Known for portraying the role of Star-Lord in the MCU, who became a topic of fans’ criticism after jeopardizing a crucial moment to defeat Thanos in Infinity War, Chris Pratt had a challenging start in acting.
Ranking among some of the biggest Hollywood stars at the time, his breakthrough came as a stroke of remarkable good fortune amid the financial and logistical difficulties he faced early in his life.
Chris Pratt Opened Up About His Humble Beginnings
Before becoming one of the biggest stars in Hollywood starring in numerous hits and franchises, Chris Pratt had taken on numerous jobs to make ends meet. The actor worked a variety of jobs from door-to-door salesman to waiting tables in Hawaii as a college dropout.
And it was his job of waiting tables at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant in Maui that changed his life forever. In an interview with Ironclad, the actor opened up about how he landed his first acting job while living out of a van with his friends.
He recalled how taking up a shift that he usually didn’t, ended up being a life-changing decision. “I saw this woman that I recognized from the movies,” he said, as he recalled seeing Rae Dawn Chong in the restaurant.
Despite feeling nervous, Pratt took his chances and approached the actress, asking her if she was a movie star. “She was like, ‘My name’s Ray’… You’re cute. Do you act?” he recalled.
As the conversation progressed and Pratt assured her that he was an actor, the Commando actress offered him an audition for her directorial debut in a short horror film titled Cursed Part III.
Chris Pratt Couldn’t Afford to Fly to Los Angeles For His Acting Debut
Chris Pratt shared that the conversation with Rae Dawn Chong turned into an unexpected audition opportunity, and she asked for his phone number. “I didn’t have a phone,” he recalled, as he shared that he had to give his friend’s phone number.
Soon after, he received a message from his friend about the audition. He borrowed his friend’s van and drove across the island for the script. Pratt vividly remembered the excitement of the moment, noting how the character he was auditioning for, Nick, even wore a flannel shirt similar to his own.
His audition went well and he was eventually selected for the movie. However, his excitement was short-lived, when he learned that the film would be shot in Los Angeles, as he couldn’t afford to go to Los Angeles for the filming.
“I’ve got about 60 bucks I was like I can’t I can’t afford to go to L.A.,” he recalled. Gladly Dawn Chong was eager to have him in the movie and offered him the conveyance, saying, “Sweetie, we’ll fly you there.”
Pratt described the moment as life-changing, feeling the “tectonic plates” of his life shifting. “I actually knew right then, I was like, oh my God, my dreams are gonna come true,” he said, reflecting on the pivotal moment that set him on the path to becoming a movie star.
Despite all those efforts, the film was never released However, Pratt remained determined and has since become one of the most successful actors in the industry, enjoying a lucrative career.
