To get to the top of the Hollywood food chain (and stay there successfully), it’s not enough to make it big. It takes more than just talent and fame. It also takes financial savvy, and Chris Pratt is a prime example of that.
From small roles in films to the lead role in the intergalactic criminal gang of one of the most successful superhero franchises, Protector of the GalaxyPratt went from being a novice to a household name in the film industry in a short period of time, but his rise to stardom taught him perhaps one of the most valuable lessons of his career: that of business acumen.
Chris Pratt regretted squandering his first big paycheck
The first paycheck is often remembered for its sentimental significance and reminder of hard work. But Chris Pratt’s first lavish salary as an actor symbolizes ignorance and arrogance in equal measure.
When Pratt, 45, first experienced the benefits of the spotlight in the form of a hefty $75,000 salary for his role in a made-for-television movie, he was thunderstruck. Jurassic World The star admitted that, coming from a humble background, he never knew much about finances, so when he received what was then an unfathomable sum of money, Pratt ended up spending it in a frenzy of disbelief (via SiriusXM’s “Sway in the Morning”).
I was under the impression that I would never run out of money. When I got my first paycheck, I thought, “Are you serious?” (…) I thought, “I’m never waiting again. Fuck you bitches, I’m leaving.” And then about two months later, I thought, “Where did the money go?!” (…) That was just a crazy amount of money for me. I never imagined making that much money, and it was gone very quickly.
The Protector of the Galaxy Star traveled to Hawaii and Australia and traveled around quite a bit “the world” under the false impression that his paycheck would never dry up. But of course, Pratt learned from his mistake.
The GotG Star soon learned the basics of finance
Although Pratt was anything but frugal with his initial income, he was careful not to make the same mistake again. The Super Mario Bros. Movie Star noticed how her family “never had money (when he) grew up”, Therefore, it took him a while to learn to use his resources wisely.
I didn’t know what to do with the money. It came in, I spent it… It took me quite a while to stop and say, “Okay, I have to be smart about this now. I have to think about what I’m going to do. How am I going to make sure that when I stop working one day, I’m still OK and my family is OK?”
So, “Develop a financial literacy plan” was one of the aspects of “grow up” which Pratt only experienced at a much later stage of his life.
But you know what they say: better late than never.
