Chris Pratt

For other people of the same name, see Christopher Pratt (disambiguation).

Chris Pratt

Born Christopher Michael Pratt
(1979-06-21) June 21, 1979
Virginia, Minnesota, United States
Education Lake Stevens High School
Occupation Actor
Years active 2000–present
Home town Lake Stevens, Washington
Spouse(s) Anna Faris (m. 2009)
Children 1

Christopher Michael "Chris" Pratt[1] (born June 21, 1979)[2] is an American actor. He came to prominence from his television roles, including Bright Abbott in Everwood (2002–2006) and Andy Dwyer in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015).

His early film career began with supporting roles in such mainstream films as Wanted (2008), Moneyball (2011), The Five-Year Engagement (2012), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Delivery Man (2013), and Her (2013) before achieving leading man status in 2014 after starring in two commercially successful films: The Lego Movie, a computer-animated adventure comedy; and Guardians of the Galaxy, a superhero film produced by Marvel Studios in which he portrayed Peter Quill / Star-Lord. In 2015, he starred in Jurassic World, the fourth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise and his most financially successful film. In 2015, Time Magazine named Pratt one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list.[3]

Early life

Pratt was born in Virginia, Minnesota,[2] the son of Kathleen Louise "Kathy" (née Indahl), who later worked at a Safeway supermarket, and Daniel Clifton "Dan" Pratt (died 2014 from multiple sclerosis),[4] who worked in mining and later remodeling houses.[5][6][7]

Pratt was raised in Lake Stevens, Washington, where he placed fifth in a state wrestling tournament as a high school student.[5][8] His wrestling coach recalled asking Pratt what he wished to do with his life. Pratt relates: "I was like, 'I don't know, but I know I'll be famous and I know I'll make a shit ton of money.' I had no idea how. I'd done nothing proactive."[5]

Pratt dropped out of a local community college halfway through the first semester and, after working as a discount ticket salesman and a daytime stripper, he ended up homeless in Maui, sleeping in a van and in a tent on the beach. He told The Independent: "It's a pretty awesome place to be homeless. We just drank and smoked weed and worked minimal hours, just enough to cover gas, food, and fishing supplies."[5][9] He recalled listening to the Dr. Dre album 2001 daily to the point where he knew "every word to that album". Years later, he was able to perform Eminem's vocals from the song "Forgot About Dre" during an interview.[10]

Career

2000s

Pratt at the premiere of Parks and Recreation in April 2009

Pratt was waiting tables at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant in Maui when the 19-year-old was discovered by actress and director Rae Dawn Chong. She cast him in her directorial debut, the short horror film Cursed Part 3, which was filmed in Los Angeles.[5][11][12]

Pratt's first regular television role was as Harold Brighton "Bright" Abbott on the series Everwood.[5][13] After Everwood's cancellation, he joined the cast of The O.C. for its fourth season, playing activist Winchester "Ché" Cook.[5] He also had an appearance in the 2008 action film Wanted.

Pratt read for the lead role of Captain James T. Kirk in the 2009 film Star Trek, and for Jake Sully in the 2009 film Avatar.[5][12] The latter audition was particularly humbling for Pratt, who recalls: "They said they want somebody that has 'that thing', that 'it factor'. I walked into that room knowing that I did not have that thing, and I walked out thinking I would never have that thing, probably." Pratt resolved to rethink his career ambitions, commenting: "People have to work. I just don't want it to be at a fucking restaurant."[5]

In 2009, Pratt began playing Andy Dwyer on the NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation. Originally meant to be a temporary character, Andy was so likeable that producers asked Pratt back as a series regular. This led to the character being written much more sympathetically at the start of season two.[5][14]

2010s

Pratt portrayed Oakland Athletics first baseman/catcher Scott Hatteberg in the 2011 film Moneyball. He was initially told that he was too fat to play Hatteberg, as he had gained 40 pounds (18 kg), which Pratt attributed to the cooking of his then-girlfriend and now-wife, actress Anna Faris. Deciding to lose weight, he worked out continuously, regularly checking to see if the part was cast, losing a total of 30 pounds (14 kg). When he felt he had lost enough, he sent a photo of himself to the casting director and won the part. Prior to the release of Moneyball, Pratt was typecast as youthful and somewhat immature characters. In Moneyball, he played a dramatic role as a father and dejected baseball player who once feared his career was over and who had the difficult task of learning an entirely new defensive position.[5][15] He gained back the weight he had lost to appear in the film 10 Years, then lost it again to portray a Navy SEAL in the film Zero Dark Thirty.[5]

In 2013, Pratt initially turned down the opportunity to play Peter Quill / Star-Lord in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy, explaining that he did not "want another Captain Kirk or Avatar moment". The film's casting director, Sarah Finn, suggested Pratt to director James Gunn, who had struggled to cast that role and dismissed the idea. Despite this, Finn arranged for a meeting between the two, at which point Gunn was immediately convinced that Pratt was perfect for the role. Pratt also won over Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, despite having gained weight again for the comedy film Delivery Man.[5][16] The role was part of a multi-film deal that Pratt signed with Marvel.[17]

In March 2014, Pratt was awarded the CinemaCon Award for Breakthrough Performer.[18][19] Also in 2014, he was ranked as #2 on People magazine's annual list of Sexiest Men Alive.[20]

Although Pratt had been known until that point for playing supporting characters,[5] and was best known as his portly Parks and Recreation character, that changed in 2014 when he headlined two feature films, the first of which was The Lego Movie.[5][9] The film became the third-highest-grossing film of 2014 in North America. This was followed that August by Guardians of the Galaxy, which became the highest-grossing film of 2014 in North America, making Pratt the star of two of the top five highest-grossing films of that year.[21] Bruce Diones of the The New Yorker noted, "Pratt, overflowing with charisma, plays the leader of the pack of misfits, and his blissed-out space cowboy (with a love for seventies music) is so full of good will that he buoys the film and its requisite whizbang special effects.[22] Pratt was the featured cover story of the July 18 Entertainment Weekly, which documented the evolution of Pratt's physique over the course of the previous 12 years, going from 220 pounds (100 kg) for his role on Everwood to 295 pounds (134 kg) for Delivery Man, to 225–230 pounds (102–104 kg) for his roles in Zero Dark Thirty and Guardians.[5] Pratt himself poked fun at his fluctuating physique in a musical number he performed during his monologue when he hosted the September 27, 2014, episode of Saturday Night Live.[23]

In November 2013, Pratt, an avid fan of Jurassic Park, who has referred to that film as "my Star Wars",[5] replaced Josh Brolin as the lead in the film Jurassic World (2015). He played Owen Grady, who works training Velociraptors.[24][25][26][27] Jurassic World grossed $652.3 million in North America and $1.018 billion overseas for a worldwide total of $1.670 billion.[28] He will reprise his role in a sequel, which is scheduled to be released on June 22, 2018.[29] His next film role was starring as Josh Farraday, a gambler, in the remake of the 1960 Western The Magnificent Seven. The film was released on September 23, 2016.[30] December 2016 will see Pratt star alongside Jennifer Lawrence in the science fiction film Passengers. His character is described as "a mechanic, who wants to get off an Earth that no longer seems to value a guy who works with his hands".[31]

He will reprise his role as Peter Quill / Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in May 2017. The film focuses on Quill's and his team's search for his real father.[32] Pratt will also portray the character in Avengers: Infinity War in May 2018.[33]

Personal life

Pratt met actress Anna Faris on the set of the film Take Me Home Tonight in 2007; in the film, their characters were love interests.[5][34] They were engaged in late 2008,[35] and were married in Bali on July 9, 2009.[36] They live in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles, California.[37][38] Their son, Jack, was born in August 2012.[39] Pratt stated that the birth of his preterm son "restored my faith in God, not that it needed to be restored, but it really defined it", after both he and his wife "prayed a lot" as they were initially afraid of the baby's prognosis.[40]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Cursed Part 3 Devon Short film
2003 The Extreme Team Keenan
2005 Strangers with Candy Brason
2007 Walk the Talk Cam
2008 Wieners Bobby
2008 Wanted Barry
2009 Bride Wars Fletcher
2009 Deep in the Valley Lester Watts
2009 Jennifer's Body Roman Duda
2011 Take Me Home Tonight Kyle Masterson
2011 Moneyball Scott Hatteberg
2011 What's Your Number? Disgusting Donald
2011 10 Years Cully
2012 Five-Year Engagement, TheThe Five-Year Engagement Alex Eilhauer
2012 Zero Dark Thirty Justin Nominated—Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
2013 Movie 43 Doug Segment: "The Proposition"
Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Combo (shared with Anna Faris)
2013 Mr. Payback Darren Short film
2013 Delivery Man Brett
2013 Her Paul
2014 The Lego Movie Emmet Brickowski (voice) Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie: Voice
2014 Guardians of the Galaxy Peter Quill / Star-Lord Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble
CinemaCon Award for Breakthrough Performer of the Year
Saturn Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actor in an Action Movie
Nominated—Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Breakthrough Artist
Nominated—Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Male Action Star
Nominated—Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Nominated—Young Hollywood Award for Super Superhero
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Moment
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Shirtless Performance
2015 Jurassic World Owen Grady MTV Movie Award for Best Action Performance
Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Summer Movie Star: Male
Nominated—People's Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor
2015 Jem and the Holograms Himself Cameo
2016 The Magnificent Seven Josh Faraday
2016 Passengers Jim Preston In post-production
2017 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Peter Quill / Star-Lord In post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Huntress, TheThe Huntress Nick Owens Episode: "Who Are You?"
2002–2006 Everwood Harold Brighton "Bright" Abbott 89 episodes
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Sidekick (2004–2005)
2005 Path of Destruction Nathan McCain Television film
2006–2007 O.C., TheThe O.C. Winchester "Ché" Cook 9 episodes
2008 Batman, TheThe Batman Jake (voice) Episode: "Attack of the Terrible Trio"
2009–2015 Parks and Recreation Andrew Maxwell "Andy" Dwyer 117 episodes
Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2013)
2010–2011 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Cooper Daniels (voice) 2 episodes
2014 Saturday Night Live Himself (host) Episode: "Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande"[41]

Video games

Year Title Voice role
2010 Ben 10 Ultimate Alien: Cosmic Destruction Cooper Daniels
2012 Kinect Star Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi
2014 The Lego Movie Videogame Emmet Brickowski (archive footage)
2015 Lego Jurassic World Owen Grady
2015 Lego Dimensions Emmet Brickowski/Owen Grady

References

  1. Christopher Michael Pratt at the Minnesota Birth Index via FamilySearch.org. Retrieved on August 12, 2015. The "Saint Louis, Minnesota" listed on the Index refers not to a town but to St. Louis County, Minnesota.
  2. 1 2 "Chris Pratt". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  3. Poehler, Amy. "Chris Pratt: The World's 100 Most Influential People".
  4. Sirota, Chris Heath,Peggy (June 17, 2015). "Chris Pratt on His Late Father and How He Feels About Him Now".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Collis, Clark (July 11, 2014). "How Chris Pratt Went from Zero to Hero". Entertainment Weekly. pp. 24–31. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  6. Fine, Audrey. "Getting to Know: Chris Pratt". Seventeen. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  7. Cara Buckley (July 23, 2014). "Chris Pratt Is a Superhero in 'Guardians of the Galaxy'". The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  8. Sandy Ringer (February 14, 2011). "Lake Stevens wrestlers try to pin down storybook ending for documentary". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  9. 1 2 Oliver Lyttelton (August 2, 2014). "Journey to the Star-Lord: How Chris Pratt Became a Movie Star". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  10. Blistein, Jon (August 5, 2014). "Watch Chris Pratt Flawlessly Rap Eminem's 'Forgot About Dre' Verse". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  11. "Chris Pratt: Biography". TVGuide.com. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  12. 1 2 Hulten, Kevin (August 29, 2007). "Lake's Chris Pratt found success in Hollywood, and now he plans on bringing it home". Lake Stevens Journal. Archived from the original on January 26, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  13. Pierce, Leonard (November 3, 2009). "Interview: Chris Pratt". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  14. Sepinwall, Alan. "Parks and Recreation: Interviewing co-creator Mike Schur". The Star-Ledger. Newark, N.J. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  15. Rosen, Christopher (August 29, 2011). "The Very Busy Chris Pratt on Preparing for Moneyball, Goofing in What's Your Number? and Ten Year". Movieline. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  16. Fleming Jr., Mike (February 5, 2013). "Chris Pratt Getting 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Lead". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  17. Ryan, Mike (November 18, 2013). "Chris Pratt on Heartbreak, 'Delivery Man' and Gearing Up for 'Guardians of the Galaxy'". HuffingtonPost.com. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  18. "CHRIS PRATT TO RECEIVE 'CINEMACON® BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR AWARD'" Archived August 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.. CinemaCon. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  19. "Chris Pratt Loving The 'C' On His CinemaCon Award". Access Hollywood. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  20. "The Sexiest Men Alive". People. November 21, 2014.
  21. "2014 DOMESTIC GROSSES". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  22. Diones, Bruce (2014). "Guardians of the Galaxy". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  23. "Chris Pratt/Ariana Grande". Saturday Night Live. Season 40. Episode 1. September 27, 2014. NBC.
  24. Sneider, Jeff (November 13, 2013). "'Guardians of the Galaxy' Star Chris Pratt Circling Lead in 'Jurassic World' (Exclusive)". TheWrap.com. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  25. Kit, Borys (November 13, 2013). "Chris Pratt in Early Talks to Star in 'Jurassic World'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  26. "Bryce and Chris meet....". Ron Howard verified Twitter page. January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  27. Tilley, Steve (January 26, 2014). "Chris Pratt confirms 'Jurassic World': 'Jurassic Park was really kind of my Star Wars'". Toronto Sun. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  28. "Jurassic World (2015)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  29. Rebecca Ford (July 23, 2015). "'Jurassic World 2' Set for 2018". The Hollywood Reporter. (Prometheus Global Media). Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  30. Murthi, Vikram (April 19, 2016). "'The Magnificent Seven' Remake First Look: Denzel Washington & Chris Pratt Look Tough In Antoine Fuqua's Western". Indiewire. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  31. Rainey, James (April 12, 2016). "'Passengers' With Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt Dazzles at CinemaCon". Variety. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  32. Eisenberg, Eric (2016). "Guardians Of The Galaxy 2: What We Know So Far". Cinema Blend. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  33. Davis, Brandon (April 10, 2016). "Russo Brothers Confirm Star-Lord And Thor In Avengers: Infinity War". Comicbook.com. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  34. Fleming, Mike (December 17, 2010). "Hot Trailer: 'Take Me Home Tonight'". Deadline.com.
  35. Garcia, Jennifer; Cedenheim, Pernilla (January 29, 2009). "Anna Faris Gets Engaged!". People. Time Inc. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2015. 'They got engaged late last year,' says the rep.
  36. "Anna Faris Is Married!". People. August 12, 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  37. "Anna Faris & Chris Pratt Upgrade to Hollywood Hills Home | Zillow Blog". Zillow.com. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  38. David, Mark (May 14, 2013). "UPDATE: Rapino Sells to Faris and Pratt". Variety. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  39. Garcia, Jennifer (August 25, 2012). "Anna Faris Welcomes a Baby Boy". People. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  40. Alexander, Reagan (July 30, 2014). "Chris Pratt: My Premature Son 'Restored My Faith in God'". People. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  41. Reed, Ryan (September 10, 2014). "Ariana Grande, Chris Pratt Set for 'Saturday Night Live' Premiere". Rolling Stone.

External links

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