Team Avengers: ‘It’s a great time to be a Chris’
BEVERLY HILLS – What happens when two of the world’s most famous Chrises join forces? ❚ Well, in person, Avengers: Infinity War stars Chris Hemsworth, 34, and Chris Pratt, 38, end up cracking each other up a lot. ❚ “My brother goes: ‘I hate that guy. He’s got Brad Pitt’s waist and Arnold Schwarzenegger arms,’ ” Pratt ribs as they laugh.
Hemsworth’s Thor and Pratt’s Peter Quill (aka Star-Lord of Guardians of the Galaxy) team up to defeat Thanos (Josh Brolin), a villain closing in on his goal of collecting the all-powerful Infinity Stones.
But it’s not all rainbows and sunshine when the rough-around-theedges intergalactic outlaw Star-Lord shares the spotlight with the famously ripped God of Thunder in the massive superhero mashup (officially opening Friday, though theaters will show it Thursday night).
“We mined for comedy in the idea that (Star-Lord is) a little intimidated by him and jealous of him,” Pratt says. “Drax and Gamora and the whole Guardians team, when we encounter Thor, they’re all just astounded by his muscles and his facial symmetry and his hair. And Peter Quill’s like, ‘Uh, guys?’ ”
A day before Infinity War’s premiere, neither had seen the full movie. Marvel has told them “only as much as we needed to know,” Pratt says.
Adds Hemsworth: “I’m pretty excited to see the movie just to find out what the hell it’s about.”
But last year, when Hemsworth arrived on the Atlanta set of Infinity War as a newcomer to the Guardians’ world, it felt like a stacked game.
The Australian actor had just finished shooting his third solo movie, Thor: Ragnarok, where, frankly, he ruled his own superhero domain. “I didn’t know anybody,” he says. “I came off my film feeling better than I ever had in the shoes of that character, and I felt like, ‘ Oh, my God, why am I self-conscious all of a sudden?’ ”
Still, these Chrises actually have a lot in common. Onscreen, they’re go-to comic forces, punching up scenes with their inflated ids and witty asides. And offscreen, they’re just a couple of guys juggling fatherhood and filmmaking.
Pratt, who separated from his wife, Anna Faris, last year, is dad to Jack, 5, and Hemsworth has three kids with wife Elsa Pataky: India, 5, and twins Tristan and Sasha, 4.
“It just takes a village,” Pratt acknowledges. “A lot of help from parents and uncles and aunts and in-laws and nannies.”
“It’s hard,” Hemsworth says. “Especially the older your kids get and the more rooted they’re becoming in their school life and their friends, to uproot them and drag them across the world, you start to feel guilty — like, ‘Is this better for them or is this better for me?’ ”
When they do travel with Hemsworth, it’s still tricky: “You have long days, and you leave sometimes before they’re awake and you get home and they’re asleep, and that’s heartbreaking. ... So I have them very close to sets and try to have them in during the day as much as I can so I can see them.”
But leave it to the kids to keep their famous parents grounded.
“One of my sons in particular loves (Thor), but he flat-out with no hesitation says: ‘Wonder Woman’s stronger,’ ” Hemsworth laughs. “He’s like, ‘Dad, you’re my second favorite.’ ”
Pratt grins. “Jack, I will ask him, who is his favorite superhero? ‘ Spider-Man.’ I go, OK, but not counting SpiderMan. ‘Black Panther.’ OK, who’s your favorite Guardian? ‘Rocket.’ He won’t give it to me.”
And, yes, the two are aware of the heated Internet debate as to who, ahem, is the best movie star Chris (we also have Pine and Evans in contention). “I think at the end of the day, it’s kind of a 50-50 tie,” Pratt says, eyeing his co-star.
“I’m happy to leave it to you. I’m happy for you to take it. I just don’t want that other guy in there,” Hemsworth cracks, referring to their co-star Evans, aka Captain America, who is tied up on Broadway in Lobby Hero.
Pratt gives a thoughtful nod. “It’s a great time to be a ...”
“Chris,” finishes a laughing Hemsworth.
“My brother goes:
‘I hate that guy. He’s got Brad Pitt’s waist and Arnold Schwarzenegger arms.’ ” Chris Pratt On his ‘rivalry’ with Chris Hemsworth