Chris Pratt criticised for “banal” op-ed on US election
Chris Pratt is facing some backlash online after sharing a piece about today's US election in which he talks about how he can "see things from both sides".
In the op-ed, published on his mother-in-law Maria Shriver's , Pratt writes: "I understand that people's lives and rights are on the line. I also see that there are millions of people who feel overlooked and invisible to our government and are desperate for something to change."
He continues: "I'm trying to make sense of the election through the eyes of Americans on both sides. I've been thinking a lot about where we'll be as a nation on November 6th, how we can attempt to move forward after so much division," before recounting his experiences with sport in his youth, and using being on a losing team in sport as metaphor for the election itself.
"I love this country," he writes. "I'm looking for ways to stay connected to my fellow Americans. I also think there are millions out there like me looking to do the same—to find a way to come together after the election, no matter who wins or loses.
"It's OK to take a moment to lick your wounds when you lose. Heck, go ahead and cry in the mirror. But if we become too paralysed by defeat or too pompous in victory, allegiance to our "team" can blind us to the fact that we are fellow countrymen."
Fans have suspected that Pratt held right-wing views in the past because of his publicly voiced Christian beliefs and advocacy for the military, but the star has never confirmed whether he leans towards either side of the political spectrum.
Some took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their disappointment at the op-ed, with one user writing: "I'm upset that the face of my favorite films and my favorite character decided to play "both sides" on an election that decides my future as a human being with rights."
In their coverage of the piece, described Pratt's thoughts as "banal".
This comes after some of Pratt's Marvel co-stars – including Scarlett Johansson , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. – reunited for a video endorsing Kamala Harris , and encouraging Americans to "#VoteBlue".
