Yahoo Finance If Chris Pratt Can Be Discovered At Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Then The World Really Is Your Oyster
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By now, you may be familiar with the inspiring tale of how actor Chris Pratt worked at a Bubba Grump Shrimp Co. in Maui before getting his big break. But during a recent appearance on the SmartLess podcast, the Jurassic World: Dominion star offered more insight into his stint at the restaurant and what led him to Maui in the first place.
Pratt revealed that although he loved appearing in comedy sketches and dance numbers in high school, he went to community college for a semester before becoming a door-to-door salesman. He did fairly well as a salesman, even winning a free trip to Jamaica, but he says exhaustion eventually caught up to him.
"I knew I had the bug that I wanted to be a performer, but it seemed outrageous to me," the actor said on the SmartLess episode. "I became a door-to-door salesman. And I did that job for about a little over a year and a half... I was selling these coupons... But then I got totally burnt out and learned my management skills were terrible. I was just really good at selling shit."
Upon returning home to Washington, Pratt said that he connected with a high school friend who lived in Maui. The friend encouraged him to pack his bags for the Aloha State.
"He paid for my ticket out there," Pratt said. "And I just basically moved there. And so I had no money. But I showed up and hung out with a bunch of friends and got a job at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co."
It was at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. where Pratt met a Hollywood executive who wanted to fly him out to Los Angeles to be in their film. Although Pratt has made millions for his work in the Jurassic Park franchise, he was paid $700 for his first film.
"I was just having a good time with my friends, enjoying life. And had that opportunity not literally shaken the tree and knocked me out of the tree and grabbed me by the hair and dragged me to L.A., I don't know that I ever would have had an opportunity to pursue what was a dream of mine," he said.
The SmartLess episode featuring Pratt is available now for Wondery+ subscribers, and will be available for free on June 20.
Sadly, the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Maui closed in 2021.
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