Chris Pratt recently gained the title on the internet of "The Worst Chris" (in comparison to fellow actors like Chris Evans, Chris Pine, and Chris Hemsworth), and a new Instagram post is only feeding into that theory.
The Guardians of the Galaxy star shared a post where he paid respect to his wife, Katherine. But in doing so, it seemed as if he expected people to forget his past.
Prior to marrying into the Schwarzenegger family in 2019, Chris was married to Mom actress Anna Faris. Anna and Chris have a son together named Jack, who was born in August 2012. While Jack is doing well today, he was born nine weeks premature — which is stressful for any new parent.
In a book written by Anna years later, she discussed the pregnancy even more. "When you have a healthy pregnancy, you never wonder if you'll get to hold your son right after," she stated, per Redbook.
"The pediatric neurosurgeon sat Chris and me down to tell us that Jack had some severe brain bleeding and there was a chance that he could be developmentally disabled," she continued. "I was in complete shock … So Chris and I did what we could, which was hold hands and hope and face it together." She also credited Chris for being a good source of support at the time.
That puts his recent tribute to Katherine in a whole new light. He shared a picture where Katherine is beaming at him. "Look how she’s looking at me! I mean. Find you somebody that looks at you like that!! You know!?" he wrote.
But then his words become a bit more loaded. "We met in church. She’s given me an amazing life, a gorgeous healthy daughter, she chews so loudly that sometimes i put in my ear buds to drown it out, but that's love! She helps me with everything. In return, periodically, I open a jar of pickles. That's the trade. Her heart is pure and it belongs to me."
Noting that the child was "healthy" is often a great thing to say after they're born. But mentioning it in public, especially knowing that it wasn't the case for his son, seemed a bit harsh for some fans. In a way, it was almost like he was comparing children and the labors of his wives, which they had no control over.
The rest of the post almost reads as possessive as well. In Chris' attempt to be funny, he's openly admitting that he barely contributes to the relationship. "It's her birthday in about 6 weeks," he said as he closed his tribute. "So if I don't get her anything, I'll tell her to look back on this post. Love you honey."
After the backlash, Chris' mother-in-law, Maria Shriver, chose to weigh in. In the comments, she made sure to share her thoughts. "I want to remind you today what a good man you are what a great father you are to Jack and Lyla what a great husband you are to Katherine what a great son in law you are to me and what a great sense of humor you have!!" she wrote, per People.
"I love you Chris keep being your wonderful self rise above the noise your kids love your family loves you your wife loves you what a beautiful life I'm proud of you xo," she continued. While it's nice that she's offering her support, it also seems like the damage has already been done. Word choices are important, and Chris could have expressed his love and admiration without the comparison.
That wasn't Maria's only comment. She reportedly wrote, "this is so sweet now show us how you look at her!!" With a statement like that, it seemed like she was fully aware that Chris made it seem as if his wife adored him and he appreciated all the work she solely put into the relationship. This isn't the first — nor likely the last — time that Chris has posted something that didn't come off as intended.
The end of Chris and Anna's relationship was upsetting for fans who believed the couple had lasting power. Married for eight years, Chris' sudden high profile may have caused some tension in the household. But in 2018, Anna gave an interview that made it seem like the two have figured out their best co-parenting relationship.
"What Chris and I try to do is to communicate openly," she explained to Women's Health. "We reiterate that there aren't rules to this. We have a lot of love and friendship, and our big goal is to protect Jack. I cherish my family, my close friends, my child — that makes the rest of it worth it."
While she might not have taken Chris' post to heart based on where their relationship may be right now, it still must be good knowing that fans are on the lookout for your feelings. Chris might just need a break from social media to regroup and realize how his perspectives come off to people who've been following his career since Parks and Recreation. He and Anna created a beautiful son, and that should be the biggest focus.
