Chris Pratt is no stranger to playing military characters. The 44-year-old has portrayed Navy SEALs in the action thriller “Zero Dark Thirty” and the Amazon Prime Video series “The Terminal List.” He also played a former Green Beret in the sci-fi flick “The Tomorrow War.”
However, despite not having any direct combat experience, the actor says he still receives compliments from military personnel for the authenticity he brings to his roles.
“A lot of the times, the feedback that I‘ll get from, you know, people in uniform, is they’ll say, ‘Thank you for, like, caring enough to try to get it right,’” Mr. Pratt shared during a recent appearance on “The Tonight Show” aired on May 23.
“The little things that you and I might not notice, they notice when they watch these types of movies,” he continued. “And so it’s always, it feels like a pat on the back when I hear that from them.”
Earlier in his interview, the actor shared his own message of gratitude for military members. “My hat is off to you,” the actor told the audience full of service men and women who were visiting New York City—where the talk show is taped—during Fleet Week. The annual celebration sees recently deployed members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard dock in major cities across the country for one week.
Authenticity is the North Star
While speaking with Mr. Fallon, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” star described how he worked to overcome his lack of firsthand military knowledge in order to ensure his performances were true to form and accurately reflected the real-life experiences of service men and women.
“Everything I know about combat I learned from watching TV and watching movies. And so, it was funny, ‘cause my roommate, who’s now my producing partner on ’The Terminal List,' a former Navy SEAL, he used to pick things apart, and he would see things that I just didn’t know that I didn’t know,” Mr. Pratt recalled.
“I always assumed when something explodes behind you, you just walk away,” he quipped. “You don’t even flinch. You know, like, everything I know is from watching it on screen.”
Mr. Pratt explained that while working on “The Terminal List,” his goal was “to make sure that authenticity was the North Star.” To help accomplish this, he said members of Special Operations Forces—active and reserve forces of the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force tasked with conducting special operations—were hired to oversee all of the military action depicted in the hit television series, which premiered on July 1, 2022.
‘The Terminal List’
“The Terminal List” is based on New York Times bestselling author and former Navy SEAL sniper Jack Carr’s 2018 novel of the same name.The eight-episode series follows Navy SEAL James Reece, played by Mr. Pratt, as he works to avenge the murders of his family and platoon members in the wake of a massive military cover-up. The show features an ensemble cast, including Constance Wu, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Jai Courtney, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Riley Keough.
In February of last year, Amazon MGM Studios greenlit a second season of “The Terminal List,” which will be based on Mr. Carr’s 2019 novel “True Believer.” The media conglomerate also unveiled a prequel series, starring Mr. Pratt and Canadian actor Taylor Kitsch, the latter of whom will once again play Ben Edwards, Reece’s former teammate and close friend turned antagonist.
According to a press release, “The Terminal List: Dark Wolf,” will be “an elevated espionage thriller that takes viewers on Edwards’ journey from Navy SEAL to CIA paramilitary operator, exploring the darker side of warfare and the human cost that comes with it.”
“Fans of ‘The Terminal List’ will be thrilled to see James Reece’s journey continue in an action-packed story of violent redemption in ‘True Believer,’” Mr. Carr said in a statement.
“And we’re so excited to build this ‘Terminal List’ prequel and explore Ben Edwards,” he continued. “Get ready for a journey from the SEAL teams to the CIA’s Ground Branch, as we watch a fan-favorite character fighting for his soul.”
