Fans of Parks and Recreation have long been acquainted with Chris Pratt's adorableness and loveableness, but it wasn't really until he signed on to Guardians of the Galaxy — and began braiding interns' hair at press tours because why not? — that the rest of the world was really introduced to how awesome he is. So, it's kind of crazy to think that all of this gushing about Pratt almost didn't happen. According to Star-Lord himself in a new interview with Esquire magazine (that he's on the cover of!), Chris Pratt nearly said "no" to Guardians of the Galaxy . Why? Because he didn't want to embarrass himself.
Oh, Chris. Sweet, sweet Chris.
When Guardians of the Galaxy was pitched to me, I said, "I don't think so." I just didn't picture myself getting the role. I didn't want to go and embarrass myself like I did when I auditioned for G.I. Joe a couple of years previously. I went in there, and halfway through I saw the director's eyes just glaze over. It made sense—I was a little heavy and out of shape. I was not gonna play someone from G.I. Joe. I did not look like a G.I. Joe action figure come to life.
Thankfully, director James Gunn's eyes did not glaze over when Pratt auditioned for Guardians of the Galaxy, despite the fact that he was heavier from the role of Andy Dwyer in Parks and Rec at the time of the audition as well. He saw potential! And Pratt, as we all know, went on to get ridiculously buff for the role, and he's pretty much shockingly ripped now. The world, apparently, is his to jump all over now:
But I can do 40-inch box jumps now. Action-hero physical stuff. Jumping that high feels really good. You see a giant hillside, and you think, I wanna get up that. You see a building, you think, I could climb that. When you get in shape, the world around you becomes things you wanna jump on and climb up.
Anyway, go see Guardians of the Galaxy if you haven't already. It's seriously good.
