Chris Pratt is going through criticism for his latest feedback on Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Well being and Human Providers and Pratt’s cousin-in-law.
The Guardians of the Galaxy star is married to Katherine Schwarzenegger, the daughter of RFK Jr.’s first cousin, Maria Shriver. Chatting with Invoice Maher on the discuss present host’s Membership Random podcast, Pratt shared that he has spent appreciable time with the politician in household settings.
“I believe he’s nice. I believe he’s humorous. I like him. I really like him,” Pratt mentioned on the podcast, to which Maher, who known as RFK Jr. “a buddy,” agreed.
In relation to Kennedy’s views — which embody skepticism of vaccines and a push to take away what he considers probably dangerous components from meals and prescribed drugs — Pratt mentioned he doesn’t prefer to get entangled in politics, particularly when spending time with a relative at household gatherings.
“I don’t know what to consider, ’trigger it’s not like I sit with Bobby and I’m going, ‘So, hey, let’s speak about this,’” Pratt mentioned. “It’s like, we’re simply taking part in playing cards or taking part in Mafia or having enjoyable or having dinner. I’m not gonna choose his mind to seek out out precisely which of these issues are true. I simply sort of assume that none of them are. And, for probably the most half, I want him nicely.”
Pratt mentioned that he believes a lot of the general public criticism of RFK Jr. has to do along with his help of the “most divisive president ever.”
RFK Jr., who ran for president in 2024 earlier than aligning himself with President Trump, has lengthy been a controversial determine. Although he initially aligned himself with environmental actions early in his profession, Kennedy has since been criticized for spreading conspiracy theories, and for selling vaccine skepticism.
His private life has additionally confronted scrutiny, with members of his circle of relatives, corresponding to his youthful cousin Caroline Kennedy, calling his character into query throughout his affirmation hearings for the Division of Well being and Human Providers.
Pratt, nevertheless, didn’t communicate to those controversies, as a substitute praising Kennedy for his work with the meals business. Pratt mentioned he’s seen bipartisan help for issues like “getting horrible poisonous stuff out of our children’ meals.” As well being secretary, Kennedy is at present engaged on phasing out synthetic dyes from meals merchandise, in addition to encouraging a transfer away from excessive fructose corn syrup, which Trump has additionally voiced help for. .
“I would hate to be so mired in hatred for the president that any success from his administration is one thing I would be having allergic response to,” the Parks and Recreation alum mentioned. “To be like, ‘Oh, nicely, in the event that they do it, I do not need it to occur. … I will put Clorox in my youngsters’s cereal myself.’”
Pratt’s feedback instantly stoked backlash on social media, with some calling Pratt out for supporting a person who they consider is damaging public well being. Others, nevertheless, weren’t shocked by Pratt’s help given a few of his previous feedback on political points. The actor, who has not publicly recognized as a Republican or Democrat, got here underneath hearth on social media in November 2024 after he revealed an op-ed on mother-in-law Shriver’s on-line publication the Sunday Paper, wherein he declined to endorse a candidate for the presidential election and known as upon People to “focus as a substitute on exhibiting up for one another” within the wake of the divisive race.
On the time, some argued that Pratt’s phrases ignored the gravity of the election, with one individual tweeting in response to the op-ed, “My life is at stake, the bodily autonomy of my fellow trans siblings and individuals who can get pregnant generally, of black folks and immigrants, of anybody who disagrees with Trump’s insurance policies, and watching Chris Pratt say ‘I see either side’ and ‘it’s not about who wins and loses.’”
4 years earlier than that, within the fall of 2020, Pratt was the goal of a wave of social media criticism sparked by an preliminary submit calling him the “worst Chris” in Hollywood, partially resulting from his affiliation with Hillsong Church, which has been accused of homophobia. (Pratt later acknowledged that the church welcomes everybody.) His Avengers co-star Mark Ruffalo, who usually expresses his left-leaning politics on-line, got here to Pratt’s protection in a tweet in October 2020.
“You all, @prattprattpratt is as stable a person there may be,” Ruffalo wrote. “I do know him personally, and as a substitute of casting aspersions, take a look at how he lives his life. He’s simply not overtly political as a rule. It is a distraction. Let’s preserve our eyes on the prize, associates. We’re so shut now.”
Different Avengers costars together with Zoe Saldana and Robert Downey Jr., in addition to Marvel Cinematic Universe administrators Anthony Russo and Joseph Russo, additionally publicly supported Pratt on the time.
