Chris Pratt 'shocked and taken back' as Marvel star's pre-election comments spark backlash

Chris Pratt penned an optimistic op-ed for Maria Shriver's The Sunday Paper titled 'Win or Lose, My Hope Is We Show Up for Each Other' - but some fans were enraged by his words

Actor Chris Pratt is said to be licking his wounds after sparking a backlash with an open letter he wrote in the run up to the 2024 US election.

The 45-year-old Hollywood star's attempt at penning a politically neutral message did not sit well with some corners of the American electorate - who viciously turned on him to fire insults at him online. Now the star is said to be feeling "surprised" and "taken back" by the brutal response to his original posting.

The online world can be painfully tribalistic - with politics fans often reaching unhinged levels of devotion to the leaders of their parties. And the run up to the 2024 US Presidential Election was arguably one of the most toxic ever - with some losing friends after they shared their views online, with failed hopeful Kamala Harris receiving a barrage of abuse online, while victorious President Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt when he was shot on the campaign trail.

Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris has reportedly been left bruised by the reaction to a letter he shared where he encouraged others to go out and vote but not to turn on their "fellow countrymen". A source has told the Daily Mail: "Chris is a very open person and honest person. He doesn't realize why his op-ed has rubbed people up the wrong way. He is genuine in nature even if it appears that he is actually oblivious to others feelings."

The source added: "He's surprised by the reaction to his op-ed. He wanted people to talk about it and to make an impact. He wanted to unite people, but all he has done is unite people against him. He has been taken back." The Mirror has contacted a representative of the actor for comment.

The source of the backlash was an op-ed that Chris penned for The Sunday Paper - an award-winning digital publication that is owned and run by Chris's mother-in-law, Maria Shriver. Titled "Win or Lose, My Hope Is We Show Up for Each Other", Chris's letter exposed his optimism for a United America irrespective of who ended up in the White House. He wrote: "It's ok to take a moment to lick your wounds when you lose. Heck, go ahead and cry in the mirror. But if we become too paralyzed by defeat or too pompous in victory, allegiance to our "team" can blind us to the fact that we are fellow countrymen."

Many Americans - as well as others around the world - have not handled the news that Donald Trump will return to the White House for a second term as President after storming to victory following Tuesday's election. Musician Cardi B sparked a backlash when she slammed Trump supporters online - while TV star Jameela Jamil conceded that the Democrats had a huge role to play in their own failure after making '10,000' mistakes.

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