Chris Pratt lifts lid on his money struggles before hitting it big in Hollywood: ‘I was living in a van’

See more of our coverage in your search results. Chris Pratt reflected on “living in a van” with only $60 to his name ahead of getting his big break in Hollywood. “Before Hollywood, I was living in a van in Hawaii and waiting tables at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company,” the “Guardians of the Galaxy” star recently wrote via Instagram alongside a throwback photo from his first film, “Cursed Part 3.” The actor recalled landing the role after the 2000s horror-comedy’s director, Rae Dawn Chong, walked into the restaurant one day. Chris Pratt (seen here on Oct. 20) reflected on “living in a van” with only $60 to his name before becoming an actor. Getty Images “Before Hollywood, I was living in a van in Hawaii and waiting tables at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company,” the actor (seen here) shared via Instagram. WireImage “Naturally, I went up to her table and said, ‘Hey, you’re a movie star! What are you doing here?'” Pratt, 47, continued. “She asked if I could act, and I said, ‘F–k yeah, put me in your movie.'” “She asked for my phone number,” the “Parks and Recreation” alum added. “The only problem was I didn’t have one. So I gave her my buddy Mike’s number instead.” A few days later, Pratt received a call from Chong, and he quickly went to pick up the script, reading “all 120 pages three times in a row.” Pratt (seen here) recalled his first role in the 2000s Rae Dawn Chong-directed movie, “Cursed Part 3.” WireImage Pratt (seen here with Katherine Schwarzenegger) landed the role after meeting Chong at the restaurant he worked at. prattprattpratt/Instagram “First script I’d ever read,” he said. “My character’s name was Devon, and I remember thinking, ‘Sweet! I could totally play a Devon!'” Pratt had the script memorized by the time he showed up to the audition and was offered the role by Chong, who informed him he would be traveling to Los Angeles for production. “I had about $60 to my name, a bag of clothes, and some rollerblades,” he said. “Then Rae told me they’d fly me out. And I remember thinking right then and there, my life just changed forever. I’m going to be an actor.” “Naturally, I went up to her table and said, ‘Hey, you’re a movie star! What are you doing here?'” Pratt (seen here) said. “She asked if I could act, and I said, ‘F–k yeah, put me in your movie.'” Instagram The “Guardians of the Galaxy” star (seen here with Arnold Schwarzenegger) landed the role. katherineschwarzenegger/Instagram Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! Pratt, who now has an estimated net worth of $100 million, described “Cursed Part 3” as a “low-budget horror comedy that opened the door to Hollywood” for him. “I’ll forever be grateful to Rae for taking a chance on a kid working at a shrimp restaurant,” he concluded. “Everybody starts somewhere, and this is where it all began for me.” Some of Pratt’s biggest roles since have been as Peter Quill in Marvel Universe’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” as Andy Dwyer in “Parks and Recreation,” and Owen in “Jurassic Park.” Additionally, Pratt has built quite the real estate profile over the years, with he and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, snagging a $12.5 million home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, in 2023. The couple is currently having their property undergo renovations and is residing in their $9 million mansion nestled away in Montecito, located in Santa Barbara County. The role ultimately opened the door for Pratt (seen here with his wife) in Hollywood. prattprattpratt/Instagram He now has three mansions, including the one above, located in Brentwood, Los Angeles. CB / BACKGRID Pratt and Schwarzenegger, 36, also recently placed their third mansion in the Pacific Palisades on the market for the fifth time in the past three years, asking for $19.99 million as of August. The duo originally purchased the home for $15.8 million in 2018, and then had it torn down and custom built before listing it for the first time for $32 million in 2023. The “Terminal List” star and Schwarzenegger, who wed in 2019, are the parents to three kids: Lyla Maria, 6, Eloise Christina, 4, and Ford Fitzgerald, 1. Pratt also shares son, Jack, 14, with his ex-wife Anna Faris. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. 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