How Chris Pratt Almost Lost Iconic Marvel Role: ‘It Changed Everything’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Chris Pratt might be one of Hollywood’s biggest stars today, but the actor recently shared how, at one time, he thought he would only play “sidekick” characters.
“I had ambitions to play lead roles, to be an adventurer and a hero. But it felt like I wasn’t ever given those opportunities,” Pratt explained. “And when I started to get those opportunities, I would blow them.”
The actor revealed that he wouldn’t get auditions or callbacks, adding, “I was trying to define myself by how the industry sees me, rather than what I’m trying to prove myself to the industry.
“There was a time when I thought maybe I was going to be more of a sidekick funny character, which would have been perfectly fine by me,” Pratt said.
Everything changed for the PARKS AND RECREATION actor when he was cast as Peter Quill, also known as Star-Lord, in Marvel’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.
However, Pratt initially didn’t want to audition for the movie, citing “a rough run with Marvel.”
“I auditioned for THOR, but not even to be Thor — but to be one of the sidekick guys, and I didn’t get a callback,” he said. “It got to the point where I was never gonna audition for Marvel again. I was like, ‘This is stupid, I’m never gonna be in a Marvel movie.’”
However, he ended up auditioning for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and booked the role, but not without some help from the movie’s director, James Gunn.
Pratt shared that Gunn stopped him during the audition and said, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re blowing it. You just need to stop doing whatever you’re doing and just be real. Just be you.”
Gunn brought in co-star Dave Bautista, who played Drax, for a chemistry read, and the rest is history.
“James took a chance on me to play this type of a character in this type of a universe, right around the time that I was hoping to try to do something different,” Pratt said. “I had been essentially not castable in that type of role before, and it changed everything. I am really grateful for that. James found me — an outcast at the moment and made me his Star-Lord.”
Movieguide® enjoyed GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3, which had a strong Christian, redemptive worldview with very strong moral, pro-life elements includes three strong and positive references to God, a near death experience with allusions to ending up in a beautiful Heaven, and many scenes and dialogue and situations promote compassion, courage, sacrifice, standing up against evil, doing the right thing when it’s really difficult, repentance, and family.
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