The 'Guardians of the Galaxy' actor credits his early career selling coupons with helping him grow 'thick skin' to deal with rejection when pursuing a career in Hollywood.
- May 9, 2023
AceShowbiz - Chris Pratt's previous job as a door-to-door salesman helped him prepare for Hollywood because he learned to deal with rejection. The "Jurassic World" star has dished on how he copes with criticism - comparing himself to a rhinoceros with thick skin - and insisting his early career selling coupons helped him survive in the cut-throat world of the entertainment industry.
"Oh, just how you deal with anything. Like a rhino, stick your head down, you keep driving forward, you have thick skin and if anyone gets in your way, you stick the horn right up their a**!" Chris explained to New York Post column PageSix.
"When it comes to rejection, I was trained in the crucible of door-to-door sales some 25 years ago. So, you can't turn me away, there's no stopping us. It is a very hard job and it's not dissimilar to acting or at least auditioning. You gotta collect nine 'no's' to get one 'yes' and so auditions are all about going out and getting someone to tell you no."
The 43-year-old actor previously opened up about his past life in sales in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, saying, "I was selling coupons for things like oil changes or trips to a spa. I was great at that."
"That's why I believe in God and the divine. I feel like it was perfectly planned. People talk about rejection in Hollywood. I'm like, 'You're outta your f****** mind. Did you ever have someone sic their dog on you at an audition?"
"Once you get smart about auditioning, you learn to audition before they say 'Action.' You walk into the room as the character. You let them think the person you are is close to the character they want. You make them think you already are that guy."
