Chris Pratt says he 'cried' over internet trolls targeting his family life
Chris Pratt has addressed, for the first time, online backlash he received from a previous comment he made about his wife and eldest daughter.
In November, Pratt had posted a photo of himself and wife Katherine Schwarzenegger on Instagram, gushing about their relationship in the caption and thanking Schwarzenegger for, among other things, giving him "a gorgeous healthy daughter," referring to their first child together, Lyla.
Social media users pounced, criticizing Pratt's choice of words and suggesting he was purposefully comparing Lyla to his oldest child, Jack, whom he shares with ex-wife Anna Faris.
Jack was and has experienced some health issues throughout his life.
In a new interview with Men's Health, Pratt discussed how he felt about those reactions.
"I said something like, 'Find someone who looks at you the way my wife looks at me.' And then I gave her some s--- in the thing and said, 'But I love you. I'm so thankful for my wife -- she gave me a beautiful, healthy daughter,'" Pratt said. "And then a bunch of articles came out and said, 'That's so cringeworthy. I can't believe Chris Pratt would thank her for a healthy daughter when his first child was born premature. That's such a dig at his ex-wife.'"
The "Jurassic World" star said that he was hurt by the claims and concerned his son would someday see them as well.
"And I'm like, that is f----- up. My son's gonna read that one day. He's nine. And it's etched in digital stone," he said. "It really f------ bothered me, dude. I cried about it. I was like, I hate that these blessings in my life are -- to the people close to me -- a real burden"
Pratt also addressed the critics who have questioned his religious background.
"I didn't know that I would kind of become the face of religion when really I'm not a religious person," he said.
"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," he continued.
Pratt denied a claim that has been made on numerous occasions, tying him to the Hillsong Church, which some have accused of having an anti-LGBTQ agenda. Pratt has previously denied being involved with the church, and Hillsong founder Brian Houston stated in the past that Pratt was never a member.
"I never went to Hillsong," Pratt told the outlet. "I don't know anyone from that church."
Pratt's friend and "Guardians of the Galaxy" series director James Gunn expanded on the claims about Pratt, elsewhere in the interview.
"It absolutely infuriates me," he said. "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?"
Director Colin Trevorrow, who worked with Pratt on the first and third "Jurassic World" films, also defended the actor. "I don’t know why we treat each other this way," he said.
