Chris Pratt is known for his superhero feats and blockbuster stunts. But, on the set of his new sci-fi thriller Mercy, it was his old Parks and Recreation mindset that got him in trouble. While filming an early scene as an intoxicated detective, Pratt sprained his ankle after aiming for a dramatic stunt. It was a move inspired by his “break as much stuff as you can” philosophy from his sitcom days.
Chris Pratt says this sitcom led him to suffer an ankle injury on Mercy
Pratt revealed that the injury occurred on the fourth day of shooting Mercy. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, he explained that his character, Det. Chris Raven is arrested while blacked out at a bar. During the sequence, Pratt kicked his feet high in an attempt to make the scene more violent. Unfortunately collided with a metal post, severely spraining his ankle.
He admitted the stunt wasn’t purely accidental. “I knew if I could kick my feet up, it would make it more of a violent crash,” Pratt said. “And I kicked my feet up high enough to hit a neon sign… I wanted to try to break the sign because of my old Parks and Rec days, like break as much stuff as you can. It’s always better.” Unfortunately, the sign wasn’t a prop but a part of the bar. His foot hit a metal post holding it up, damaging the soft tissue in his ankle.
Thankfully, most of the scenes involve Pratt strapped to a chair. “I’m really grateful that I was just sitting down, ’cause I could not walk for at least a couple of weeks,” he shared. His character faces a near-future justice system where accused individuals are strapped to a chair before an AI judge. This gave Pratt plenty of stationary scenes despite the early accident. Pratt first won hearts on TV with Parks and Recreation before becoming an A-lister in Hollywood. He’s best known for his roles in Guardians of the Galaxy, Jurassic World, and The LEGO Movie series.
