HERALDSUN.COM.AU THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2014 HIT 33 CHRIS LIKE US. ON THE iPAD. PRATT FACEBOOK.COM BE THE FIRST TO READ INTERVIEW /HITAUSTRALIA HIT VIA OUR APP Pratt’s fat chance

Until now, Chris arrogant, he’s flawed, and he’s just funny. Much, of course, has OFFSPRING FINALE Pratt played it for been made of how Pratt Well, if that’s the end physically transformed himself forever they went out on a laughs until a for the film. For a bloke who high. And good work Leo once tipped the scales at 136kg superhero role (“and not of muscle, either”), the turnaround has been jaw- popped up to dropping. The 35-year-old, who has spoken in the past of the change his mind travails of both losing and gaining weight for movie roles and body, writes (“I lost it for Zero Dark Thirty, came home and put it all back Tiffany Bakker on”), reckons Guardians completely changed his DELTA V MARLON perspective on health and WAYANS fitness for good. Quoting the Elaine Dance is Recently, Chris Pratt found “I totally embraced it. It sort the Best Comeback Ever himself in the midst of a career of defined who I was throughout identity crisis. the whole year. I just wanted to “I didn’t know what I was — become the character — not in if I was an action guy or a any kind of pretentious method- comedy guy,” says the affable y way, but I wanted to physically Pratt, kicking back at an transform myself to look like a outdoor cafe on the backlot of character from a comic book, Disney Studios in Los Angeles. like Star-Lord. I really just kind “I really loved the work I was of cleaned up my diet and my life doing, but I think I was just — it really just changed shifting the paradigm of how I everything for me. It changed saw myself. I was trying to work me personally, absolutely.” AMAZING RACE that out.” Given the reams of column AUSTRALIA V NZ Admittedly, he’d forged a inches given to discussing his The timeslot isn’t exactly pretty fine livelihood by playing current appearance, which will choice, but the casting is the “funny sidekick” (he’s best also serve him well as the lead sweet as a nut, bro known as the oafish-yet-lovable on the coming Jurassic World, Andy Dwyer on Parks and surely Pratt can now relate to Recreation), but brief — yet what 99.9 per cent of actresses impressive — roles in go through every day. Moneyball and 2013 Best “Are you saying that I might HOT Picture Oscar-winner Zero be responsible for giving men Dark Thirty convinced him he body image issues?” he smirks. NOT was capable of more. “Because if that’s what you’re “Before Zero Dark Thirty, I’d saying, that’s the nicest thing played the same kind of guy in anybody’s ever said to me. LAURINA: THE every movie — play the “Seriously, I’ll never come BACHELOR’S SERIAL dummy, get the laughs and goof close to understanding the FROCKBLOCKER around. It’s been like a survival pressure on women in this This year’s personal space mechanism for me, and it’s easy industry. I mean, I see what my invader. Back off lady for me to fall back into that,” he wife goes through.” says. “Then I saw the movie and Pratt, of course, is married to it redefined how I saw myself as actor Anna Faris, star of The an actor. Scary Movie series, The House “I was like, oh, wait a minute, Bunny, Entourage (she played this is something I can do. I can herself) and veritable pin-up for be taken seriously and teenage boys everywhere. The realistically in the face of action two married in 2009 after and you would buy it. And so meeting on the set of the largely then I started reconsidering the forgettable comedy Take Me jobs that I wanted to take.” Home Tonight, and are parents One of those jobs was for to a two-year-old son, Jack. BRYNNE GETS Guardians Of the Galaxy, the “He’s our top priority,” says 11PM TIMESLOT big-screen adaptation of the Pratt of his son, who was born At least it’s way past little-known Marvel comic nine weeks premature. “Before, Geoffrey’s bedtime book. Unlike Marvel’s other we were worried about getting wildly popular franchises, this role or that role, but now it’s Galaxy had a small — but rabid all about his happiness.” — band of fans. And they director James Gunn on board. Quill (AKA Star-Lord), a planet- characters — the raccoon-like For her part, Faris is used to a weren’t interested in Pratt Gunn wanted an actor to do for hopping thief abducted from creature Rocket (voiced by bit of superhero action at home taking on the role of their Guardians what Robert Downey Earth as a kid by the shady Bradley Cooper) and the truly and on screen, given she starred beloved Star-Lord. Jr had done for Iron Man. And to Rondu (Michael Rooker), who awesome walking tree Groot alongside Captain America “People didn’t see me in this him, that certainly wasn’t the enlists him to take on the (voiced by Vin Diesel). himself, Chris Evans, in the kind of a role. I’m not sure I “chubby guy”. villainous Ronan the Accuser Simply, Pratt is perfect in the comedy What’s Your Number? even saw myself in this kind of a “The casting director kept (Lee Pace). Quill takes charge of role (it’s also his first lead role, “Oh, she loves Chris,” smirks role. I’d always thought I was saying to me, ‘You’ve got to see his own band of ragtag misfits: unless you count Emmet Pratt, rolling his eyes. “And she’s KYLIE STAGE PEST too fat to be a superhero,” says Chris Pratt,’ and I was like, ‘The Zoe Saldana playing the green- Brickowski, the character he right to love him. I love him.” So can musicians jump in Pratt. “Your fellow Aussie Chris chubby guy from Parks and skinned assassin Gamora, gave voice to in the utterly Given Faris has seen Evans’ front of this woman when Hemsworth, now he looks like a Recreation?’ That’s a stupid former WWE wrestler Dave brilliant Lego Movie). muscular wares up close, what she’s doing her job too? superhero. But what appealed idea,” Gunn says. Bautista as a vengeance-seeking Like Harrison Ford before does she think of her husband’s to me about this project was just When he finally did see him, brute Drax and two CGI him, he’s got swagger, he’s new superhero physique? trying to get a chance to do the director was won over. “I don’t think she’s something that was different for “Within 20 seconds I was complaining,” laughs Pratt, “but me — to become part of the like, holy s---, that’s the guy let’s be honest, his abs still beat Marvel cinematic universe, and we’ve been looking for. And I’m “What appealed to me about this project mine by a mile. And she’d do something that was very like, chubby or not, the world’s was just trying to get a chance to do probably agree with me.” different for them.” going to have to be ready for the something that was different for me” Still, he had to do a fair first chubby superhero.” SEE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY amount of convincing to get In the film, Pratt plays Peter CHRIS PRATT OPENS TODAY

V1 - MHSE01Z02MA