20 Things You Didn’t Know About Moneyball

20. Chris Pratt Was Initially Rejected For Being "Too Fat"

Chris Pratt plays Oakland Athletics first baseman/catcher Scott Hatteberg in the movie, though he very nearly missed out on the role due to his (at the time) portly frame.

Pratt was initially told that he was too large to play Hatteberg, having gained 40 pounds before putting the feelers out, apparently as a result of his then-girlfriend Anna Faris' cooking.

But Pratt was determined to win the role, and so decided to lose the weight, working out continually during Moneyball's casting process and routinely checking in with producers to see if the part had been cast yet.

Pratt eventually lost 30 pounds, after which he sent a photo of himself to the casting director and was finally cast in the role.

Though Pratt keeps a lean physique these days per his role as Star-Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he was previously best known for playing slovenly schlubs - such as Parks and Recreation's Andy Dwyer - so this was quite an against-type casting for the time.