Chris Pratt went from living out of a van, barely able to feed himself, to starring on the silver screen inspired by his mother’s love and lessons from his father.
Chris Pratt came from a humble background; his mother, Kathy Pratt, mostly worked at a supermarket, and his dad was a contractor. Kathy always made sure her children felt loved. Pratt’s relationship with his father, Dan Pratt, was not as rosy, but as a man, he can look back and appreciate the lessons his dad taught him.
At 23 years old, Pratt bought his mother a house, his first big purchase as a “well-paid” actor. The gift was meaningful, seeing as he had experienced homelessness before becoming an actor and the tough times his family went through in the past.
Pratt was born in Minnesota in 1979 but grew up in Washington State. He dropped out of community college to work as a coupon salesman in a multi-level marketing scheme. When his prospects in sales dried up, he moved to Maui to pursue his dream of being an entertainer. In a post about that time in his life, Pratt said:
“I had to hustle hard and go hungry. I had to eat sardines and figure out how to get gas money. And I never had a plan B.”
Pratt was practically homeless, camping out at the beach with a friend. He was far from home, away from his family’s love and protection. Survival was the foremost concern, but the big dream he had kept him pushing. He believed that he would make it one day
That phase of his life was challenging, but Pratt remembers it fondly. In those days, he kept a cheerful demeanor while working as a server at Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co., where he wasn’t shy to engage patrons, sing birthday songs, or play trivia games.
Pratt approached the role with his signature enthusiasm and fearlessness. And it paid off.
One day, he caught the attention of actress and director Rae Dawn Chong who gave him his first acting role in “Cursed Part 3.” After breaking into the business, he landed roles in TV shows playing Bright Abbot in “Everwood” and Ché in the popular teen drama “The OC.” He also got into the movies with minor roles in “Moneyball” and “Jeniffer’s Body,” to name a few.
Chris Pratt was on his way and he was ready to make the most out of every opportunity. In his audition for the part of Andy Dwyer on “Parks and Recreation,” Pratt approached the role with his signature enthusiasm and fearlessness, and it paid off. Recalling the reaction to Pratt’s audition, co-creator Mike Shur said:
“Oh, we have to reconceive this because this guy’s the funniest person we’ve ever seen. We’re not letting that guy go.”
Pratt convinced the show’s creators to expand the guest spot into a regular role and cemented himself as a comedic actor and a fan favorite. Industry executives eventually took notice of his rising star, and Hollywood came knocking.
2014 was a landmark year for Pratt. He landed two leading roles, voicing Emmet Brickowski in “The Lego Movie” & starring as Peter Quill/Star-Lord in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Since then, he has made his mark as a leading man, headlining major blockbusters and showing his range from comedy to drama, thrillers, and sci-fi.
The “Parks and Recreation” actor also credits his mom for teaching him how to act.
His highest-grossing offering has been “Jurassic World,” the fourth installment of the “Jurassic Park” films. Another career-defining moment was starring opposite Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in the remake of “The Magnificent Seven.”
At 23 years old, Pratt bought his mom a house with the proceeds from his first well-paying role. This was a full circle moment from the challenging circumstances of his childhood. He went from living in a van to buying his mom a home. Recalling the sacrifices his mother made, Pratt posted on Instagram:
“There was never a question in any of our lives whether or not we were loved. Ever. You made us confident. You gave us grit. You kept us grounded. You gave us hair cuts and made us meals.”
Pratt’s posts on social media indicate that his mother, Kathy is a major part of his life. Her kindness and acceptance of others and her positive outlook on life are all things he loves about her.
The “Parks and Recreation” actor also credits his mom for teaching him how to act. Growing up, the kids could count on her to make a mundane chore into a performance.
The “Jurassic World” star, however, had a complex relationship with his father, Dan. Pratt describes his father, who worked as a contractor, as a hard worker and a problem solver who was “old school.” But Dan’s confidence took a hit when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when his son was in his twenties.
Dan could work his way through any challenge set before him, but his wits and skills were no match against the degenerative condition, and neither was his body. He gave up, leading to the breakdown of his relationship with Pratt’s mother. Sadly, he passed away in 2014.
Speaking about his dad, Pratt appreciated that, in his own way, Dan showed he was proud of his son. His father would watch everything he was in on TV, so Pratt felt like he could communicate with his dad through his work.
Now, Chris Pratt himself is a proud father of three: Jack (10) with his first wife, Anna Faris, and daughters Lyla (2) and Eloise (10 months) with his second wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger.
