Chris Pratt is currently one of the biggest names in Hollywood right now. He has starred in blockbuster hits like Jurassic World, Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and The Lego Movie. He has made a name for himself as an A-list actor that makes millions of dollars per role.

Chris recently made headlines for splitting with his long time love, Anna Ferris, another of Hollywood’s elite. They were one of those couples that gave people hope—they seemed to somehow rise above the noise of stardom and attain a simple yet happy life.

But who is this man we have all come to know and love? Where did he come from? How did he get where he is? What is the real deal with this guy’s story?

His story is intriguing; he has some shady stuff in his past that may come as quite a surprise. Nobody’s journey is pure sunshine and rainbows, and Chris Pratt is no exception. He has had to fight hard to get where he is—and there have been some entertaining bumps along the road.

Let’s dive deep into the history of Chris Pratt and discover 15 shady things that we did not know before this…

15 He Used To Be A Dancer

Yeah, you read that right. Chris Pratt was once a man of the night. He worked as a male dancer for private parties but it is unclear if he ever mounted the pole.

It may be surprising that one of our favorite stars worked as a dancer, but is also kind of makes sense. We have seen Chris with his shirt off in many of his roles, so it is not a huge leap to think that women would have once paid to see him remove it.

After all most of us paid good money to see Guardians of the Galaxy, in which a ripped Chris Pratt paraded around sans his shirt for most of the movie. He’s got a hot bod—it shouldn’t be shocking that he’s made money using it before.

14 He Was Homeless

What good story doesn’t begin with someone being down and out on their luck? Well Chris’s isn’t any different. As a lost youth, Chris ended up in Hawaii. With little money and no prospects, he lived in his van at the beach.

Most men who are homeless immediately lose their appeal; it isn’t something that you lead with. But look at this picture of Chris Pratt—even when he had no money and no fame there is still something intriguing about him!

I would imagine that having come from nothing only adds to his charisma as a now A-list celebrity. He probably still remembers what it is like to have very little, and that might be a part of why he is known as one of the nicest actors in Hollywood.

13 He Bonded With Anna Ferris Over His Bug Collection

Couples bond over strange things; sometimes it is a love for food, other times it is enjoying the outdoors or sharing an interest in comics. But Chris Pratt and his now ex-wife, Anna Ferris, hit it off of over something really strange—their dead bug collections.

Rumor has that both Anna and Chris have extensive bug collections and it is one of the things that first brought them together.

Just imagine what their first date was like…

Chris: So I like long walks in the rain, cinnamon rolls, and also I really like to collect dead bugs.

Anna: Omg! Are you serious? Me too! I have 14 butterflies, 16 spiders, three rolly-pollies, and a ton of beetles. Let’s go back to my place so I can show them to you!

Sigh. How romantic.

12 He Was Discovered As A Server

Everyone has to get their big break somewhere! And Chris Pratt got his while he was working as a waiter at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. He was waiting on Rae Dawn Chong, daughter of the famous Tommy Chong when his came. Chris made such an impression on Chong while serving her, that she asked if he was an actor. And so began his career as an actor.

The movie was a flop but it was the first role for Pratt. He used this momentum to spur him on to audition for every role that held a casting call. Time after time he showed up, slowly picking up small roles (Strangers with Candy, Everwood, The O.C., Bride Wars etc) until he got his biggest break—on the set of Amy Pohler’s Parks and Recreation.

11 He Is A Prankster On Set

Sometimes I watch movies or television shows and I think, these people look like they are having so much fun! But I wonder what was really going on behind the scenes

Chris has a reputation for being a prankster on set. For example, during his time on Parks and Rec, he took his pranking to the next level. In a scene he was filming with Amy Pohler, Chris was supposed to wear nude underwear to conceal his manhood but he decided to forgo the protection and opted instead to be completely naked. Apparently Pohler had no idea that she was going to get a sneak peak at his package, and the directors decided to keep the take because Amy’s genuine expression was so shocked.

I want to be Amy Pohler even more now.

10 Chris Is Psychic

Believe it or not, Chris may be a man of even more talents than we thought! He may be psychic!

As a joke, Chris posted a video in which he received a text from Steven Spielberg asking him to play a role in the movie Jurassic Park 4. He made this video years before the movie even began production.

Did Chris know? Did he close his magical blue eyes and see his future? Or did this joke happen to catch the eye of Spielberg who thought, Yeah. This guy actually wouldn’t be bad for that part!

I don’t know the answer. But in a world where very little mystery exists, I am choosing to believe that this beautiful man is not just a talented actor but also a clairvoyant. It makes him even more interesting.

9 He Dated His Sister-- OK On-Screen Sister

One of Chris’s first TV roles was on the show Everwood. He was cast alongside the lovely Emily VanCamp, who played his on screen sister. The two ended up dating and some fans were freaked out by the partnership. They couldn’t believe that the on screen brother-sister-duo would be making out in real life.

This did not seem to bother Chris and Emily. They happily dated for three years.

In an interview with TV Guide in 2006 Chris said, "Yeah, we've pretty much gotten used to the response of, 'Ew, that's weird. That's creepy.’ The people who know us are happy, and probably expected it to happen eventually. But yeah, every once in a while we get that one person that's like, 'That's really creepy. You just kissed your sister.'"

8 He Stole A Costume From Set

That takes some nerve to steal a costume from a big budget movie set. Who does that? Chris Pratt.

Rumor has it that Pratt stole his Star-Lord costume from the set of Guardians of the Galaxy. What did he do with it? Did he take selfies on roller coasters wearing this garb? Did he drive through the streets of Hollywood for attention? Did he wear it sunbathing on a beach in the Bahamas?

Nope. Chris donned his costume and wore it to visit sick children at the hospital who really wanted to meet his character in person. He went and had one-on-one hangouts with these kids, to brighten their day and make them feel a little less awful.

I don’t think there is a person out there who can fault him for stealing that costume now.

7 He Had A Warrant Out For His Arrest

Chris Pratt had many different gigs on the road to becoming a movie star. In his late teens he sold coupons and ended up getting a warrant out for his arrest because of it.

Rumor has it that while out being the best darn coupon salesman that he could be, his got ticketed for insurance on his van. Chris could not afford to pay the fine and an arrest warrant was issued in his name.

First of all—what state issues an arrest warrant over an insurance ticket? There has to be more to this story, right?

Second—this just adds to the hotness and allure of Chris Pratt. A bad boy with a history of arrest warrants who likes dead bugs and showing his junk to ladies? Sign me up.

6 He French-Braids

It takes a strong man to break a stereotype and apparently Chris Pratt is just that. In April of 2014, Pratt shared a photo via Instagram of his wife, Anna’s, hair. He proudly captioned it, “This is a weird thing to brag about but I did that glorious french braid.”

Chris didn’t stop there. A few months later, in the middle of an interview, Pratt pulled in an intern’s hair to show off his skills.

But where does a dude pick up a talent like this? French braiding is hard! Pratt solved the mystery when he told InStyle, “My sister taught me how to braid when we were younger. Then, I would braid Anna's hair at night ... it was a nice little ritual.”

I want a man who can french braid my hair…

5 He Improvises-- A Lot

We have already learned that Chris is a prankster but he uses improvising on many of his sets, as well. For most actors that would not work out well—directors don’t usually like to be surprised when actors don’t bother to follow the scripts.

But Chris has somehow found a way to finesse his improvising. For example, on the set of Jurassic World, he improvised a kiss with Bryce Dallas that left her so surprised that her mouth fell open. Apparently, Spielberg was a fan, because this scene made it into the final cut of the movie.

I wonder what the rules are on set for improvising things like a kiss. Couldn’t that be construed as sexual misconduct if some actor decides he wants to stick his tongue in another person’s mouth?

4 A Wild Sense Of Humor

If you have ever seen Parks and Rec than it should come as no surprise to you that Chris Pratt is really into dirty humor. It seems like his character of Andy Dwyer is very similar to Chris Pratt in real life.

Rumor has it that on set Pratt and his costars would take turns sending each other photos of #2. Apparently Chris’s best picture captured a turd in the shape of the letter “N”. Seeing this as a sign, he promptly sent the poop pic to Nick Offerman in honor of his name.

Maybe this is not the classiest game that has ever been played but you have to admit that it would make the day go by way faster, and the time spent on set much more entertaining.

3 Bizarre Acting Techniques

Actors are a strange and weird bunch of people, so hearing that they have equally strange and weird techniques is not a huge leap. But sort of the methods are we talking about there? What is Chris doing that is so bizarre?

Rumor has it that Chris uses colors to help him express his feelings. Each emotion is assigned a color and then he places an object of said color off screen but within ey sight, to remind him of what feeling he should be producing.

He also apparently uses a technique that is equally as peculiar—choosing an animal that fits his character. Allegedly on Jurassic World he chose a dolphin because of the physical trait that it tends to lead with its forehead. I’m going to have to re-watch this movie now…

2 He Is Deeply Religious

Chris Pratt does not fit the stereotype for a deep religious man; he isn’t quiet or shy. He doesn’t produce statements condemning the masses or try to convert his friends. But he is actually very religious, and not afraid to show it.

At the Teen Choice Awards in 2017, Pratt took the time to thank the director of his film, the presenters, and even his savior.

He said, “I would not be here with the ease and grace I have in my heart without my lord and savior, Jesus Christ.”

This is not common in Hollywood. There is very little talk of religion in public setting, let alone in a speech. But Pratt is known to be an honest guy. He felt the need to thank the people that meant to the most to him…

1 He's A College Drop-Out

Chris Pratt was in community college but dropped out very quickly. He didn’t know what he wanted to do or where he wanted his life to go. He ended up homeless and hungry.

In a post via Instragram in 2016, Pratt explained further. He said, “I felt like posting this to say to anyone out there chasing your dream,” he wrote. “Fifteen years ago I felt the same passion I feel today, but I had very little opportunity. I had to hustle hard and go hungry. I had to eat sardines and figure out how to get gas money. And I never had a plan B. I never stopped believing. Ever. Don’t give up. Apply constant pressure for as long as it takes. It will break before you do. Go get it.”

References: IMDB, Pop Sugar, Diply, Huffington Post, InStyle