Chris Pratt says every dad ‘secretly fantasizes about what they’d do if someone ever f***** with their kids’

Chris Pratt has opened up about his fatherly instinct to protect his family.

The Guardians of the Galaxy actor, 43, recently spoke to Men’s Journal about how becoming a father has made him a better actor. Pratt shares son Jack, 10, with ex-wife Anna Faris and daughters Lyla Maria, two, and Eloise Christina, one, with wife Katherine Schwarzenegger.

The father of three recently starred in the Amazon Prime Video series The Terminal List as NAVY Seal James Reece, who seeks to avenge his family’s murder. Speaking to Men’s Journal, Pratt explained how he’d go to similar lengths to protect his children.

“Some critic said something like it was an ‘unhinged revenge fantasy.’ And, to be honest, that’s exactly what it is in a way. Whenever you’re put in a position, or even imagine a position, where those kids are in danger, your mind goes to wild places,” he told the outlet on 8 June.

“I think every dad secretly fantasizes about what they would do if someone ever f***ed with their kids,” he continued. “Your partner sees you staring off into the distance and says, ‘Honey, what are you thinking about?’ And you say, ‘Oh, nothing.’

“But what you’re really thinking is, ‘Where’s the duct tape and how deep is the trunk?’ I think that’s most dads. Or maybe that’s just me and I’m revealing something here!”

The Parks and Recreation alum went on to share that fatherhood has made him a more versatile actor because it allows him to tap into his “emotional potential” during a scene.

“That instinct you have to protect them – those are all things you can try to fake, but it doesn’t really come close to what you have access to when you’ve lived it,” Pratt said. “For me, having kids is what it’s all about, and how it’s benefitted me as an actor is a pleasant byproduct.”

Pratt also encouraged others to have children as soon as possible because of the joy that it brought to his own life. “People say all the time, ‘Don’t rush to have kids,’” Pratt said. “I personally disagree. Rush. Have them. Of course, make sure you find a great partner, but don’t wait.”

He then recalled a conversation he had with actor Adam Sandler, who told him: “Every day you wait is a day they don’t get to have you in their life.”

“The younger you have kids, the more time they get to have with you,” Pratt continued. “It’s wild. Having kids is incredible. The things you normally take for granted in life are new.”

Chris Pratt has often shared glimpses into his life as a father of three on social media. The Jurassic World star was married to Anna Faris in 2009. They welcomed their son Jack in 2012, but announced their split in August 2017. Pratt and Faris finalised their divorce in October 2018, four months after he began dating his current wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger.

He proposed to the 33-year-old author in January 2019 and they were married in June that year. They went on to welcome daughter Lyla Maria in August 2020 and daughter Eloise Christina in May 2022.

Chris Pratt previously sparked backlash on social media when he praised his wife for giving him a “gorgeous healthy daughter,” as many people noted that his son Jack was born prematurely. He shared an Instagram post of himself and Schwarzenegger in 2021, encouraging his followers to “find someone” who looks at them the way his wife does.

“We met in church. She’s given me an amazing life, a gorgeous healthy daughter, she chews so loudly that sometimes I put in my earbuds to drown it out, but that’s love!” the actor wrote in the Instagram caption. “She helps me with everything. In return, periodically, I open a jar of pickles. That’s the trade. Her heart is pure and it belongs to me.”

However, many fans accused the actor of being “passive aggressive” towards Faris, who has been open about their son’s health issues in the past. In June 2022, he addressed the backlash towards his social media post by calling out critics.

“I said something like, ‘Find someone who looks at you the way my wife looks at me.’ And then I gave her some sh*t in the thing and said, ‘But I love you. I’m so thankful for my wife – she gave me a beautiful, healthy daughter,’” he told Men’s Health at the time. “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,’” he recalled.

“And I’m like, That is f**ked up. My son’s gonna read that one day. He’s nine. And it’s etched in digital stone. It really f**king bothered me, dude. I cried about it,” he said. “I was like, I hate that these blessings in my life are – to the people close to me – a real burden.”

His wife – Katherine Schwarzenegger – has since revealed that she tries to ignore online criticism, though she’s aware of the negative comments often centred around her husband.

“Growing up, hearing people say certain things about my parents, my siblings, my extended family was difficult,” Schwarzenegger told the New York Times, referencing her famous parents Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“I see what people say,” she said. “But I just know that it’s so far from the reality.”

Most recently, Chris Pratt sparked a debate by posting a Mother’s Day tribute in May that didn’t include mention of his ex Anna Faris.