw when in our chemistry read one of the lines that I say to him was, ‘You’re right, nepotism wasn’t a factor in my hiring.'
The "nepo baby" discussion has raged on for a while in regard to Hollywood. Aside from all that though, Jason Ritter has been able to create a persona of his own, one that's somewhat similar but different from the one his beloved dad forged. I'd say that Skye P. Marshall not knowing him seemingly worked in his favor, and she couldn’t showever enough praise on him after they did the reading together. Marshall summed up their initial chemistry read with the following sentiments:
The way Jason took that bullet and then pushed his emotions down, it felt very real for me as someone that was on the receiving end. That’s why when we got off the Zoom, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is Jason Ritter.’ Then I felt like an idiot but I’m so glad that I had that moment and that chemistry with him without having any premeditated bias for him.
Jason Ritter has been making waves in the industry since the early ‘90s and continued to carry on his father’s legacy after his death in 2003 while also carving out a path of his own. Fans will continue to see him make a name for himself, as Matlock was renewed for a second season not long after it premiered. While there are still some gripes to be had about Matlock, the show hasn’t been doing too bad for a first-year. Should its success continue, I'd like to think that plenty of people aren't going to have any trouble recognizing Ritter or his co-stars, for that matter.
Meanwhile, as Matlock continues to break records, I'm eager to see what else happens next for the characters, both for the rest of this season and beyond. There are likely more twists to come, and it’s hard to tell what will happen, especially between Ritter and Marshall’s characters. Here's hoping their stories remain interesting as the stars themselves remain familiar with each other.
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