Chris Pratt Had Less Than 6 Months to Get in Shape for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’
Since his days on the hit TV show Parks and Recreation, Chris Pratt has come a long way. The actor has starred in blockbuster films like Jurassic World and The Tomorrow War. While he’s now known for his chiseled physique, it wasn’t always that way. In fact, Pratt weighed almost 300 pounds when he auditioned for his role as Peter Quill in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film. The actor was given less than six months to get in shape.
Chris Pratt was told he was ‘too fat’ to be cast in ‘Moneyball’
Starring as Andy Dwyer on the smash NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation propelled Pratt to popularity in the early 2000s. And by 2010, the actor had already appeared in several comedy films like Bride Wars and Deep in the Valley.
In 2011, Pratt decided to switch gears from comedy to drama with the role of Scott Hatteberg in Moneyball. Unfortunately, when he first auditioned for the part, he was told he needed to lose weight.
According to HuffPost, Pratt’s agent called him and said, “Chris, they really thought you were good, but they think you’re too fat.” While it was another three months before he found out he got the role, the actor lost 30 pounds because he was set on becoming Scott Hatteberg.
Chris Pratt had less than 6 months to get in shape for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’
Pratt’s biggest break came in 2014 when he uploaded a selfie on Instagram that he had taken while preparing for Zero Dark Thirty. In an interview with Best Fit, the actor said, “I’d lost 70 pounds, and my older brother Cully persuaded me to do it. It was embarrassing, but without it, who knows…”
Marvel noticed Pratt in the selfie and decided he would make a great lead in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film. Following several unsuccessful screen tests, he was finally called into the Marvel headquarters on short notice. At this point, though, the actor had gained a lot of weight while preparing for his role in Delivery Man.
“They held up the selfie from Zero Dark Thirty and said, ‘You’re too fat for Star-Lord. How long will it take you to look like this?’ They gave me five-and-a-half months. I did what I had to do!” he told Best Fit.
Luckily for Pratt, Marvel connected him with nutritionist Phil Goglia and fitness trainer Duffy Gaver. Goglia revamped the actor’s diet by increasing his daily caloric intake to 4,000 calories and adding a gallon of water for each pound he weighed. “I was peeing all day long, every day. That part was a nightmare,” Pratt told Men’s Health.
The actor’s hard work paid off, as he was able to transform his body in a matter of six months. He lost 60 pounds and gained a considerable amount of muscle mass. Pratt’s transformation was so impressive that it became a topic of conversation in Hollywood and beyond.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ premiers on 5 May 2023
The third installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is set to premiere on May 5th, 2023. Pratt will reprise his role as Peter Quill, and fans are eager to see what’s in store for the character.
Details about the plot of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 are still scarce. But from the film’s official synopsis, we can tell that Peter is still mourning Gamora. However, he has to unite his team to defend the universe and save one of their own.
Fans are also curious to see how Pratt will look in the new film. The actor has maintained his fit physique in the years since the first Guardians film, and he’ll likely continue to be in great shape for the third installment.
As we look forward to the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it’s clear that Pratt’s hard work has paid off in more ways than one.
