Chris Pratt’s ‘Parks and Rec’ Habit Leads to Painful ‘Mercy’ Set Injury

Commitment has a price. Chris Pratt revealed that a lesson learned from his sitcom days on Parks and Recreation resulted in a severe ankle injury during the production of his new sci-fi thriller, Mercy. Despite spending much of the film strapped to a chair, Pratt managed to wreck his ankle just 4 days into filming.

The 'Break Everything' Lesson That Backfired

According to Entertainment Weekly, the accident occurred during a scene where Pratt’s character, Det. Chris Raven, is arrested in a bar. In an attempt to make the struggle look more violent, Pratt instinctively tried to kick and break a neon sign. "Break as much stuff as you can. It's always better," Pratt recalled of the philosophy he adopted while playing Andy Dwyer.

However, the sign wasn't a breakaway prop. It was supported by a solid metal post protruding from the wall. Pratt’s foot hit the metal directly, causing significant swelling. He shared on Instagram that he couldn't walk for at least 2 weeks following the incident, though he was grateful his character's confinement in a chair allowed him to continue filming.

Mercy: A Thriller Defined by an AI Judge

Set in a near-future Los Angeles, Mercy follows a man accused of murdering his wife. In this world, the justice system utilizes an AI judge, played by Rebecca Ferguson. The accused is given exactly 90 minutes to prove their innocence to the supercomputer or face immediate execution.

Known for high-octane roles in Jurassic World and Guardians of the Galaxy, Pratt noted that being the "emotional core" rather than the source of physical action was a unique challenge. "Every job you do, you're learning," Pratt said, expressing his love for the serious nature of the role. Mercy is set to hit theaters this Friday.