Alan Ritchson’s Aquaman speedo still haunts him two decades later.

Most TV viewers love Alan Ritchson as the tough and broad Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s Reacher. However, diehard fans remember his time as another small-screen hero – Arthur Curry (aka Aquaman) in the classic WB/CW series Smallville. He was Aquaman long before Jason Momoa’s DCEU tenure brought the aquatic superhero to the silver screen. However, Ritchson’s experience continues to haunt him years later, and it all has to do with wearing a speedo.

The Reacher star played the King of Atlantis in a recurring role on the CW superhero series from 2005 to 2010. So, he spent a few years wearing the iconic (yet modernized) suit.

However, Ritchson’s costume has gained attention as his fame has continued to rise. While the outfit became a meme, the TV and film actor recalled cringing over his Smallville costume to BroBible, saying:

What comes to mind first is how fast and far I can run from all civilization when I see myself in that orange head-to-toe Speedo, zipped up the middle. I see those pictures and I kind of can’t believe anybody thought it was a good idea to dress me like that and photograph me with that ensemble.

When you’re just starting out, you do not feel like you have a voice or permission to say anything, so I just never questioned a thing and I wish I had. That Speedo was scary.

Honestly, Ritchson has every right to cringe at those old Aquaman photos. He didn’t have a say in his character’s look. Smallville was his first acting role, and he didn’t want to step on any toes or risk being fired. Compared to Jason Momoa’s infamous Aquaman suit, Ritchson didn’t read like a modern DC superhero and was more like a 2000s fanboy playing Aquaman. We’re seriously talking about an orange speedo here. Who designed this?

While the costume wasn’t to Alan Ritchson’s taste, the Blue Mountain State alum did win over the Smallville fandom with his guest spots. His Aquaman popularity was so palpable that rumors swirled about Ritchson starring as the DC superhero in a spinoff series.

The rumored spinoff would’ve been the character’s second TV attempt after Smallville co-star Justin Hartley shot an infamous pilot based on the King of Atlantis, which eventually found its way online. There were no hard feelings as the Fast X star returned to the DC Universe to play Hank Hall (aka Hawk) in the Max series Titans.

Of course, Alan Ritchson found his niche as Jack Reacher. The Prime Video series just wrapped up its second season with Reacher Season 3 already in production.

Check out our TV schedule to see when the third season will premiere before streaming every season of Reacher through an Amazon Prime Video subscription. Don’t forget to watch Ritchson’s Aquaman by streaming Smallville through a Hulu subscription.