Did Chris Pratt Really Drink 15 Gallons Of Water A Day While Filming The Guardians Of The Galaxy Movies? An Expert Toxicologist Weighs In

chris pratt in guardians of the galaxy vol 2
(Image credit: Marvel)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is chock full of heroes, with many actors getting into comic book shape to play the beloved characters. Case in point: Chris Pratt, who had a physical transformation before debuting as Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. But did Pratt really drink 15 gallons of water a day while filming the movies? An expert toxicologist weighed in on the viral story.

Chris Pratt obviously made some big lifestyle changes when getting into superhero shape, and has stayed ripped in the years since. While Pratt has joked about drinking a ton of water during this process, there was a story by Vanity Fair that claimed he was drinking an insane 15 gallons on the daily. Toxicologist Ryan Marino spoke to Washington Post to share his opinion, saying:

That’s physically impossible for someone to have and survive. That would be dangerous for any person, if not deadly.

There you have it. Looks like Marino wants to set the record straight so nobody attempts to drink gallons and gallons of water on a daily basis in order to get the same results as Pratt. In fact, one can die from consuming too much water. 

Ryan Marino’s comments to WP don’t mince words, writing a longer statement after originally debunking the Pratt water claims on Twitter. While the Parks and Rec alum no doubt had to keep hydrated when getting into shape, drinking his weight in water is another story entirely. 

Of course, Pratt isn’t the only Marvel actor who got into amazing shape in order to suit up and portray their signature character. Paul Rudd also got ripped for Ant-Man, with both actors getting shirtless scenes in their first MCU movies. Captain Marvel actress Brie Larson has been training for years, sharing how important it is that she feels strong as Carol Danvers. In addition to helping the strong characters be believable, this is no doubt a concern related to those unforgiving super suit costumes.

The clarification from the toxicologist might help keep people healthy, especially in the diet-focused culture we’re currently in. People, especially those in Hollywood, will go to great lengths to look young and fit. Case in point: the current trend of people taking ozempic for weight loss, despite its side effects.

It’s currently unclear when Chris Pratt will return to the MCU. The ending of Guardians 3 saw the team all get happy ever afters, with Peter returning to Earth to be with his grandfather. An ending title card revealed that Star-Lord will be back, but the timeline is a mystery.

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is The Marvels on November 10th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.