This Friday, Chris Pratt returns as Peter Quill/ Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, a sequel to the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy. A chat with Pratt on being Star-Lord and what we can look forward to in this film.
Did the success of the first movie catch you off guard?
I think everybody was at least a little bit surprised with the great amount of success that the first movie had. But I know that in making the movie we all thought we were doing something special.
What did you like about the role of Star-Lord?
What appealed to me the most about this character was the opportunity to add my own personal brand of humour to it. This was something that I knew I could do that was unique to me, and I had been dying for an opportunity to do that. After seeing myself in Zero Dark Thirty (where he played Justin, a DEVGRU operator), I was forced to re-imagine what I was capable of as an actor because there was a certain physicality to that role that I had never experienced in any of my previous roles. After that, I wanted to do something that was comedic and physical. This role is a comfortable space to do that. What is so exciting to me is that I can just do the best version of my best stuff with Star-Lord.
What did you think of working with Kurt Russell?
When I found out that Kurt Russell was playing Quill’s father (Ego), I was just thrilled. It was like sitting at the poker table with a great hand and then getting another ace dealt to you. It was just perfect casting and it couldn’t have worked out better. On top of the fact that he’s an exceptional actor, he’s also a really great guy.
Kurt’s been around for a long time, and he’s been a master of his art form for decades. Having an opportunity to work with someone like that who’s such a genius is a sheer joy and something you can check off the bucket list. But on top of that, the leader he is, his work ethic, his attitude, and everything that he brings to the table in terms of his dedication, commitment and personality just really put it over the top for me as one of my all-time favourite work experiences.
He’s a legit stud. He was a professional baseball player. He’s a pilot and the father of many well-adjusted kids. He’s a fisherman and a hunter and an outdoorsman. I asked him if he’d be my dad in real life and I’m still waiting to hear back!
Where is Quill’s relationship with Yondu now?
I think their (Yondu is played by Michael Rooker) relationship in this film really resonates, especially nowadays because the traditional nuclear family is not so typical anymore. There are a lot of stepmoms, a lot of stepdads, and a lot of guardians that come in to replace moms or dads who have left. That’s more standard now than it ever was before. Quill has particular circumstances that left him without a mother at nine and not knowing who his father was. He was raised by Yondu and the Ravagers.
Of course, he’s always looked at Yondu, who abducted him, as being the guy who threatened to eat him or was hard on him. But he learns through the course of this film that the relationship was more of a father-son dynamic than he could’ve ever expected to get from anyone else. I think it will hopefully make people step away from the movie and think who is that person in my life? Who am I taking for granted right now just because they’re not my mom or dad? Who’s the person who has invested so much of themselves into me? It makes you want to really grab them and hold onto them tightly.
Where do we find Quill and Gamora’s relationship?
It seems to be that anytime there’s a movie, you have the lead male and the lead female, and when you put them in the same room together, the audience is expecting them to kiss. It’s just a natural thing. There was an element of that in the first movie when Quill is trying to use his “pelvic sorcery” on Gamora (played by Zoe Saldana).
But there is chemistry there and an attraction and this second movie doesn’t ignore that. It picks up where it left off. We realise that there is something more going on between Quill and Gamora than any of the other Guardians know, or any of the audience has ever known.
In the time from the first movie, clearly something has happened between them. There’s some sort of spark. Granted, Gamora’s completely cut off based largely on her upbringing as a cybernetically-enhanced super assassin. She’s not the most vulnerable person and not super open to being vulnerable. So Quill is trying to get her to emote and to express her feelings. Through the course of this movie, that happens, and we get to see that relationship come together in an amazing way.
How is it working with director James Gunn again?
James is a profound thinker, on top of being a good person and a kind, generous, thoughtful person, who is spiritually grounded. He’s an intellectually superior human being who’s really good at his job. He’s fully committed to making this the greatest spectacle film of all time. And we’re all behind his vision.
James and I have a shorthand with each other, and it’s really nice to pick up where we left off. We know exactly what works and what doesn’t work. He’s learned how to direct me, which I think was tough. I don’t know that many directors who can come in and direct me as effectively and efficiently as he can. He’s wide open to any ideas that I have comedically. The story is absolutely his, but I feel like the character of Peter Quill is very much a collaboration of both of our sensibilities. He’s able to see something in me that works for the character, and he knows how to guide me towards that.
It’s been incredibly rewarding on a personal level and a professional level. I just love him as a friend. He’ll be my friend forever. I’ll always seek his advice on everything. But on top of that, we work really well together. It’s my favourite part of being a Guardian of the Galaxy and being part of the Marvel Universe. My favourite part is the relationship I’ve built with James.
What do you think of Baby Groot?
Groot was obviously such a huge part of the first movie, so to have an extension of his life in the second film is so important. And it is this Baby Groot to whom audiences responded so profoundly — that little dancing bit at the end of the movie. People thought he was really adorable and cute. And he is. He’s just like a cute little baby. It’s great because not only are we caring for this little guy but the stakes are really high because we have to keep him protected. I think people are going to like Baby Groot a lot. We’re all secretly expecting Baby Groot to steal the show.
What will audiences connect to?
What I’m really hoping for is that they’ll get exactly what they got in the first movie, but in a completely different way. People want to have a profound life-changing experience at the movies. And they will. But it’s not going to be what they expect. It’s going to be different, just like the first movie was. It’s going to knock their socks off.
What’s the importance of music in this film?
When I hear from fans about the first movie and the things that they love, right at the top of that list is the music. People just loved the Awesome Mix Volume 1. And, of course, Quill at the end of the first movie gets Awesome Mix Volume 2 from his mother, which is a harbinger of things to come. And we’ve got an exceptional playlist in Volume 2… some great songs.
The songs continue to do what they did in the first movie, which is to play a role narratively in telling the story. They’re not just thrown in randomly. Any time you hear a song in the movie, it’s playing on a tape player or on a tape deck. There’s a reason that song is playing in that moment. It’s not just accompanying. It’s very much a narrative tool that James Gunn uses to help tell the story.
How great is it shooting with the songs?
It’s really helpful to have the music ahead of time and to play the music during the scene. If we can’t play it during a scene sometimes, we’d have it in an earwig, which is like a small receiver inside of our ear so we could hear the music. It’s very helpful, especially since the movie is going to be cut to that music playing. It generally helps you have an understanding of the rhythm of the scene and puts you all on the same page rhythmically. I think it’s really important. I’ve started to incorporate music more and more into my performances.
BRUSH UP YOUR GOTG VOL 2 KNOWLEDGE WITH a t2 READY RECKONER
Chandreyee Chatterjee
