Chris Marquette | From "The Girl Next Door" to Prime Video's "Reacher" | Stories From the Emerald Isle

On this episode of Story & Craft, we sit down to chat with actor Chris Marquette from "The Girl Next Door", "Barry", and Prime Video's "Reacher" to discuss his career and personal stories.Chris joined the industry early, navigating the unique landscape of child acting with roles spanning from commercial voiceovers to television sets. We discuss the transition from those foundational years to understanding the practical realities of the entertainment business as a young adult. It is a candid conversation about the resilience required to build a sustainable career in Hollywood.We also cover his recent move to the west coast of Ireland, where he is raising his daughter and developing new writing projects. Chris shares insights into his new role on Prime Video's "Reacher," breaking down the physical demands of playing a small-town cop alongside Alan Ritchson. From the delayed cult success of "The Girl Next Door" to his approach to staying grounded off-camera, this episode offers a practical look at the life of a working actor.SHOW HIGHLIGHTS[02:00] | Moving to the west coast of Ireland to raise his daughter[08:35] | Starting his career early with commercial voiceovers and Barney[13:10] | The sketchy seminar that landed him his first headshots and acting jobs[17:11] | Crossing paths with Jennifer Aniston during pilot season[21:00] | Getting a harsh crash course on the business side of acting in his twenties[25:33] | Navigating the shadow of past roles[36:54] | How The Girl Next Door bombed in theaters before finding massive cult success on DVD[42:59] | Entering the Reacher universe[44:53] | Dealing with the Alan Ritchson’s physical presence on set[46:55] | The Seven Questions