Director James Gunn on Monday defended superstar actor Chris Pratt, after some left-wing fans called for Marvel to recast Pratt over his public Christianity, which was equated with homophobia.
Responding to a call on social media for the “Parks and Recreation” actor to be swapped out with actor Patrick Wilson in the upcoming “Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Gunn said Pratt would “never” be replaced — but if he was, the whole team would “be going with him.”
“For what?” the director responded to the post. “Because of your made-up, utterly-false beliefs about him? For something that someone else told you about him that’s not true?”
“Chris Pratt would never be replaced as Star-Lord but, if he ever was, we would all be going with him.”
For what? Because of your made-up, utterly-false beliefs about him? For something that someone else told you about him that’s not true? Chris Pratt would never be replaced as Star-Lord but, if he ever was, we would all be going with him.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 25, 2022
Pratt has repeatedly been accused of “homophobia” and other slander from the Left, essentially for being an open Christian; his support of U.S. veterans and generally staying out of politics has also made him a target.
In 2019, actress Ellen Page, who now identifies as male and goes by Elliot Page, accused Pratt of attending a Christian church that was “anti-LGBT.”
“But his church is infamously anti lgbtq so maybe address that too?” Page wrote, according to Newsweek.
“If you are a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, don’t be surprised if someone simply wonders why it’s not addressed,” Page claimed. “Being anti LGBTQ is wrong, there aren’t two sides. The damage it causes is severe. Full stop. Sending love to all.”
Pratt defended his faith and his church on Instagram, posting, “It has recently been suggested that I belong to a church which ‘hates a certain group of people’ and is ‘infamously anti-LGBTQ,'” he said. “Nothing could be further from the truth. … I go to a church that opens their doors to absolutely everyone.”
Popular podcast host Joe Rogan defended Pratt on his show in December, claiming haters of the actor are largely reacting to Pratt’s Christianity.
“He’s kind of outside the lines in terms of his ideology,” Rogan said of Pratt. “He’s a Christian and he’s pretty open about it, and because of that they attack him.”
“It’s something so simple, like he just believes in Jesus,” the host explained, “and he like, you know, he likes to be a good person and they’re like ‘f*** him!’”
Related: Joe Rogan Explains Why Chris Pratt Gets Hate From The Left: ‘He’s A Christian’ ‘And A ‘Good Person’
Related: Mark Ruffalo, Other Left-Wing Celebs Defend Chris Pratt: He’s ‘Not Overtly Political’