Chris Pratt’s Audition for Guardians of the Galaxy Nearly Didn’t Happen

LOS ANGELES, CA — Chris Pratt‘s journey to become Peter Quill, also known as Star-Lord, in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise was anything but straightforward. During a recent interview, Pratt revealed that director James Gunn initially did not want to audition him for the role.

Before landing this pivotal role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Pratt had been overlooked for other major films, including “Thor” and “Captain America: The First Avenger.” Despite his success on the television series “Parks and Recreation,” Pratt felt typecast in comedy. That all changed when he trained for the military thriller “Zero Dark Thirty,” which sparked his ambition to tackle more significant roles.

Although Pratt was hesitant to audition for another Marvel film, his agent insisted he give it a shot. “She was like, ‘I’m telling you, Guardians of the Galaxy.’ I was like, ‘Fine, I’ll do it,’” he said. With some persuasion, casting director Sarah Halley Finn managed to get him into the audition.

However, Gunn remained skeptical. “James Gunn had not agreed to see me. He was like, ‘What is he doing here? I told you I didn’t want to see him,’” Pratt recalled. But everything changed once he began his audition. “Then I auditioned, and like 20 seconds in, he was like, ‘That’s my dude,’” Pratt said.

This unexpected turn led to the success of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which transformed a group of lesser-known Marvel characters into cultural icons. The film not only catapulted Pratt to A-list status but also established Gunn as a groundbreaking director in the MCU, paving the way for his current role as co-head of DC Studios.

Reflecting on the experience, Pratt remarked, “It’s wild to think how close we came to a totally different version of Star-Lord.” Thanks to his determined agent, a supportive casting director, and Gunn’s open-mindedness, Pratt ultimately became the face of a franchise.