Chris Pratt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Pratt
Pratt in 2018
Born	Christopher Michael Pratt (1979-06-21) June 21, 1979 (age 45) Virginia, Minnesota, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2000–present
Spouse(s)	Anna Faris ​ ​ (m. 2009; div. 2018)​ Katherine Schwarzenegger ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	4
Family	Arnold Schwarzenegger (father-in-law) Patrick Schwarzenegger (brother-in-law) Joseph Baena (brother-in-law) Maria Shriver (mother-in-law)
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Christopher Michael Pratt (born June 21, 1979) is an American actor. He rose to prominence in the late 2000s for playing Andy Dwyer in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015). He also appeared in The WB drama series Everwood (2002–2006) and had supporting roles in the films Wanted (2008), Jennifer's Body (2009), Moneyball (2011), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), and Her (2013).

Pratt established himself by starring in two top-grossing film series. He played Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), and portrayed Owen Grady in the Jurassic World trilogy (2015–2022). He has also voiced characters in The Lego Movie franchise (2014–2019), Onward (2020), The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), and The Garfield Movie (2024).

Pratt's other starring roles include the films The Magnificent Seven (2016), Passengers (2016), The Tomorrow War (2021), and the action thriller television series The Terminal List (2022). He was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2015. His films as a leading actor have grossed over $13 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.

Early life

Christopher Michael Pratt was born on June 21, 1979, in Virginia, Minnesota. His mother worked at a Safeway supermarket, and his father worked in mining and later remodeling houses. Pratt's father died in 2014 from multiple sclerosis. His mother is of Norwegian descent. When Pratt was seven years old, the family moved to Lake Stevens, Washington. Pratt placed fifth in a high school state wrestling tournament. He also was a shot putter for his high school's track team. He later recalled that when his wrestling coach asked him what he wished to do with his life, he said "'I don't know, but I know I'll be famous and I know I'll make a ton of money.' I had no idea how. I'd done nothing proactive." He graduated from Lake Stevens High School in 1997.

Pratt dropped out of community college halfway through the first semester and, after working as a discount ticket salesman, he ended up homeless in Maui, Hawaii, sleeping in a van and a tent on the beach. He told The Independent, "It's a pretty awesome place to be homeless. We worked minimal hours, just enough to cover gas, food, and fishing supplies." He recalled listening to the Dr. Dre album 2001 daily, to the point where he knew every lyric; years later, he rapped Eminem's verses from the song "Forgot About Dre" extemporaneously during an interview. During his time in Maui, he worked for Christian missionary organization Jews for Jesus.

Career

2000–2013: Early work and breakthrough

When Pratt was age 19, he waited tables at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant in Maui when he 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. Pratt's first regular television role was as Harold Brighton "Bright" Abbott on the series Everwood. After Everwood's cancellation, he joined the cast of The O.C. for its fourth season, playing activist Winchester "Ché" Cook. He also had an appearance in the 2008 action film Wanted, where James McAvoy hits him with a keyboard.

Pratt at the premiere of Parks and Recreation in April 2009

In 2009, Pratt began playing Andy Dwyer on the NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation. Originally meant to be a temporary character, producers liked Pratt so much they asked him to become a series regular. This proved to be his breakthrough role.

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, 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. Before 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 a new defensive position.

He gained back the weight he had lost to appear in the film 10 Years (2011), then lost it again to portray a Navy SEAL in the film Zero Dark Thirty (2012). He played the co-worker of Joaquin Phoenix character in Spike Jonze's sci-fi romance Her in December 2013.

2014–present: Franchise work and worldwide recognition

While Pratt had been known to this point for playing supporting characters and he was best known for his character on Parks and Recreation, 2014 marked a turning point in his career when he headlined two major studio films: Emmet Brickowski in The Lego Movie, which grossed $469.1 million; and Peter Quill / Star-Lord in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy, which grossed $773.3 million. Pratt had initially turned down the role of Peter Quill, explaining he did not "want another Captain Kirk or Avatar moment" (after humbling auditions for both). The film's casting director, Sarah Finn, suggested Pratt to the director James Gunn, who had struggled to cast that role and dismissed the idea. In spite of this, Finn arranged for a meeting between the two, at which point Gunn was 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. The role was part of a multi-film deal that Pratt signed with Marvel. Bruce Diones of 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."

In November 2013, Pratt, an avid fan of Jurassic Park (1993) who has referred to the film as "my Star Wars", replaced Josh Brolin as the lead in Jurassic World (2015). He played Owen Grady, who works training Velociraptors. Jurassic World grossed $652.3 million in North America and $1.018 billion overseas for a worldwide total of $1.670 billion. His performance was praised. He reprised the role in the sequel, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which was released on June 22, 2018. Although a commercial success, the sequel received mixed reviews, with Brian Lowry of CNN criticizing the film for "largely neutralizing [...] Pratt's charm and comedic skills."

Pratt at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con

His next film role was as Josh Faraday, a gambler, in The Magnificent Seven, a remake of the 1960 Western with the same name, in which he starred alongside Denzel Washington. The film was released on September 23, 2016. Pratt's second 2016 release was Passengers, a science fiction film which opened in December, co-starring Jennifer Lawrence. Pratt played Jim Preston, "a mechanic, who wants to get off an Earth that no longer seems to value a guy who works with his hands". In 2018, Pratt was the guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Disneyland.

Pratt reprised his role as Peter Quill/Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which was released in May 2017. The film focuses on Quill's and his team's search for his father. Pratt also reprised the character in Avengers: Infinity War, which was released in April 2018, and in Avengers: Endgame, which was released on April 26, 2019.

Additionally, Pratt reprised the voice role of Emmet in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part along with voicing another character Rex Dangervest. In August 2017, Pratt was confirmed to star in the Western drama The Kid. He is also set to appear as Duncan in the action film Cowboy Ninja Viking alongside Priyanka Chopra. Initially, the film was to be released in June 2019; however, on August 7, 2018, the film was pulled from the release list, nullifying the previous release date.

In February 2020, Pratt founded the production company Indivisible Productions. Its first project, The Terminal List, which stars and is executive produced by Pratt, was released on Amazon Prime Video on July 1, 2022. In March 2020, Pratt had a lead voice role in the Disney/Pixar animated feature film Onward, alongside his Avengers co-star Tom Holland.

In May 2021, Pratt and Parks and Recreation announced the upcoming release of a new album based on Pratt's character Andy Dwyer. In June 2021, they officially released a pair of singles, "The Pit" and "Two Birds Holding Hands". The album, which is called Mouse Rat: The Awesome Album, was released in August 2021. In September 2021, it was announced that Pratt would be voicing the Nintendo mascot Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie based on the video game series of the same name. Both his casting and voice as Mario were initially highly criticized by most fans and critics alike, and he would receive more criticism again following the film's release. In November 2021, it was announced that he would be voicing the titular cat of the upcoming animated film The Garfield Movie, being directed by Mark Dindal from a script by David Reynolds. In June 2022, he was announced to star in The Electric State alongside Millie Bobby Brown. In 2022, he once again reprised his role as Owen Grady, in Jurassic World Dominion. In 2024, he began portraying Mr. P in Pringles advertisements, including one released during the Super Bowl.

Personal life

Pratt and his then wife Anna Faris at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2007, on the set of Take Me Home Tonight, Pratt met actress Anna Faris, who played his love interest in the film. They were engaged in late 2008 and married in Bali, Indonesia, on July 9, 2009, eloping on a whim after a friend's wedding.

They lived in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. Their son was born in 2012, nine weeks premature and weighing only 3 pounds 12 ounces (1.7 kg). Pratt stated that the birth of his preterm son "really defined" his faith in God after both he and his wife "prayed a lot" as they were initially afraid of the baby's prognosis. The couple split in 2017. The divorce was finalized on October 31, 2018.

Pratt began a relationship with author Katherine Schwarzenegger in June 2018 after being set up by Schwarzenegger's mother, Maria Shriver. On January 13, 2019, Pratt announced that he and Schwarzenegger were engaged. They were married on June 8, 2019, in Montecito, California. After the wedding, they traveled to Lanai, Hawaii for their honeymoon, staying at a luxury resort. In 2020, their first daughter was born. In May 2022, their second daughter was born. In November 2024, their third child and first son was born. Through his marriage to Schwarzenegger, he is a member of the extended Kennedy family.

Pratt was raised Lutheran and later worked for Jews for Jesus, eventually becoming a non-denominational Christian.

Pratt donated over $1,000 to Barack Obama's campaign in 2012. In 2017, Pratt stated that he does not represent either side of the political spectrum and has expressed a desire to find common ground.

He and his wife, Katherine, are both Global Ambassadors for Special Olympics.

Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger purchased an architecturally-significant house, known as the Ellwood Zimmerman House, in Brentwood, California in 2023. They demolished the building in order to build a larger home.

Philanthropy

In 2015, Pratt and Anna Faris donated $1 million to a charity which provided eyeglasses to underprivileged children. The donation was allegedly inspired by Pratt's son who was born premature and visually impaired. They also donated to neonatal intensive care unit of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

In December 2016, Pratt donated $500,000 to a teen center in his hometown of Lake Stevens. The teen center was named in memory of his father.

In February 2021, Pratt donated $20,000 to fight hunger in South Carolina. The donation was part of a fundraiser by Pratt and an organization to raise $650,000 to fight food insecurity amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Pratt also helped create the charity Feed Thy Neighbor to which he donated $100,000. Also in February 2021, he donated $10,000 to the Edmonds Food Bank as part of his organization and also donated to the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce and Edmonds Waterfront Center in Washington state.

Filmography

Film

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

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
	Wanted	Barry
2009	Bride Wars	Fletcher Flemson
	Deep in the Valley	Lester Watts
	Jennifer's Body	Roman Duda
	The Multi-Hyphenate	Chris	Short film
2011	Take Me Home Tonight	Kyle Masterson
	Moneyball	Scott Hatteberg
	What's Your Number?	Disgusting Donald
	10 Years	Cully
2012	On the Mat	Narrator	Documentary Also executive producer
	The Five-Year Engagement	Alex Eilhauer
	Zero Dark Thirty	Justin Lenihan
2013	Movie 43	Doug	Segment: "The Proposition"
	Mr. Payback	Darren	Short film
	Delivery Man	Brett
	Her	Paul
2014	The Lego Movie	Emmet Brickowski	Voice
	Guardians of the Galaxy	Peter Quill / Star-Lord
2015	Jurassic World	Owen Grady
	Jem and the Holograms	Himself	Cameo
2016	The Magnificent Seven	Joshua Faraday
	Passengers	Jim Preston
2017	Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2	Peter Quill / Star-Lord
2018	Avengers: Infinity War
	Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom	Owen Grady
	Emmet's Holiday Party	Emmet Brickowski	Voice, short film
2019	The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part	Emmet Brickowski, Rex Dangervest	Voice
	The Kid	Grant Cutler
	Avengers: Endgame	Peter Quill / Star-Lord
2020	Onward	Barley Lightfoot	Voice
2021	The Tomorrow War	Dan Forester	Also executive producer
2022	Alaskan Nets	N/A	Documentary Executive producer only
	Jurassic World Dominion	Owen Grady
	Thor: Love and Thunder	Peter Quill / Star-Lord
2023	Helen Believe	N/A	Documentary Producer only
	The Super Mario Bros. Movie	Mario	Voice
	Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3	Peter Quill / Star-Lord
2024	The Garfield Movie	Garfield	Voice
	Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain's Journey	N/A	Documentary Executive producer only
2025	The Electric State	Keats	Post-production
2026	Mercy	TBA	Post-production
TBA	Way of the Warrior Kid	Jake	Filming Also producer

Television

Web

Video games

Theme Park Attractions

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Chris Pratt para niños