Little-Known Facts About Olivier Richters
When Olivier Richters claims he's the biggest man in Hollywood, he might be speaking literally and figuratively. Standing at 7 feet, 2 inches and weighing over 350 pounds, the Dutch weightlifter has held the Guinness World Record for being the "tallest professional bodybuilder" for almost three years. And while we can't confirm his Instagram bio's claim that he's the world's tallest actor (John Lebar of "Prometheus" and "Sherlock" seemingly has him beat by an inch), Richters may be the only one of his size to be making an equally massive impact.
After appearing in some of the biggest genre films of the last decade — including a surprisingly meaningful cameo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — the so-called "Dutch Giant" is gearing up to go toe-to-toe with fellow heavyweight Alan Ritchson on "Reacher." Based on the Lee Child book "Persuader," Season 3 of the Amazon Prime Video action thriller will see Richters playing the role of Paulie Massarella, a fan-favorite villain from the book series.
Richters' impressive resume and talent were almost certainly the deciding factors in his casting, though it probably didn't hurt that he's one of the few actors in Hollywood who can stand a full foot above Ritchson's imposing 6-foot-2-inch frame. Even so, his stature isn't the only thing that makes the actor-slash-athlete unique in the entertainment world.
Olivier Richters quietly brought mutants to the MCU
If we were to tell you that Olivier Richters made his MCU debut the same year he earned his Guinness World Record, it might still be tricky to remember who he played. In fairness, the biggest on-screen aspect of his "Black Widow" role was that he got beat up by David Harbour's Red Guardian in a Russian prison — which was unfortunately destroyed in an avalanche not long afterward. Why, then, could we also reasonably tell you that Richters' MCU debut was a huge milestone for the franchise? Because he possibly played the MCU's first mutant character.
At the very least, he's likely the first 20th Century Fox-exclusive character to be adapted by Marvel Studios after Disney's acquisition of the former production studio (just barely beating Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror's "Loki" reveal by five days). Per both his IMDb and the film's on-screen credits, Richters played "Ursa," which most "X-Men" fans have understandably assumed is a reference to the Russian mutant Ursa Major. Richters confirmed the connection himself after the film premiered, writing on his Instagram that he "let some tears of joy" out when the production team revealed he'd be playing an official superhero on set. As for whether or not this iteration of Ursa is actually a mutant — and potentially the MCU's first — still remains to be seen.
He can also be seen in The King's Man and an Indiana Jones film
Ursa wasn't the Dutch Giant's only major franchise role before "Reacher." Later in 2021, Olivier Richters appeared as a large unnamed guard in "The King's Man" (a prequel to Matthew Vaughn's "Kingsman" duology). More recently, he played Hauke, the giant Nazi behind Mads Mikkelsen's Dr. Voller in 2023's "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny." This role was particularly meaningful for Richters, both because of its presence in the script and because the actor himself speaks like a lifelong "Indiana Jones" fan.
"It's a great honor to be part of this," he said in a red-carpet interview with HeyUGuys on YouTube, also noting that the premiere of "The Dial of Destiny" would be his first ever in Hollywood. "And for [my first premiere to be] 'Indiana Jones,' the biggest movie of this year, probably ... that is awesome," he said. As exciting a career milestone as "Indiana Jones" was, it didn't come without a considerable amount of pain — according to Richters' co-star Boyd Holbrook, the Dutchman broke his leg while filming the movie's unexpectedly hazardous parade chase-scene. Holbrook implied during an interview that Richters had slipped on the strips of confetti littered throughout the set and was thus forced to complete the shoot while nursing the injury.
His career aspirations were inspired by an iconic James Bond villain
Whether in "The King's Man," "Indiana Jones," or even his upcoming role in "Reacher" Season 3, Olivier Richters is clearly attracted to hulking, villainous roles. This can be attributed to the actor somewhat modeling his career after Richard Kiel, who played the "James Bond" foe Jaws in two films opposite Roger Moore in the title role. "He was one of the reasons why I [would have] loved to get into the movie industry," acknowledged Richters in an interview with Good Morning Britain (via YouTube). Kiel — who also measured in at 7-foot-2 — has been brought up as a point of comparison for Richters' largest role yet.
In an interview with Cinemablend, actor Anthony Michael Hall said that Richters reminded him of Kiel (specifically of his performance in "The Spy Who Loved Me"), and also mentioned that his eventual "superhero-sized" contest with Alan Ritchson's "Reacher" was so fantastical because of the two mens' sizes that it could be in a Marvel Studios film. Ironically, Kiel himself almost joined the Marvel Universe, having fought against Lou Ferrigno for the role of the Hulk in the 1977 TV series.
He succeeded The Mountain
Richard Kiel may not have been Olivier Richters' only inspiration. In fact, one of his contemporaries — who also happens to be the former tallest bodybuilder in the world — provided a perfect model for how a man of great stature can cut a clear career niche for themselves.
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson is one of the greatest athletes of all time, on the level of Michael Jordan or Serena Williams. In addition to being the tallest bodybuilder in the world until Richters seized the world record in 2021 (Björnsson stands 6 feet and 9 inches), Björnsson has broken and set multiple world records in weightlifting and was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2023. To fans of HBO's decade-defining dark fantasy drama "Game of Thrones," however, the athlete is best known for playing the vicious villain Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane. (He was actually the third performer to fill the role, succeeding Conan Stevens and Ian Whyte.)
Though Richters wasn't formally recognized by Guinness as towering over Björnsson until 2021, the duo met many years prior. It seems Richters found Björnsson at a convention in 2016, well into the latter's time with "Game of Thrones." "It was quite impressive to meet someone of similar size, I finally looked normal next to someone haha," he wrote of the meeting on his Instagram. "We talked a while about our experiences in bodybuilding, powerlifting, food and acting."
His diet is unreal
If it strikes you as odd that Olivier Richters' first conversation with Hafþór Björnsson involved food, you'll be even more surprised to learn just how much of his life — or, really, the life of any bodybuilder — revolves around it. Just to maintain the level of muscle he had while filming "The King's Man," Richters ate one 1,000 calorie meal (usually containing at least 250 grams of meat) every two hours. "The human body consumes so much energy and needs that push from protein," he told "Good Morning Britain." In total, Richters eats between 5,000 and 7,500 calories a day.
According to the actor himself, this diet often consists of 750 grams of oats (or roughly 17 and a half packets of Quaker Instant Oatmeal), 400 grams of chicken (about half the cooked meat found in an average rotisserie chicken), 200 grams each of both salmon and steak, a dozen whole eggs, and 100 grams of whey protein powder. Adhering to such a strict diet conflicts with Richters' need to travel for work, which has resulted in Richters traveling with a blender and egg cooker so that he can make himself a protein-dense meal no matter where he is.
He was born with a rare physical condition
When Richters was born in September 1989, the bones surrounding his heart were growing in such a way that they were altering the shape of his torso and constraining his heart. He was subsequently diagnosed with pectus excavatum, a relatively common condition that causes certain bones to grow at an inward-facing trajectory. Though it can be so mild as not to require treatment in some cases, others can require medical intervention — as was the case with Richters. He began his journey as a professional weightlifter in 2007 and seemingly did not directly address his condition until the early 2010s. "During exercises my muscles could continue in reps, but my breath could not," he revealed in an Instagram post.
By the time the bodybuilder had a CT scan performed to determine the condition's impact on his ability to breathe, his ribs had constricted the growth of his heart by 20%. He thus underwent a harrowing procedure to correct the growth and placement of his ribs, after which he spent two months in a state where it was nearly impossible to move (presumably due to a combination of the pain he was under and the strong pain medication he was taking to manage it). Though he was back to weightlifting by the fourth month, it took Richters five months total to completely heal from the procedure.
He totally transformed himself
Between his congenital bone condition and his well-above-average height, Olivier Richters had the deck stacked against him when it came to building muscle. In 2008, when Richters was 19 years old, he began weight training to compensate for a leg injury he sustained while playing basketball — at the time, he weighed just 176 pounds (or 80 kilograms). By the time he underwent the procedure to correct the growth of his ribs in 2011, he had packed on over 50 pounds (much of which appeared to be muscle).
Though he lost some of his progress during his five-month recovery process, he still managed to pass 275 pounds by 2013 — and when he first met the Mountain in 2016, he was weighing in at over 330 pounds. As of 2024, Richters' Instagram bio claims he currently weighs 353 pounds.
Without making a dedicated effort to pack muscle onto his already recognizable physique, the actor wouldn't have been able to enjoy the unique career he does today. "The more I got in proportion with my length and size, the more interest people showed," he explained on Instagram, recalling that this transformation opened doors for him in the TV and commercial industries before he made the jump to film.
His height is all genetics
After reading about everything Olivier Richters had to overcome in order to be the tallest bodybuilder in the world, one may assume that his height was also the result of a rare condition. It isn't uncommon for those of Richters' stature — including his hero, "Bond" villain Richard Kiel — to live with underlying conditions such as (in Kiel's case) acromegaly, Marfan syndrome, or gigantism. However, Richters' height is not the result of any kind of condition.
"I have been through every test possible and there was nothing out of the ordinary," Richters wrote on his Instagram. "I stopped growing at a normal age, had proportionate bone structures, etc. The doctor diagnosed me with: 'natural giant.'" In the same post, he states that he was born at 59 centimeters — 9 centimeters taller than average, just "short" of 2 feet tall. Richters attributes his above-average height to his Dutch heritage, and though no one else in his immediate family stands quite as tall, his brother and father measure in at 6-foot-6, while his mother stands at just 5-foot-9.
While he does impress upon his audience that it's impossible to reach his height or extend their own maximum height through artificial means (such as eating certain foods or taking certain supplements), he encourages them to live a healthy lifestyle so they can reach their fullest potential. According to Richters, this includes eating a balanced diet, staying away from "chemicals" (i.e. nicotine and alcohol), being active, and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule.
He founded the company Muscle Meat
Of course, as Olivier Richters himself has excitedly admitted in the past, he does have one major "unnatural" advantage these days that helps him maintain his impressive physique — he has his own supermarket.
Founded in 2013 with his brother Rein Richters, Muscle Meat is a Dutch "online supermarket" that strives to make the lives of weightlifters easier by offering high-quality meat products competitively priced by the kilogram (the perfect business for someone like Olivier, who aims to eat a kilogram of meat every single day). The company also prides itself in its efforts to educate consumers on the exact nature of the meat they're consuming, emphasizing the specific cuts and fat content on its website. As of 2024, it has products in over 430 stores in the Netherlands and has crossed $12 million in sales.
The Richters' joint Muscle Meat business venture goes hand-in-hand with Olivier's independent nutritional marketplace — aka "Dutch Giant Nutrition." Rather than the raw, whole foods offered on the other site, Dutch Giant Nutrition offers an assortment of protein powders, bars, and dietary supplements.
And the clothing brand Tall Origin
Through his business endeavors, Olivier Richters' isn't just helping you to fuel your physical transformation, but providing you with the clothing to wear after its complete. Provided, of course, you happen to be 6-foot-2 or taller.
Richters and his partner, Desiree Stuijt, came up with the idea to develop a clothing brand for tall individuals due to their own difficulties finding appropriately fitting clothing that also fit his personal style. (For some time, he apparently only owned two pairs of jeans.) Together, they founded Tall Origin, a clothing brand for those between 6-foot-2 and 7-foot-2, initially only selling jeans before breaking out with T-shirts, hoodies, and sweatpants.
All this being said, the current status of the company is somewhat unknown. Its website doesn't appear to have been updated since November 2023 at the latest, and its Instagram hasn't posted in over two years as of writing.
He was cast in a controversial adaptation of a major video game franchise
Though "Reacher" will take Olivier Richters' career to a new peak, he will take another massive leap when he appears as Krom, a major villain in the upcoming "Borderlands" film. Krom is a character taken straight from the 2007 video game of the same name, though Richters said his first experience with the series came just a few years later. "I played the game Borderlands 2 in the year 2013 from [beginning] to end," he wrote on Instagram back in 2021, underneath a post that featured him standing two feet above his billionaire co-star, comedian Kevin Hart. "[Therefore], I can see and tell Director [Eli Roth] is going to make the Borderlands gamers really happy."
Due out in August 2024, "Borderlands" has faced a challenging production and has been languishing in what multiple outlets have described as "post-production hell." Roth, mentioned above by Richters, did not complete reshoots on the film — this was officially due to scheduling conflicts, though film journalist Daniel Richtman alleged that Roth's exit was in fact a firing after some disappointing test screenings. Roth remains the film's sole credited director, with reshoots allegedly being taken care of by Tim Miller. Craig Mazin, co-creator and showrunner of HBO's "The Last of Us," had his name taken off the screenplay in the months after Roth's exit. For Richters' part, post-production mayhem and creative switch-ups seem not to have dampened his excitement, with the actor celebrating on social media in February when the first trailer finally debuted.
He's already a godly treasure to gamers everywhere
Though he's currently focused on the release of "Borderlands," Olivier Richters has already made a compelling argument that he should appear in an adaptation of another classic video game: "God of War." Remarkably, he has done so simply by adopting a picture-perfect cosplay of its memorable, hulking anti-hero, Kratos.
For his personal YouTube channel (which currently has over 228,000 subscribers) and in official partnership with PlayStation Benelux, Richters worked with professional makeup artists and costume designers to transform himself into the iconic video game character (to promote both Dutch Giant Nutrition and "God of War: Ragnarok"). Once his look was completed, he took over a public installation in a large Dutch mall, where fans almost immediately flocked to take pictures. The video was so successful for Richters (drawing over 2.5 million views and becoming his second-most-watched video of all time) that he repeated the stunt in 2024.
The majority of his ancestry is Scandinavian
Speaking of video games, "God of War: Ragnarok" wasn't even the first title Olivier Richters was invited to help promote. In 2020, Ubisoft asked him to become the "biggest viking alive" for the much-awaited "Assassins Creed: Valhalla." It was while making this video that the Dutch Giant learned the majority of his DNA can be traced to Scandinavia.
"I've always wondered, 'Why did I become so tall,'" he said in the YouTube video, before revealing that he had his DNA tested in order to answer the question. The results found that he's 48.2% Scandinavian, 34.8% English, and 17% Northwestern European. Richters estimated off-hand that hailing ancestrally from Scandinavia may explain why he's as tall as he is — or, at the very least, how he could have enough viking-courage to wield a battle-axe in front of a few cameras. "Doing a viking shoot today for the first time knowing that I am almost half [Scandinavian]... that's cool," he said with a smile.
Whether he's the Scandinavian Viking or the Dutch Giant, Olivier Richters seems to just be getting started in Hollywood. We can only speculate to what heights his career will take him after "Borderlands" and "Reacher" Season 3 premiere in the coming year.