Chris Pratt remains one of the biggest names in Hollywood, and he's in the midst of another impressive run on the big screen in multiple universes. Jurassic World: Dominion features Pratt's Owen Grady for the third time, and he's about to return as Star-Lord for a reportedly minor role in Thor: Love and Thunder, although he's also at the center of some rumors regarding his religious beliefs.
Over the past few years, Pratt has come under fire on several occasions for reportedly being a member of a church that supports hate speech, largely against people in the LGBTQIA+ community. He's also been a target of the political sphere too, being called out for not attending a Democratic election event that included other MCU stars like Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson.
Since those accusations were made publicly, Pratt has garnered plenty of support for his character and his beliefs, most notably from Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn - someone who's never one to hold back on making the truth known on any matter. Now, Pratt himself has cleared the air on what's going on, giving the fandom the truth about what happened with this story.
Chris Pratt on Religious Controversy
Men's Health examined the controversy behind Chris Pratt's comments about religion that, in recent years, people online have used against him in an attempt to cancel him.
After actor Elliot Page called out Pratt for reportedly attending a church that supports hate speech and anti-LGBTQIA+ messages in 2019, Pratt made it clear that he was never associated with that church. He attributed not being more strongly against the church to not wanting to "throw a church under the bus" in that instance:
”What he didn’t say then—and what he tells me now—is: “I never went to Hillsong. I’ve never actually been to Hillsong. I don’t know anyone from that church. Okay. Why not say that at the time? I’m gonna, like, throw a church under the bus? If it’s like the Westboro Baptist Church, that’s different.”
Pratt also noted how he and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, chose a lesser-known Catholic church in Santa Monica, California for their daughter's baptism.
Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn admitted to this situation being infuriating, complimenting Pratt for being "unspeakably kind to people." The director made it clear that Pratt is subject to plenty of made-up facts about him that get pushed through the media on a regular basis:
“It absolutely infuriates me. Chris is unspeakably kind to people; he goes out of his way to help kids. He’s an especially loving father. And there’s a lot of stuff that people have literally just made up about him—about his politics, about who he is, about what he believes of other people, you know?”
Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow shared Gunn's opinion, saying that he doesn't understand "why we treat each other this way."
In recent days, Pratt commented on the matter, reminiscing on how he was asked to give a speech at the MTV Movie & TV Awards after receiving the network's Generation Award. The producers told him to say something inspiring, so he said the following:
“God is real. God loves you. God wants the best for you. Don’t be a turd.”
Pratt is certain that people only remember the part where he mentioned God, understanding why some people didn't react as well as he might have expected. He didn't see himself becoming "the face of religion" while not being an incredibly religious person, explaining some of the differences he sees in how people use religion for their own benefit:
“Maybe it was hubris. For me to stand up on the stage and say the things that I said, I’m not sure I touched anybody. Religion has been oppressive as fuck for a long time,” he says as we walk over a tiny footbridge, the words spilling out in an emotional tidal wave. “I didn’t know that I would kind of become the face of religion when really I’m not a religious person. I think there’s a distinction between being religious—adhering to the customs created by man, oftentimes appropriating the awe reserved for who I believe is a very real God—and using it to control people, to take money from people, to abuse children, to steal land, to justify hatred. Whatever it is. The evil that’s in the heart of every single man has glommed on to the back of religion and come along for the ride.”
Pratt Sets Record Straight on Personal Views
Chris Pratt's history of being outspokenly religious has put him in something of a negative light with certain sects of the MCU fandom, especially after Elliot Page's remarks about the church he reportedly supported. However, almost nobody has been more supportive of him through these trying times than his MCU co-stars and co-workers, who consistently praise Pratt for his character and work ethic.
Both Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo have expressed their love and respect for Pratt over the past few years, which is particularly meaningful in Ruffalo's case, considering how public he is with his political views. Additionally, Thanos star Josh Brolin shared his own support for the star behind Star-Lord, offering his own hilarious jokes about the matter while giving Pratt numerous compliments.
With Pratt now coming forward about what actually happened, the hope is that he can move forward from this controversy and continue to find success with his work and his Hollywood relationships.
Pratt's next MCU appearance will come in Thor: Love and Thunder, which debuts in theaters on July 8. He's also set to lead both The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
