Chris Pratt’s ‘Playbook’ for Resolving Division? Offer a Helping Hand
Movieguide® Contributor
Actor Chris Pratt is encouraging Americans to remember their “fellow countrymen” after Nov. 6 by showing up for each other, no matter what the result of the election.
“Like so many of us, I’ve been doomscrolling my way through this election season. And I see things from both sides,” Pratt wrote in Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper on Nov. 2. “I understand that people’s lives and rights are on the line. I also see that there are millions of people who feel overlooked and invisible to our government and are desperate for something to change.”
“You may know me as a Guardian of the Galaxy, but I grew up in small-town America with a mom and dad who worked hard to make ends meet. Our family was poor,” he explained. “I wore hand-me-down clothes. I lived out of my car when I first moved to Los Angeles.”
His life is a lot different now than it was all those years ago, but it helps him to see Americans from “both sides.” Regardless of where America pivots on Nov. 6, Pratt believes a simple strategy could create a path forward.
“As a kid, I played just about every sport available to me. In Anchorage, Alaska, I started with T-ball and gymnastics. In Lake Stevens, Washington, I played baseball and tackle football, and I wrestled and ran track and field,” he explained.
“To this day, the lessons of resiliency, grit, and good sportsmanship remain strong threads in the fabric of my character. Playing sports taught me how to be part of something bigger than myself. It taught me how to win and lose with grace,” he said.
The actor’s family life revolved around sports with Friday night football and wrestling matches. Pratt tried to follow in his father’s footsteps as a star player.
“I was an incredibly sensitive kid, so when I lost on the football field or got pinned on the wrestling mat, I cried,” Pratt admitted. “Like, a lot. Even well into my high school years. I didn’t lose all that often but when I did, it devastated me.”
“One day after getting home from losing a wrestling match, I cried for at least an hour. I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, tears streaming down my cheeks, and a calm bewilderment came over me. Why was I crying?” Pratt asked himself.
Then, Pratt stopped crying because he suddenly understood what it meant to be a sportsman.
“In that moment, I understood that losing is part of the game,” he said.
“I feel as though we live in a time now when so many people have yet to learn that lesson. Sometimes your team doesn’t win. The 2024 presidential election is three days away as I write this.”
He continued, “The biggest game of all time approaches. Team Red versus Team Blue. A rematch for the ages. A showdown four years in the making. It’s giving UFC 3Million energy.”
Pratt knows the weight of an election is so much more than any sports event.
“I get that many will read this and think, easy for him to say. But I spent many more years of my life struggling than having money in the bank,” he explained.
“I’m a son. I’m a dad. I love this country. I’m looking for ways to stay connected to my fellow Americans,” he said.
“I also think there are millions out there like me looking to do the same — to find a way to come together after the election, no matter who wins or loses. And I believe sports gives us a playbook to help us get there,” he said.
Pratt recalled his wrestling state championship win in 1997. The week after, the whole team helped an elderly woman move, and Pratt knew they would help her whether they felt happy from a victory or dejected from a loss.
“Yes, victory was sweet,” Pratt writes. “But as we helped that old lady move, we were part of something bigger than ourselves.”
“I write this now because about half of the voting population is going to be incredibly disappointed on November 6th,” he said. But for me, the question is not, ‘Did your candidate win or lose?’ but rather, ‘Will you wake up the next morning and help an old lady move?’”
Pratt says it’s okay to “cry in the mirror,” but too much focus on defeat or team “allegiance” can create dividedness among “fellow countrymen.”
“How do we become a nation of honorable winners and graceful losers?” Pratt asks. “It starts with remembering no matter who wins or loses, there are still going to be people who need help in this country. Find them. Be of service.”
“America’s greatness is in the strength of our unified communities. It can be found in our places of worship, Elks clubs, Rotary clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Salvation Army, and in our service members. Our strength lies in our people who step across the political aisle not just with the handshake of a good sportsman, but a helping hand to anyone in need,” he said.
The star makes a point that civic duty shouldn’t just happen on Nov. 5. It should happen every day by the way we help each other.
“Check in with your neighbor — especially if they voted for the other guy or girl. Ask how they’re doing. See how you can help. And while you’re at it, see if they know any old ladies who need help moving,” Pratt signed off.
Filmmakers Chris Pratt, Rich Hull and Daniel Schniƒschder recently launched a viral unity and prayer campaign ahead of their documentary, FIGHTING SPIRIT: A COMBAT CHAPLAIN’S JOURNEY, which releases on Nov. 8…
Pratt has stood firm in his desire for Americans to be more united for several years now.
“I don’t feel we have to be at war with each other like we are,” Pratt told Men’s Fitness in 2017.
In 2019, he shared a poem about unity on his socials. The last line reads, “We’re His children despite race, creed, preference or age. Under God we’re indivisible. To stay United is our duty.”
