Although Chris Pratt eventually found his place in the Marvel Universe as Peter Quill, a.k.a Star-Lord, in Guardians of the Galaxy, his journey to the role was far from smooth. After facing multiple rejections, the actor believed he would never be part of the franchise.
During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Pratt revealed his struggle to secure a role in Marvel movies. He had auditioned for several films, including Thor, but failed to land a part. He shared with the host that he had not always auditioned for leading roles, but for various characters.
Pratt recalled, as quoted by Variety, "I auditioned for them all. I had a rough run with Marvel. I auditioned for 'Thor,' but not even to be Thor - but to be one of the sidekick guys, and I didn't get a callback." He eventually gave up on his dream of being in a Marvel movie, deciding to stop auditioning altogether.
When Kimmel asked Pratt about the films he auditioned for, the Avengers: Endgame star responded, "All of them." He continued, "I mean, all of them. Anything that came out that needed a guy that even remotely looked like me, I auditioned for in some way or another."
Pratt also mentioned his interest in auditioning for roles in other franchises like Star Trek and Avatar. However, he said, "Over and over again I was like, 'Well, I definitely don't have that it-factor they're looking for because they don't even want me to come back.'"
Despite his previous setbacks, Pratt finally found success when he was cast as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy. He also secured a leading role in Universal's Jurassic World franchise.
In the Marvel book The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pratt admitted he was initially hesitant to play Star-Lord. He shared, as cited by Koimoi, "At the time, as an actor, I didn't really believe that I would be right for Quill. I was really redefining who I was as an actor. I didn't think I'd fit unless I'd play a sidekick character. I didn't see myself as a Star-Lord type, or a hero type."
Ultimately, Chris Pratt overcame his doubts and rejections, solidifying his place in the Marvel Universe as Star-Lord. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to hit theaters on May 5, released by Disney.
