Long before Chris Pratt became one of Hollywood's biggest action stars, he had a memorable role in one of the best baseball movies ever made.
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The actor portrayed former Oakland Athletics first baseman Scott Hatteberg in Moneyball, the acclaimed 2011 sports drama that recently arrived on Netflix. While Brad Pitt's performance as A's general manager Billy Beane grabbed most of the headlines, Pratt quietly delivered one of the film's most memorable supporting performances.
Based on Michael Lewis' bestselling book, Moneyball tells the true story of how Beane challenged conventional baseball thinking by using advanced analytics to build a competitive roster despite Oakland's limited payroll. Jonah Hill co-starred as Beane's analytics-minded assistant Peter Brand, while Philip Seymour Hoffman appeared as manager Art Howe.
Pratt's character played a key role in that story.
Hatteberg, a former catcher whose throwing arm had been severely damaged by injury, was signed by Oakland and asked to learn first base despite never playing the position professionally. His successful transition became one of the defining examples of the Athletics' unconventional approach.
Before filming, Pratt spent time with the real Hatteberg to better understand both the player and the person.
"I was nervous for a number of reasons, but the main one was that I figured real baseball players would have big egos," Pratt said in 2011. "Scott couldn't have been more supportive. That's just a testament to who he is."
The feeling was mutual.
"I think Chris did a good job portraying me," Hatteberg said at the time. "He did me justice."
Landing the role also marked a turning point for Pratt personally. The actor revealed he was told he was too heavy to play Hatteberg, motivating him to overhaul his fitness.
"So when I auditioned for this movie, they said I was too fat for the role," Pratt said. "So I started working out. It really motivated me. It's not about vanity. It's how good I felt."
Released in September 2011, Moneyball became both a critical and commercial success. The film earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, while Pitt and Hill both received acting nominations. It went on to gross more than $110 million worldwide against a reported $50 million budget.
Today, Moneyball is widely considered one of the greatest sports movies ever made. And with the film now streaming on Netflix, it's also a fun reminder of one of Chris Pratt's standout performances before he became a household name through franchises like Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World.
