A routine day of filming for the Amazon Prime action series Reacher took a surreal turn earlier this week when former President Joe Biden and members of his family made an unannounced appearance on set.
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According to CBS Philadelphia, Biden, accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden and their son Hunter, unexpectedly arrived as the cast and crew were shooting a police chase scene near the popular restaurant Parc in Rittenhouse Square.
Photographer HughE Dillon, who was watching from nearby, recalled the moment black SUVs pulled up and men exited the vehicles.
"I thought they were actors," Dillon told CBS Philadelphia. "But then the entire cast and crew started clapping and cheering. Someone shouted, 'We love you, Joe, we love you!'"
Biden Makes Surprise Stop
The Bidens had been dining at Parc when they happened upon the film crew just outside. It's unclear whether the visit was spontaneous or coordinated. Regardless, the former president took time to shake hands, pose for photos, and chat with the team, including lead actor Alan Ritchson.
Ritchson, who plays the titular Jack Reacher, shared the moment on Instagram the next day.
"So our Reacher set got in the way of these legends," he wrote. "Was a privilege and honor to meet the Biden family. They couldn't have been more lovely. Kind, joyful, gracious and present. We chatted briefly about simple stuff, like string theory and quantum entanglement. Then Joe beat me at arm wrestling. All in a day's work."
He also posted photos and video clips of himself and Hunter Biden laughing on set with the former president.
Context Behind the Visit
The filming location, just steps from one of Philadelphia's busiest brunch spots, brought two very different worlds together. Dillon described the moment as "bizarre," saying it felt like two storylines crossing paths unexpectedly.
While the visit was lighthearted, Ritchson has not shied away from serious topics in the past. In April 2024, during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he criticized Christian conservatives who support Donald Trump.
"Trump is a rapist and a con man," Ritchson said at the time. "And yet the entire Christian church seems to treat him like he's their poster child. It's unreal."
He added that speaking out has come at a cost. "When I speak up about it in my own ways, I'm met with violence," he said in a follow-up interview. "If you want to see violence flee the world, be more generous to everybody. That is the Christian ethic."
Biden's office has not commented publicly on the encounter.
