When the sports drama The Art of Winning – Moneyball hit the cinemas in 2012, Marvel actor Chris Pratt was still comparatively unknown. He had a major supporting role on the acclaimed sitcom Parks and Recreation and was more familiar to comedy fans. He really wanted the role as a baseball pro alongside Brad Pitt in Moneyball. But he had to change his body to do it.
Moneyball is on TV today. Find out in this article when and where you can watch the film and what is behind Chris Pratt’s casting story.
True Story: What is Moneyball About?
After retiring, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) became the general manager of the Oakland A’s baseball team. Unfortunately, he is the boss of a completely underfunded team, where the best players go to financially better positioned clubs at the first opportunity. Convinced by the idea of beating the monetary system with unconventional methods, Beane begins to question the traditional structures of the sport.
Moneyball – Trailer (German) HD
He signs underrated and discarded players elsewhere who have special, unobtrusive skills. One of those pros, Scott Hatteberg, is portrayed by Chris Pratt.
Here you can read the great true story of Moneyball
Why Chris Pratt almost didn’t get his role
In Parks and Recreation, Pratt played the rather chubby Andy, whose excess weight was repeatedly used for slapstick moments. A sporty type was needed in Moneyball. So after auditioning for the film, Pratt received one awkward call from his agent (via HuffPost):
He said, ‘Chris, they really liked you, but they think you too fat are you.’
Being judged and sorted out so openly about your body must be hard, even for actors who are subjected to such judgments more often than other people.
I said, ‘Shit, really? This is stupid.’
He claimed he could lose weight for the role. With no guarantee of getting the role with a leaner physique, Pratt lost 30 pounds over the next three months. “I was destined to be Scott Hatteberg [der Name seiner Rolle] to become, no matter if they cast me.”
Pratt eventually got the job. The real punchline followed shortly thereafter: For his next film 10 years – magic of a reunion, Pratt had to gain 25 kilos again.
When and where is Moneyball on TV?
Moneyball runs on Thursday at 11 p.m. without advertising on ZDFNeo. Unfortunately there is no repetition. You can also stream the film on Netflix at the flat rate.
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