Alan Ritchson made a splash in Hollywood in the early 2000s — and his stardom grew with the lead role on Reacher — and his wife, Catherine Ritchson, was there through it all until their 2026 separation.
Alan and Catherine are high school sweethearts, who have their ballet class in Florida to thank for their decades-long love story.
“After the millionth time of us sitting next to each other, inches away, tying our shoes — so now it’s super awkward — I was like, ‘So I heard you ice skate,’” Alan told Men’s Health in February 2024, recalling how he asked his friend to figure out what Catherine liked before he got the courage to ask her out.
The actor, who will star in Nicholas Sparks’ Counting Miracles, beamed as he recounted the successful conversation. “She was like the sweetest thing in the world,” he said of his now-wife.
The pair split after their first summer together but rekindled their romance a few years later. The twosome tied the knot in May 2006 and now share three sons.
Scroll down to relive Alan and Catherine’s romance:
High School
Alan and Catherine were 17 and 16, respectively, when they met at a ballet class in their home state of Florida. “I’ll never forget seeing him for the first time in the studio. I turned to my friend Miriam and I said, ‘Who is that?’” Catherine recalled during a September 2023 episode of her “The Road to Wisdom” podcast. “He, at some point, came up to me and we just got chatting.”
Catherine revealed that Alan broke up with her at the end of their first summer as a teenage couple. Alan insisted that her living 30 minutes away and the fact that he “couldn’t afford gas” led to the breakup. Catherine, however, claimed Alan assumed at the time it was “just a fling.”
College
When Catherine was studying at the University of Florida, Alan came to town for a modeling shoot and the two reconnected. The couple has been together ever since.
May 2006
The Ordinary Angels actor married Catherine.
2012
The couple welcomed their first son, Calem.
2013
Their second son, Edan, was born.
December 2015
Alan announced the birth of their third son, Amory, via Instagram. He called his wife, “The strongest person I know,” and applauded her for making it through the pregnancy.
October 2017
“Very proud of this guy and the premiere of his short film Tree House Time Machine,” Catherine wrote via Instagram, praising her spouse for directing and writing the project.
February 2018
“Happy Valentine’s Day from the Ritchsons,” Alan captioned a family photo on social media. “Hope everyone makes lots of babies today!!!”
August 2019
“Proud wife moment of @alanritchson for the premiere of Seberg at the Venice Film Festival,” Catherine captioned a series of Instagram photos honoring Alan’s producing credit.
May 2022
The Blue Mountain State alum celebrated his 16-year wedding anniversary with a social media tribute to his wife. “We’ve been through thick and thin. Both the thick and the thin parts were my fault,” he teased. “She did all the good stuff. She’s very nice. She is a mother. They’ll let anyone have kids these days. I just mean in general. She should be allowed for sure.”
Alan joked, “Also, I never dreamed all those years ago, when we were getting married, that 16 years later we would be living the kind of life where we could afford any car in the world and she would still insist on driving a minivan. But that’s just who she is. If marriage has taught me anything, it’s that you will continue to learn about your spouse’s faults and there’s nothing you can do about it. You just have to drive the minivan. Because you promised no matter how bad it got you would drive a minivan if she made you (until one of you dies).”
July 2022
The family of five enjoyed a trip to France, visiting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and more landmarks.
May 2023
Catherine reflected on the pair’s 17 years of marriage, sharing a few lessons she’s learned along the way. “Real love is not found in star charts, flirtation, or charming manipulation. In fact, real love isn’t found at all,” she wrote via Instagram. “True, deep, sturdy love is built brick by brick. Some days the mortar runs too thin, other days the bricks aren’t laid perfectly straight, and there are days when the rain is coming down too much for that day’s work to settle well. But the effort and intention between each brick is there and it’s real and its duo of builders are wise in laying each one with care and patience.”
Catherine added: “As the days, months, and years pass you look around and realize you’ve built a kingdom. Some parts will lay unfinished; others may have been knocked down and need to be rebuilt. But the important part is that you both keep building by tenderly place each brick with dedication and honor in your heart for one another.”
July 2023
The pair created their own Instagram reels series called the “Not Newlyweds” where they talked about their relationship and all the highs and lows. In episode 1, Catherine teased Alan for losing his phone that was required to check in and get their jet skis for a date. She later trolled him for eating two of their four sandwiches for their trip before they even arrived.
February 2024
“My beautiful bride. Happy day of love. You give my life meaning and purpose beyond the temporary and entertaining,” Alan gushed via Instagram on Valentine’s Day. “You reach past important and stretch my soul towards essential. I’ve felt eternity on your lips and known forever in your embrace. I will forever and always be your servant.”
September 2026
Alan and Catherine announced that they had separated.
“After 20 years together, Cat and I have decided to end our marriage and continue alongside one another in a different way,” a social media statement read. “We grew up together, we built a life and a family together. We are raising three incredible boys, who will always be the center of our world. Nothing can diminish what these years have meant to us — or the love and respect we will always share. The best gift we can give one another — and our boys — right now is friendship, grace and commitment to becoming the strongest coparents we can be. We also want to give each other room to grow into the people we are becoming.”
