Chris Pratt made his transformation journey extra hard by adding 60 pounds for a comedy role right before stepping into the shoes of Star-Lord for MCU.

Before Chris Pratt donned the iconic Star-Lord suit in the MCU, he was known as the lovable Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation. Pratt’s characters prior to his superhero transformation often embodied a larger physique, evidenced by his deliberate weight gain of 60 pounds for the film Delivery Man, because he believed it suited the character.

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Chris Pratt in Parks and Recreation (Credit: NBC)
Thus, prior to slipping into the sleek Star-Lord suit, Pratt naturally had to undergo a remarkable physical metamorphosis, shedding the extra weight to fully embody the iconic superhero.

Why Did Chris Pratt Gain 60 Pounds Just Before Playing Star-Lord?

Chris Pratt played a downcast father of four, juggling the responsibilities of parenthood and a career as a lawyer while grappling with all the emotions that followed after his wife left him in the 2013 film, Delivery Man. Burdened by such grief and troubles, Pratt felt it realistic that self-care wouldn’t be his character’s top priority.

Thus, to authentically convey the weight of his character’s sorrows and challenges, Pratt made the deliberate choice to gain some extra pounds. Reflecting on his role in Delivery Man, Pratt shared with Rotten Tomatoes’ Coming Soon YouTube channel his dedication to portraying his character’s grief and struggles in a real way, he said,

“He is despondent, depressed, Really at the end of his rope. Buried in the responsibility of having four children. … He’s really just in a bad spot.”

In a conversation with Vulture, the actor disclosed his fondness for fluctuating in weight to suit his character’s needs. He revealed,

“I just like to gain weight and lose weight, It’s a rollercoaster. I just want to do this.”

Chris Pratt in Delivery Man (Credit: Touchstone Pictures)
Seeing it as both a challenge and an opportunity, the actor initially gained “sympathy weight” with his then-wife, Anna Faris, who was pregnant and subsequently gained the rest through sheer determination. In an interview with SheKnows, he elaborated on this process. He said,

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“The way you put on 60 pounds is… well, the way I did it, the first 20 pounds was sympathy weight because my wife was pregnant, I was gaining weight as she was gaining weight. It’s a phenomenon — it happens to a lot of men. They eat the same things their wife is eating… So I gained about 25 of it like that.”

He further continued saying,

“The other 35 I did just by declaring that I was going to do it, I said, ‘I’m going to gain weight for this movie.’ So my rule of thumb became: If it’s there, eat it. And then I would order two entrees at every meal. I would always have dessert, and I would drink the darkest beer on the menu.”

The actor aimed to achieve a weight of 300 pounds for his character, ultimately reaching 295 pounds, a transformation deemed necessary for the role. Following Delivery Man, the opportunity to portray a Guardian of the Galaxy was waiting for him, and how he transformed his physique from a beer belly to that of a superhero is nothing short of impressive.

How Did Chris Pratt Get in Shape for the MCU Character?

Chris Pratt had to lose the additional 60 pounds he gained to fit into his Marvel role. And he did. He lost all the extra 60 pounds within just six months, which is absolutely insane. Well, it wasn’t just a solo mission. Chris Pratt had an awesome team backing him up every step of the way. But his own determination and willpower were the things that helped him achieve such a remarkable feat.

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As reported by Men’s Journal, Marvel enlisted the expertise of personal trainer Duffy Gaver and nutritionist Phil Goglia to assist Pratt in his transformation. Pratt’s diet consisted of a daily caloric intake of 4,000 calories. His trainer, Gaver, shared these details with Men’s Journal.

“Chris’ athleticism is amazing. He is incredibly disciplined and his work ethic is phenomenal, He isn’t the client you have to push; he’s the type of client you have to pull down. If you were to walk into the gym when he was training, you would have thought for sure you’ve got a guy getting ready for the NFL Combine. He wanted more muscle, to be much leaner, and to be more fit. He wanted to do justice to the role.”

Chris Pratt as Star-Lord in the MCU
The actor’s regimen included P90X, running, swimming, boxing, kickboxing, and even a triathlon.  All that sweat and hard work paid off big time. Not only did he totally rock it as Star-Lord, but he also totally transformed his body into something amazing. Now, with a newfound dedication to maintaining his fitness, Pratt prioritizes his well-being above all else.

Delivery Man is available on Apple TV for rent.

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