Chris Pratt Stays Focused Amid Idolatry
Actor Chris Pratt says his Christian faith, not movie stardom, is what steadies him in an industry he says can turn celebrities into idols and then tear them down.
Pratt made the comments on “Not Dead Yet,” a podcast hosted by former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse and political analyst Chris Stirewalt. The conversation ranged from fame and family to the pressure that comes with being one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood.
“My entire worldview is shaped on my understanding of God and on what I’ve learned from reading the Bible,” Pratt said.
That is not a throwaway line for Pratt. The actor, known for “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Jurassic World,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “The Lego Movie,” has become one of the more openly Christian stars in mainstream entertainment. He has talked before about prayer, Scripture and the need to keep fame in its proper place.
On the podcast, Pratt said Hollywood is built around a strange kind of attention. Audiences elevate actors, he said, but the same culture often turns on them.
“I work in a business where we create idols,” Pratt said. “And we worship them. And no one is worthy of worship. And so not only do we create idols to worship, we create idols to burn.”
Pratt was careful not to sound as if he hates the business that made him famous. He said he loves America, the West and Hollywood. Movies and entertainment, he said, are not wrong in themselves. People are allowed to rejoice.
But he said something goes wrong when fame fills a place meant for God.
Pratt made a similar point in 2018 at the MTV Movie & TV Awards, where he received the Generation Award and used part of his speech to tell young viewers, “God is real. God loves you. God wants the best for you.” Vogue called the speech one of the night’s most talked-about moments.
In the podcast, Pratt said success by itself does not answer the deeper questions.
“That’s why I need God,” he said, “because having a nice house and a cool car and the ability to go on whatever fishing trip I want doesn’t satisfy.”
Pratt also said his faith shapes his home life. He said his role as a husband and father includes loving his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, and staying willing to speak plainly about Jesus, even in a town where that can make people uncomfortable.
–Alan Goforth
