Chris Pratt has a way of making Hollywood stardom feel approachable. From his early turn as the lovable Andy Dwyer in Parks and Recreation to his breakout as Star-Lord in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, he’s become one of the industry’s most bankable stars. Add to that the success of the Jurassic World franchise and a voice role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Pratt has firmly cemented his place as both an action lead and a comedy favorite.
Yet behind the superhero costumes and blockbuster sets is someone who still relishes simple pleasures, fishing, barbecuing, spending time with his family. His life story, from waiting tables in Hawaii to becoming one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors, is peppered with moments of grit, luck, and humor.
With the release of Mercy, a gritty action thriller where Pratt stars alongside Rebecca Ferguson, he’s furthered his reputation as an all-round kinda guy. The movie sees Pratt, a detective, forced to prove his innocence amidst growing suspicion from those who know him best.
It’s the latest in a long line of action-adventure projects, one that extends into next year with Way of the Warrior Kid, which the affable actor also produces.
Beyond the big screen, the 46-year-old furthers his commitment to fitness, faith, family life, and flipping out a bit of pizza, mid-shoot.
STRIPLV: Many regard you these days as the perfect family man. How has fatherhood shaped your perspective? PRATT: Fatherhood changes everything. When Jack was born (with Anna Faris), it gave me this sense of responsibility I’d never felt before. Now with Lyla, Eloise, and Ford, with Katherine (Schwarzenegger), our life is very full and very noisy, in the best way. It puts everything into context. You stop caring about box office numbers and red carpets. My kids don’t care if I was Star-Lord, they care if I’m around to read them a story or build Lego with them. That’s the good stuff. STRIPLV: Do your kids watch your movies? PRATT: Jack’s seen some of Guardians, which is funny because he’ll critique it like a film reviewer: “Dad, your dance moves are kind of embarrassing.” Lyla (five) is still too young to understand, but she recognizes my voice when she hears The Lego Movie. She’ll look at me like, “Wait, why are you Emmet?” That’s a surreal feeling. I think the greatest challenge as a dad is knowing when to switch off, when to let go; knowing that I want to turn down a script and do very simple, very normal things. To enjoy the long evenings at the farm, to spend time with my family without the phone ringing, basically, to be a dad in the most invested way I can, not a movie star. STRIPLV: It’s common knowledge that faith is important to you. How do you balance sharing that in such a public life? PRATT: My faith is the core of who I am. I don’t always talk about it because I never want to come across as preachy, but it’s my anchor. It’s what got me through tough times, whether that was when I was broke or when Jack was in the NICU as a baby. It keeps me grounded. Hollywood can be crazy, so having something bigger than yourself to lean on, for me, that’s essential. STRIPLV: Fitness is another big part of your life now. How did that transformation happen? PRATT: The short version? I got tired of being the “funny fat guy” (Laughs). When Marvel called about Guardians, I was still rocking my Andy Dwyer body from Parks and Rec. They told me, “If you want this, you’ve got to train.” So I cut out beer, hit the gym six days a week, and dropped 60lbs. It was brutal, but it changed how I see health. I still love food, I still barbecue all the time, but now I try to balance it. STRIPLV: Ah, yes, your reputation as a grill master. PRATT: Guilty as charged. I love cooking over fire, whether it’s a big steak, ribs, or something I’ve hunted myself. There’s something primal about it. My friends joke that I turn every gathering into a cooking show. I’ll be like, “Now the trick with these ribs is low and slow,” and they’re rolling their eyes. But hey, no one complains when dinner’s ready. STRIPLV: You’ve always been quite open about your relationship with image and food. PRATT: I think you have to be balanced and honest. It’s okay to say you like eating. We seem to be obsessing, as a society, with the notion that food is an extreme or an evil, when in reality it’s an absolute necessity to us. I’m happy to admit I miss the happy moments I had with really great food that I don’t have anymore. I even have sad moments now because I’m hungry and I don’t like that. I don’t like having to think, “Now what will that do to my body?” That’s not fun. It can’t and shouldn’t ever be about how you look. Howdepressing would that be? It’s about a sound body, sound mind, keeping healthy as you can, because we’ve only one body, that’s it. Of course, personally, getting fit has been the key to getting better roles and also just feeling better in general. Once I started getting better scripts and I started playing in big films, I just saw how important it was to stay in shape, go to the gym, eat healthy, and change my lifestyle. STRIPLV: Let’s talk about Mercy. What drew you to this project? PRATT: Mercy hooked me right away because it felt different from the big sci-fi, effects-heavy stuff I’ve done recently. It’s stripped down, raw, and personal. The character I play isn’t a superhero; he’s not saving galaxies, he’s just a guy who’s caught in an impossible situation. I liked the idea of leaning into vulnerability. Working with Rebecca Ferguson made it even more appealing, she’s incredible, and she pushes everyone around her to raise their game. STRIPLV: It sounds like a return to a more grounded style of storytelling. Was that intentional? PRATT: Yeah, it was. Don’t get me wrong, I love playing Star-Lord, and I’ll forever be grateful for Jurassic World, but sometimes you crave the chance to slow things down and tell a story that feels intimate. In a movie like Mercy, the camera is right up in your face. There are no dinosaurs or spaceships to hide behind, it’s you, your co-star, and the emotional truth of the moment. That’s scary, but in a good way. STRIPLV: You’re known for being pretty fearless on set. Any fun behind-the-scenes moments from filming Mercy? PRATT: (Laughs) Well, Rebecca and I had this sequence where we were supposed to be deadly serious, super tense, and in the middle of it, she whispered something under her breath that cracked me up. Totally corpsed. I tried to keep it together, but the more serious the scene, the harder it is not to laugh. We had the crew rolling their eyes because we must have burned ten takes just getting through that moment. STRIPLV: Fans love that you don’t take yourself too seriously. Do you think that comes from your background? PRATT: 100 percent. I mean, I was a waiter at Bubba Gump Shrimp in Hawaii before all this. I lived in a van by the beach, surfed during the day, and fished for my dinner. I had no idea I’d end up here. That keeps you humble, because you don’t forget what it’s like to scrape by. Fame is fun, but it’s not real life. Real life is worrying about rent, burning your hand on a fryer at work, or trying to fix your old car so you can get to your shift. That perspective never leaves me. STRIPLV: You’ve got a reputation for being a bit of a prankster on set. Any recent pranks you can share? PRATT: Oh man, I can’t resist a good prank. On Guardians, I used to hide snacks in my costume because the diet was killing me. They’d yell “Action!” and I’d whip out a slice of pizza. James Gunn was like, “Pratt, what are you doing?!” On Mercy, I slipped hot sauce into one of the prop water bottles. Rebecca (Ferguson) nearly disowned me. As she’s Swedish, she handled it better than most, but yeah, I had some groveling to do. STRIPLV: You’ve mentioned Hawaii a few times. What did living there teach you? PRATT: Oh man, it taught me to chill out. Life there is slower; it’s about the ocean, the sunsets, and the people around you. I didn’t have much, but I was happy. That experience is why I love being outdoors now. Hunting, fishing, hiking, that’s still my therapy. You can put me in the fanciest hotel in Beverly Hills, but I’d rather be in the woods somewhere, cooking over an open fire. STRIPLV: You’re part of some of the biggest franchises ever. Do you still get starstruck? PRATT: Oh yeah. The first time I met Harrison Ford, I was like a kid again. Same with working alongside Jeff Goldblum. I grew up watching those guys. Even now, when I walk onto a set and see the scale of what’s happening, there’s still a voice in my head going, “You’re the dude from Bubba Gump Shrimp, how are you here?” That sense of wonder hasn’t worn off, and I hope it never does. STRIPLV: Outside of acting, what’s on your bucket list? PRATT: Directing someday. I’d love to tell stories from behind the camera. And honestly, just more time with family. I’ve got this dream of buying a ranch where my kids can grow up riding horses, chasing chickens, and climbing trees. That feels like the good life to me. STRIPLV: When you think about how your career has skyrocketed in the past few years, do you ever shake your head in disbelief, especially with your starring in multiple film franchises? PRATT: I feel blessed every day. I have a beautiful wife and four amazing children, and I’m getting the kinds of opportunities that I never could have expected earlier in my career. Getting to be part of film franchises is a pretty rarefied space to be in, and that’s why I’ve been working so hard the last few years.
SIX FUNNIEST OFF-SCREEN MOMENTS
Chris Pratt’s comic timing doesn’t stop when the cameras cut.
ONE Forgetting his own son’s name during a press junket — and laughing it off.
TWO Hilariously bad magic tricks shared on Instagram.
THREE His habit of pranking co-stars, from slipping notes in their costumes to fake farts.
FOUR Reading bad reviews of himself aloud, deliberately.
FIVE Mistaking an interviewer’s country for the wrong one, then immediately apologising in song.
SIX His social media “farm reports” about pigs, sheep, and goats, delivered with deadpan sincerity.