4. Chris Pratt Wasn’t the Director’s First Choice
Before Chris Pratt’s killer audition, several famous actors auditioned and screen tested for the role of Peter Quill/Star Lord.
Actors like Jensen Ackles (Supernatural), Cam Gigandet (Easy A), Sullivan Stapleton (Strike Back), James Marsden (X-Men), and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Don Jon), John Krasinki (The Office), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and many others almost got Pratt’s role.
First, James Gunn didn’t want to see Pratt auditioning, but eventually he was convinced by his assistant, and let him audition at the end of all the auditions.
After Pratt read for 30 seconds, Gunn knew he was perfect for the role. His audition was so good that Gunn prepared to offer him the role even if Pratt did not lose weight and get in shape in time.
Gunn even joked that he was willing to CGI a six pack on Pratt’s body. But Pratt asked him to give him 6 months to lose 50 pounds and he ended up losing 60 pounds.
Pratt was also good at improvisation, according to James Gunn, Star-Lord’s obscene gesture was an improvisation by Chris Pratt.
