John Krasinski is the Best Jack Ryan Ever, and Michael Kelly Tells Us Why

Michael Kelly, the actor who plays Mike November in Prime Video’s Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, reveals why he thinks John Krasinski is the best person to have ever assumed the coveted Jack Ryan’s role.

The famous CIA analyst is the brainchild of author Tom Clancy in his 1984 novel The Hunt for Red October, which went on to have a barrage of books and TV adaptations. 

However, John Krasinski isn’t the first legendary actor to play Jack Ryan. Before he took up the mantle in 2018, the character had already been played by juggernauts like Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, Alec Baldwin, and Chris Pune.

The Hollywood Reporter asked Kelly why he thinks Krasinski is the best Jack Ryan and what separates him from other greats. 

According to Kelly, John Krasinski has been able to brew the perfect cocktail that combines humanity and softness with the show’s cut-throat action sequences. Finally, adding Krasinski’s subtle humor to the mix creates the best version of Jack Ryan.

Moreover, the actor also thinks that Krasinski is in a unique position as he’s the only one who’s getting to explore Jack Ryan in a long-story format.

I think two things. One, John Krasinski! I think I’ve said in many interviews, and I truly believe this in my heart, I believe he is the best Jack Ryan we have ever seen. I think he has the ability to share three things: the humanity that is in the character, the obvious sense of humor that’s in the character and his ability to do the action like any of the best people out there. He’s got that, doing so much of his own stunts.

And then you combine that with the fact this is the first time the Jack Ryan story has been told in longform format. So, you take those two things and combine them together, I just think he makes for the best and most entertaining Jack Ryan because you can spend a little bit more time with him. Someone is going to be pissed at me for saying that! (Laughs) But that’s my opinion, man, and I’m sticking to it!

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is ending after its season 4 finale, and John Krasinski’s work over the course of the show has cemented him as one of the best live-action iterations of the character so far.

In today’s world, spy-action films are dominated mainly by slick fighting sequences, with the hero pulling off superhuman feats to steer the plot. However, Krasinski delivers something different by relying on his wit and reliability, giving the audience something ‘human’ to relate to.

Although his predecessors also tried putting their own signature in the iconic role, only one would go on to have the same impact and audience appeal as John Krasinski. 

We are talking about none other than Harrison Ford. Beginning his tenure with 1992’s Patriot Games, Ford’s charm as Jack Ryan is almost as famous as his time wearing Indiana Jones’ iconic fedora.

With Clancy finishing up as Jack Ryan, many now think that the time is ripe for Harrison Ford to make a signature comeback as old and wizened Jack Ryan opposite John Clark in a Rainbow Six movie.

Ryan’s endgame in Clancy’s books saw him ascend to the office of the POTUS, and that would be the perfect end to the iconic character’s storyline. 

Even if Ford returns, Krasinski’s time with Jack Ryan will remain one of the most impressive takes on the fan-favorite character.

About Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (also known simply as Jack Ryan) is an American political action thriller television series based on characters from the fictional “Ryanverse” created by Tom Clancy that premiered on Amazon Prime Video.

The first season follows the CIA analyst as he discovers a string of dubious bank transfers carried out by a rising Islamic extremist named Suleiman. The second season sees Jack in the middle of political warfare in a corrupt Venezuela. The third one will see Jack on the run and in a race against time.

Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland created the series, and Cuse serves as an executive producer alongside John Krasinski, Michael Bay, and Mace Neufeld, among others. Krasinski also stars in the series as the title character.